By Farayi Mungoshi

AFTER the premiere of Cook Off at New Ambassador Hotel, I began asking questions.
I wanted to know why they hadn’t used Sterkinekor for the premiere instead.
The movie obviously meets all the international requirements needed to showcase it anywhere in the world.
Why then didn’t they use Sterkinekor?
So I called up the producer of Cook Off, Joe Njagu, to find out.
He told me it costs about US$2 000 to show your movie at Sterkinekor and that they didn’t have that kind of money at hand, besides they would then have had to charge people extra if they wanted to at least get some kind of profit.
I decided to call up Sterkinekor to verify and also know what to do when I finally want to show my own film. I spoke to one Nelly, the manager.
She was very accommodative and civil during our conversation, and she also showed her concern for the lack of locally made films in the movie houses.
She told me that prices vary, depending on the day one wants to show his/her film.
On peak days like Tuesday, Friday and Saturday, the bigger 245-seat movie house costs up to US$1 960 and off peak days like Monday and Wednesday, they can come down to US$1 137.
She also said that they (Sterkinekor, Zimbabwe) did not really have the final say as to what shows at their movie houses as they were a franchise.
For a movie to be shown, it first needs approval from Sterkinekor, South Africa.
It is at this stage that most film-makers give up: “I have given our local film-makers Sterkinekor, South Africa contact details for them to send their films but they never come back. Tirikutodawo malocal films asi imi mafilm-makers you are letting us down, as for others, they do not even bother to approach Sterkinekor,” said the manager.
I told her that, with the given pricelist, I would also think twice before showing my movies as there ultimately seems to be no profit.
However, she pointed out that Iocal film-makers could contact South Africa and negotiate better deals. After all, Sterkinekor, South Africa even offers film students at AFDA Film School a platform, through their movie houses, to show their pieces and chances are, they are willing to come to some sort of understanding with Zimbabwe; only if we are willing to take up the offer. Sterkinekor is willing to listen because there are movies that have premiered there before.
Adoration Bizure’s Deception was premiered at Sterkinekor but it did not continue to show there as expected, once a film has been released.
Zimpapers, like it did with Njagu’s Escape, tried marketing and selling the film on behalf of the film-makers but other than that, Deception, like Escape, simply vanished from the circuit, depriving most movie lovers of watching either film.
I also understand the latest film, Overspill, which is making noise around the film-making circuit, and is rumoured to be the film to watch so far this year, also premiered at Sterkinekor last month on January 25.
So Sterkinekor is willing and open for discussion and negotiation.
It is now up to local film-makers to gear up, talk and provide the content needed to have a viable industry; so far we are on point.
This year, there are three films that have come out and are worth watching; Like a Good Woman Should, Overspill and Cookoff but you won’t find them at the movie houses.
I would not have known about Overspill had I not attended Minister Kazembe Kazembe’s meeting with artists in Chitungwiza the other week, where I saw one lady selling tickets for the premiere.
Are we making films to show among ourselves as film-makers or for the people?
And if we are doing it for the people, then maybe extra work is needed to ensure that our films are well advertised and there is a venue we can all go to watch them, not just for the premiere but for the following weeks after.
One movie I can’t wait to watch is Overspill.
Things are looking up for film in the country, bearing in mind that International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) also had its 2018 Film Festival here.
IFFR is recognised worldwide and has been around for 47 years.
As long as film-makers understand that they are not in competition against each other, the country can expect fireworks in the coming months and years.
The old movie-going craze that once hit our cinema halls can be revived if we all work together.
Film is not just about writing a script and shooting it; it is also about advertising, marketing and distribution, not just to Harare cinema halls but also those in Bulawayo, Masvingo, Gweru, Mutare and other places.