Four German filmmakers for ziff

Jonathan Mbiriyamveka Entertainment Reporter
Four filmmakers from Germany are expected to grace this year’s edition of the Zimbabwe International Film Festival that begins tomorrow.
The filmmakers are expected to mentor three upcoming Zimbabwean filmmakers to make three films which will be released during the festival. “The young filmmakers are going to produce three short films during the course of the festival. There is also going to be a workshop which will be open to all film students from such institutions as Ziftesa, Midlands State University and Chinhoyi University of Technology,” Nigel Munyati, acting director and founding trustee of ZIFF trust said.

Running under the theme: “ A retrospective: Looking Back Through Independent Eyes” allows people to look into the growth and journey that Zimbabwe has taken since independence to today through the eye of film.

Zimbabwean film industry was once vibrant with Hollywood actors flocking to the country to shoot movies. There was once a movie city close to the Snake Park where the movie “King Solomon’s Mines” was shot.

And do you remember Denzel Washington, then a rookie, came to Zimbabwe to shoot “Cry Freedom” and how about Sharon Stone who left Hollywood to shoot “King Solomon’s Mines”.

Other big names who visited Zimbabwe include Morgan Freeman for the film BOPA, as well as Nicolas Cage.
In line with the theme, filmmakers and movie-goers are to select the best from an unlimited number of films that were produced in Zimbabwe either as wholly Zimbabwean productions or as co-productions with other countries.

The festival will also look back at dedicated filmmakers that have illuminated the film scene, whether deceased or living, namely Godwin Mawuru, David Gwaza, Rumbi Katedza, Ben Zulu, Simon Shumba, Tsitsi Dangarembga and Nakai Matema among others.

The Safirio Madzikatire Award for distinguished contribution to film will give the industry the opportunity to reflect on the good work being done in film.

Madzikatire remains one of the best actors ever in the Zimbabwe film.