Chronicle Editor
Mthabisi Tshuma, Showbiz Correspondent
Madlela Skhobokhobo who is mostly known as a musician is set to showcase his film directing skills through Find Me, a film that he has been entrusted to direct.
A result of interactions during the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ)/ Piton International Film Festival (PIFF) Africa 2021 Film Festival that was held in April, the forthcoming film is being penned by Ugandan Paul Sebata and will be directed by Madlela (real name Mothusi Bashimane Ndlovu). It is a collaboration of Bulawayo film production house Gesh23 Productions and Uganda’s King Paul Media Entertainment (KPM).
Madlela said the short film will be shot in and around Bulawayo in the coming months. The cast will feature award-winning actors that include Antonette Sango, Marshal Mpofu, Ben Chest and Bhekimpilo Makhwelo.
“Find Me tells the story of a couple that experiences a bad beginning to their marriage. The wife mysteriously disappears leaving everyone thinking the husband had something to do with her disappearance. It chronicles the story of the husband’s investigation to find out what happened to his wife,” narrated Madlela.
He said he is thrilled to be working on this project adding that such partnerships will lead to the growth of the country’s film industry that is still finding its ground.
“It’s always good to see such projects coming to fruition because our film industry is still at its infancy. We need these partnerships with players from other countries so that we can grow our industry. Our hope is that the production will enable us to showcase our art on various platforms across the continent,” said Madlela.
Award-winning filmmaker Marshal Mpofu of Gesh 23 Productions who is also the producer of the upcoming film said the collaboration is the beginning of many such enterprises.
“The NACZ/ PIFF is the one that made us meet with Paul. It provided a platform where we shared our experiences in filmmaking. From those discussions, we came up with this strategy where he’d write films and we cast and produce them in Zimbabwe,” said Mpofu.
The collaboration will ride on the strengths of the Ugandans in scriptwriting and storytelling while Gesh23 will utilise its strength to cast and produce.
Sebata said the partnership will go a long way in promoting culture between the two countries and also attract tourists to visit Africa.
“Furthermore, this will also allow us to connect with the international market, increase the education and level of film production in Uganda, Zimbabwe and Africa at large,” he said.
NACZ/ PIFF Africa co-ordinator, Farai Kupfavira, who is also the Provincial Arts Manager for the Midlands province welcomed the partnership and said she expects more collaborations to come out of the continental film showcase.
“This is a stepping stone, not only for NACZ and PIFF, but also for the country at large. We hope this partnership will grow and spur further success for the Cultural and Creative Industry, not only in Zimbabwe and Uganda, but the whole of Africa as represented by participants in the festival,” said Kupfavira.
The president/ founder of UCCI the parent company of PIFF Global and PIFF Africa, Ed “Umoja” Herman said he was overjoyed to see the collaboration efforts between companies from different countries in Africa moving forward positively.
“The collaboration that is now underway between KPMG in Uganda and Gesh 23 Production in Zimbabwe shows that the work we set out to do is having positive results as PIFF Africa. We hope this is the first of many to come,” said Herman. — @mthabisi_m
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