The Sunday News
Sukoluhle Ndlovu, Sunday Life Correspondent
Gweru-based filmmaker Tinashe Rashai has produced a two-and-a-half hour movie titled Behind my back, which tackles the issue of infidelity and betrayal among couples especially with the advent of social media.
The low budget movie which was shot on location in Gweru’s environs of Senga, Ascot, Mkoba, Riverside and Windsor Park has since been forwarded to the local public broadcaster, ZBC for commissioning.
The movie was directed by Kudzai Madora of Koonet Studios. Rashai (34) who starred in renowned film director Steven Musowe’s 2006 drama Shamiso as Jairos, already has another project, Shanje Hadzivake Musha, a drama which has been commissioned by the local broadcaster and is set to be aired this year.
He was also a scriptwriter in the drama series Chenjera Gehena, where he plays the role of Jairos, which was sold in the streets of Gweru and surrounding environs. In the movie two close friends Vallen Maregere who stares as Jim and Josia Mashora who plays Gift are close friends who are both married but their relationship soon turns sour after Gift goes behind his friend’s back and has an affair with Ntombi, a role acted by Charity Guzha.
When the two cheats are caught Gift backtracks on his earlier pledge that he would marry Ntombi and this has catastrophic consequences.
“This movie is just a mirror of what is taking place in society today, especially with the advent of social media which has sort of drifted couples apart. The movie seeks to explore these issues and the ultimate goal is to encourage couples to stick to the vows and for people to respect the sanctity of marriage,” said Rashai.
The filmmaker lauded efforts by Government in its digitilisation drive and said it is set to revolutionise the film industry in the country.
“There are a lot of opportunities which will come with the digitilisation and as a filmmaker it means we have to be ready and buy state-of-the-art equipment because when the time comes it will be about quality and not just quantity.
To me this is an opportunity because the current legislation says 70 percent of content on television should be local and as filmmakers we should see this as an opportunity especially when new television stations are licenced,” he said.
