admin
Godwin Muzari Entertainment Editor
The local film industry, bleeding from the harsh blows of marauding piracy and deep cuts of low funding, always gets comfort in history.
Yesteryear films remain the most colourful and successful productions of an industry loudly crying out for assistance with poor quality films from backyard studios increasingly flooding the market.
Films like “Neria”, “Yellow Card”, “Everyone’s Child” and “Flame” largely get special mention in discussions about local screen productions as examples of works that will forever show creativity and talent in local film-making.
It is mainly for this reason that organisers of the 15th edition of the Zimbabwe International Film Festival, which takes place next week, have decided to reach high up their film shelves to pluck and dust yesteryear productions in line with this year’s theme of the fête — “A Retrospective”.
Although the festival, which runs from December 10 to 14, will have a number of new local productions and international films, the yesteryear films are likely to claim a larger share of attention from film lovers.
Among other variables, this attention would ensue from the old generation’s love to rekindle yesteryear memories and the young generation’s need to feel the cinema aura of films from another era that have always been cited as exceptional.
Watching Jesesi Mungoshi portray that sorrowful Neria character at the mercy of male chauvinism and inheritance conflict should give one or two storyline lessons for young filmmakers.
Leroy Gopal’s star role in “Yellow Card” as Tiyane, expertly executed to international acclaim and envy of filmmakers in South Africa where the actor is now based, exhibits the export quality of acting talent in the country.
Nomsa Mlambo, the late Walter Mparutsa and Elijah Madzikatire paint a touching picture in “Everyone’s Child” and everyone who watches the film today should admit the Shimmer Chinodya brainchild deserved to be a blockbuster.
While recent films like “Playing Warriors”, “The Gentlemen”, “Something Nice from London” and newly released “Two Villages Apart” are good in some facets, stringent budgets have spoilt their potential.
In a recent interview, filmmaker Marian Kunonga, well known for her acting role in “Flame”, said it would be hard for current productions to meet yesteryear standards because of slim budgets.
“The way production was handled when we were shooting ‘Flame’ inspired me to be a filmmaker,” she said.
“Everything was orderly and everyone would envy us. It means the budget for the film was enough for a quality production.”
Kunonga said upon return home after some years abroad, she was heartbroken to see how the industry had sunk.
ZIFF acting director and founding trustee Nigel Munyati said there was need for Government incentives to rescue the industry.
“In South Africa, they have what is called the National Film and Video Foundation which financially assists filmmakers.
“We need a similar arrangement here if we are to make good films,” he said.
Munyati said local film actors were accepting peanuts out of desperation and there is no motivation to aspiring filmmakers.
“This year’s festival will show the world that we have the capacity to make good films because we have done so before. Just a few issues need to be addressed to put the industry back on trek.”
Producer and director of the latest film “Two Villages Apart”, Donald Mabhido, narrated the cast’s ordeal during the film shoot.
“The whole cast slept in one hut in Guruve. We had to get accommodation in the village because we had no resources,” he said.
With this scenario, the young generation might never have sweet memories of local films of their time when their elders brag about yesteryear productions.
Online Reporter