Filmmaker Mawunga celebrates ‘Mind Games’ success

LOCAL filmmaker Charles Mawunga is celebrating the success of his movie “Mind Games” after scooping international accolades recently

The thrilling movie, which has a cast of 10 people only, has earned him both local and international awards. In an interview the multiple-award winning filmmaker said he never dreamt that his project would land him on international platforms.

“To be honest when I wrote this script I thought it was just ordinary, little did I know that it would take me this far.

“There were a lot of challenges along the way but we put effort to ensure that we produce something of class that matches international standards,” Mawunga.

In December it scooped the Best Narrative Feature Award at the Calcutta International Cult Film Festival in New York.

Calcutta International Cult Film Festival (CICFF) is an official member of the Film Society of Lincoln Centre.

The movie was also a finalist at the Near Nazareth Festival in Israel and also a semi-finalist at the Los Angeles Cinefest.

Mawunga said the film is currently on festival rounds where it still has the capacity to win more awards and plans to officially launch it locally before mid-year.

“Considering how successful the movie has been around the world I still believe I can still get more awards with it.

“I am planning to officially launch it locally by June this year after it has finished the current festival rounds. It will be available in cinemas and on DVDs,” he said.

“Mind Games” also won the Best Zimbabwean feature and Best actor Awards at the joint Zimbabwe International Film Festival (ZIFF)/ International Film Festival (IFF) fete in August last year.

Mawungwa has been in the film industry for over a decade and worked on a number of award-winning films that also include the “Search”, which won Best Short film project in 2006.

He has also been involved in the production of over 50 documentaries and awareness videos for United Nations organisations.