‘View art as a business’

Mthabisi Tshuma, Showbiz Reporter
RENOWNED radio personality Ezra “Tshisa” Sibanda has urged locals to uplift the city’s creative sector through chipping in with funds to assist the practitioners ..

Sibanda who recently did a remarkable job in directing Nkwali’s Umntanami visuals said so many filmmakers and artistes in general were failing to realise their full potential due to lack of financial support.

He said it is high time that people view art as a business.

“We have good actors in Zimbabwe if what I saw at the Vezi film premiere is anything to go by. It was an amazing gripping thriller. The talent is plenty, but sadly there’s no money to support our young producers.

“We have the likes of Dumi Manyathela who’s one of the good producers and then there’s a new smashing drama Yeyi Kubi that people should look out for. The films are of high quality but have no backing. We need money to support the film industry,” he said.

Sibanda said his directing skills continue to grow as he recently co-directed an action packed movie titled Baccupi which is about African detectives tackling drug dealings and other criminal activities in England.

“Baccupi is a movie from London that I directed and it’ll be available soon on Netflix if all goes well.

My directing skills have come a long way as I directed the video Lucy Don’t Cry by Wizzy Masuke at the age of 19 when I was at ZBC and then Edwin Hama’s songs Waiting For A New Day,” he said ,”he said Sibanda. – @mthabisi_mthire