admin
The Herald October 10, 1992
NERIA, a wholly Zimbabwean-produced film, has won third prize in the M-Net annual awards for Southern African films, with Jesesi Mungoshi winning the award for best leading actress for the title role and Oliver Mtukudzi winning the award for best original music score.
Nine films, including Zimbabwe’s first pair of locally-produced feature films Jit and Neria – were entered for the awards.
Sarafina and Die Storia Ivan Klara Viljee, both South African films, came first and second. The awards were announced and presented on Thursday night.
M-Net, a private South African cable and satellite television channel, put up a total of R300 000 in prizes.
Producers John and Louise Riber won R20 000 for Neria’s third prize with Mungoshi winning R8 000 and Mtukudzi winning R3 000.
Neria is now Zimbabwe’s highest-ever grossing film – Terminator II comes second and the M-Net award and the screening of the film is likely to enhance its chances of further sales to other countries.
LESSONS FOR TODAY
- Neria is one of the most successful Zimbabwean films. It was made in 1991. It was based on a story written by Tsitsi Dangarembga and was directed by the late Godwin Mawuru. The screenplay was written by Louise Riber.
- It is the highest-grossing film in Zimbabwean history.
- It cast a limelight on the abuse that African widows suffer at the hands of relatives especially those who twist traditional African customs out of greed or lust.
- The film also brought into focus the country’s inheritance laws and how they protect widows against greedy and lustful individuals or relatives.
- There is need for the Government and stakeholders to revive the country’s once vibrant film industry because of its huge potential to shape the cultural, social, and economic landscape.
Online Reporter