Masvingo film project blossoms

AROUND this time last year, Masvingo’s Charles Austin Theatre announced the creation of a film department to increase the shelf life of its stage productions.

That film department, led by Sydney Taivavashe in partnership with Awareness Through Film Trust, has embarked on an ambitious mission called the Gonarezhou Film Project. Charles Austin Theatre artistic director, Khetani Banda, spoke to us about the project.

“Gonarezhou project is a narrative film, which will focus on the brutal poaching of conserved wild animals, especially elephants and rhinos,” said Banda.

Most members of the film’s cast are theatre practitioners from Charles Austin Theatre and Taivavashe revealed more: “This project was inspired by the 2013 tragedy that saw 300 elephants die after being poisoned with cyanide by poachers in parks within the country.

“We started putting the story together in 2013. The journey has taken us four years. We have developed the script, done casting on major roles and rehearsals are underway. We have also identified the crew we are going to be working with.”

Taivavashe called on all Zimbabweans to support them on this project as poaching ultimately impacts on the socio-economic well-being of everyone.

“The film is lobbying for good management systems. Communities around the game parks and the nation at large will be sensitised about poaching to instil a sense of belonging such that they will never allow anyone to poach their natural resources or be involved in poaching themselves,” Taivavashe said.

The film features Zulu, a rural-cultured young man who lives in a fantasy world where he is an acclaimed musician. In reality, he is an abandoned child, whose father deserted his family while he was still an infant.