The Sunday News
Rumbidzai Mbewe, Sunday Life Correspondent
The Zimbabwe International Film and Festival Trust (ZIFFT) is calling for film submissions for the 20th edition that is scheduled to run from 1 to 8 September.
The eight day-festival will run under the theme Narratives from Africa. In an interview, the festival director, Ms Nakai Matema, said this year’s event will primarily focus on productions from Africa that deal with the African culture, heritage and influence both on the continent and in the diaspora deviating from the tradition of attempting to showcase quality films from around the world with a more Eurocentric slant.
“This year’s festival seeks to highlight the importance of telling stories with an African perspective and dealing with the African on the continent and in the diaspora as Africa begins to play a larger role on the global stage,” she said.
Ms Matema said they were encouraging both local and international film producers to submit their work and the deadline for submissions is 1 July this year.
“Local and international filmmakers can submit their applications on ZIFFT’s official website. ZIFFT2018 will visit several venues in the CBD and high density areas around Harare. For the longest time Africa and African stories have been mystified and marginalised, therefore ZIFFT 2018 celebrates the arrival of African and Zimbabwe film in particular on the international stage. We want to showcase the quality of African film coming from the continent, to show the world the vastly improved quality of African filmmakers”, she said.
Established in 1997, the Zimbabwe International Film and Festival Trust has distinguished itself as a significant promoter of film in Zimbabwe and around the African continent.
ZIFFT has laid a solid foundation for the development of film in Zimbabwe through its robust film development programmes over the past 2 decades.
