Online Reporter
Mbulelo Mpofu
ZIMBABWE’S flame is burning bright in New York! A powerful new short film titled RISE has made history as the first ever Zimbabwean production to debut at the prestigious Tribeca Festival.
The emotional knockout premiered on 8 June, with writer and director Jessica J Rowlands walking the red carpet alongside big names Tongayi Chirisa, rising star Sikhanyiso Ngwenya and celebrated producer Joe Njagu. The film drew thunderous applause, putting Zimbabwean cinema firmly on the global radar.
RISE packs a punch with its real-life inspiration, Victoria Falls boxing coach Tobias Mupfuti, a man who turned personal tragedy into triumph by building a haven for vulnerable kids through sport and shelter. His story, told with grit and heart, floored the Tribeca crowd.
The film follows a battered street boy who is rescued by the coach and trained for a major tournament. What begins as a reluctant mentorship turns into a touching journey of healing, purpose and survival both inside and outside the boxing ring.
Sikhanyiso Ngwenya, discovered at just 8 years old on the streets, steals the spotlight. His breakout performance already earned him a National Arts Merit Award and put him face to face with his screen idol, Chirisa of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts fame.
Filmed entirely in Zimbabwe with an all-African cast and crew, RISE is a visual feast. Cinematographer Jacques Naudé captures the raw beauty of Vic Falls while echoing the inner scars of the characters.
Rowlands, a two-time UCLA Screenwriting Award winner, poured her love for Zimbabwe into every frame. With RISE, she tells the kind of story that lingers, personal, painful, but full of hope.
With Joe Njagu at the production helm, the man behind Cook Off, Zimbabwe’s first Netflix feature, the film’s success signals a new chapter for local creatives chasing global acclaim.
As RISE stuns Tribeca, Zimbabwe is now standing proudly on the global cinema stage.
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