Where is the film, Jesesi?

Prince Mushawevato

WILL Jesesi Mungoshi’s film project, featuring the late veteran actor Fidelis “Mudhara Danger” Cheza, ever see the light of day or it has become a perennial fundraising project?It appears the production remains stuck in the mill and will not be premièred anytime soon, according to current circumstances surrounding the highly anticipated project.

Jesesi, wife to literary icon Charles Mungoshi indicated to this writer in an interview last year that her company, JM Productions, was putting final touches to a film whose storyline is adapted from her husband’s first publication, “Makunun’unu Maodzamoyo”.

The novel has been used as an O-Level Shona set book. According to initial communication from the actress-cum-producer, the production whose works have been ongoing for the past five years was set to be released by December 2015.

However, nine months down the line, the project is still to hit the big screen. Certainly funding is currently a major challenge for every sector in the country but Jesesi Mungoshi’s project, which falls under Culture Fund’s “Culture Impacts Programme”, is a priority hence should by now have long been completed.

This is because the project got a major boost last year when the Culture Fund gave them (JM Productions) US$23 600 for the movie. Other organisations/individuals within arts and culture that were also awarded the Culture Impacts grants collectively worth just over a million got their funds and have since completed the projects and moved to next ventures.

Consequently, critics have since started assuming funds for the production of “Makunun’unu Maodzamoyo”, may either have been misappropriated or JM Productions is not eager to fold the project so as to continue using it as a fundraising tool.

This school of thought might well not be off the mark considering the producers are still engaging various sponsors with a similar project proposal.

And Jesesi Mungoshi, who is the executive producer of the film, appears to be stingy with the truth. She defended the predicament they find themselves in, arguing that Culture Fund is yet to come through for them. This is despite the latter proving they have long issued her funds for the film project.

“We are about to finalise the project. Work had since stopped since we had no money to pay the cast we are working with,” she said, adding, “No funds came from Culture Fund. Getting the promised funds depended on Culture Fund receiving a grant which they did not get.”

But Culture Fund project officer Chido Mushaya quickly dismissed Jesesi Mungoshi’s assertions.

“All 41 projects accepted the grants including producers of ‘Makunun’unu Maodzamoyo’ and they even released a trailer after receiving their grant in July 2015 that amounted to US$23 600 (full amount), which they acknowledged to us in writing. Being on the grants list means one will get the funds, it is not a shortlist but the actual awarding of money,” revealed Mushaya.

“The only outstanding issue we have at the moment is that of seven projects that had two-year-contracts. We gave them part of the money and we are issuing the remaining part this year as per agreement but note Makunun’unu is not in this lot.”

Plot Mhako, Jibilika Dance Trust founder and director, who was among the 2015 beneficiaries of the Culture Impacts grants adds: “I was promised US$18 000 in 2015 by Culture Fund and I got that money and used it to finance our festival last year. It is very rare, if at all it happens that one is on the grants list and then fails to get the funds. I have received funding from that Culture Fund on three occasions.”

Producers of the film estimated last year in November that close to US$5 000 was needed to finance the final stages of the project.

But strangely, they refused to give this publication a proper update last week with regards to how much they have since secured from that time and the outstanding balance (that is if there is still any).

Certainly it is not a crime for one to look for multiple sponsorship packages for them to complete their projects.

However, it becomes a problem when the process is done clandestinely, especially if the producers publicly deny receipt of funds from sponsors yet money is coming through.

Fetid!

“We have since secured a new sponsor that I cannot divulge at the moment and that also includes the amounts involved but everything is now on course,” said Jesesi Mungoshi who also features in the film as an actor.

The late Cheza, popularly known as Mudhara Danger from his role in Zimbabwe’s first soap opera Studio 263, passed on after having completed all his parts on the movie. Top producer-cum-actor Enock Chihombori of the “Gringo” fame opines it is not unusual for a film to take longer than necessary to produce. Furthermore, he says Zimbabwe Television is not doing enough to push for creation of fresh content.

“A lot of factors are involved that is from shooting to editing but basically everything hinges on the amount of finance you have. Some scenes are easy to shoot while others are difficult. It took us only three weeks to shoot ‘Gringo the Troublemaker’ but we needed about a year to edit the project,” revealed Chihombori.

“The editing process including sound mixing is a challenge and we also had no money for that. I had to save my personal income to finance the project. Lack of capital makes you appear disorganised yet that is not the case. Often people have resorted to cutting corners by engaging cheap and unqualified people in the process affecting the overall quality of the end product. Mediocre products are not good hence the need to take your time.”

According to Jesesi Mungoshi, the film will suit different audience tastes though the primary target will be school children. The film (“Makunun’unu Maodzamoyo”) is expected to help pupils, teachers and parents understand the set book better for their exams.

“The objective can still be met but it’s a bit late. The good thing though is the book will still be used in schools thus we will proceed with our production and distribution plans.”

Jesesi Mungoshi is popular for her character Neria in the ‘90s film of the same name. The new project will mark her major comeback on the big screen following a two decade hiatus in any local film.

Also, the movie will likely rejuvenate interest in the 45-year-old book that set Charles Mungoshi well on the path to becoming one of Zimbabwe’s greatest ever writers. Charles Mungoshi is a giant in Zimbabwean literature. His other works that have inspired films and plays include “Waiting for the Rain” (1975), “Ndiko Kupindana Kwemazuva” (1975), “Inongova Njakenjake” (1980) and “Gwatakwata” (1995).