Watch: “I wrote this film while in prison”: Mai Tt motivates inmates with Lost in Ashes premiere

Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub

Actress, comedian, and social media personality Mai Tt has taken her acclaimed film Lost in Ashes back to where its story began, the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) Chikurubi Female Prison, where she penned the script while serving time.

Following the film’s successful Harare premiere recently, which featured Nigerian actors Mike Ezuruonye, Mike Godson, Anita Joseph, Chinyere Winfred, Joy Patrick Ezedike, Iyke Odife, and Flossy Florento, Mai Tt decided to screen it for the inmates on Thursday, as an act of inspiration and hope.

The emotional event saw Mai Tt reunited with the women she once shared cells with.

“Remember, the dream was built behind bars. I wrote this film while in prison,” she said.

“Many doubted me, some even laughed. But I wanted to show that even in your darkest place, you must not cancel your dreams. That’s not the end of the world. I came back to give them hope, to show them that it’s possible to rise, to rebuild, and to live your purpose,” she said in an interview with Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub.

Mai Tt said returning to Chikurubi was more than a symbolic gesture, it was a way to remind inmates that redemption and success can be born from pain.
“What I used to write in my diary, people thought was crazy, but now it’s come to life. All I want is for these women to believe that anything they set their minds to can be achieved.”

Her visit was warmly received by the prison community, marking a full-circle moment for the entertainer who continues to use her story to inspire others toward hope and renewal.