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Worrying film distribution snag

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By Farayi Mungoshi

THIS year has seen us discuss film and television in most of my articles than in any other year.
That is because more films have been shot and premiered in Zimbabwe by Zimbabweans than any other year in the history of our nation.
Production levels have increased due to technology which has seen almost everyone affording film-making equipment.
However, despite the many releases, most of the films are still to be seen by Zimbabweans.
Films are made to entertain, educate or disseminate information where need be, thus the whole point of making them is defeated when no one gets to see them.
How do we access these films being made?
Film-maker Eric Witzgall of Media Matrix (MMX) expressed disappointment with the poor distribution of films.
“Distribution is still, by far, the biggest obstacle and, right now, most film-makers are hanging onto their films for fear of piracy; some are being sold to DSTV while others are available online, but in order to purchase online one needs forex. And we all know that the moment we talk of forex, the atmosphere changes, ending up with only a few select (apart from the film-makers themselves) who are able to purchase these films,” said Witzgall.
He, however, stressed that the issue of distribution is being addressed and that within the next six months, a viable solution would have been found.
South African film producer Mpho Ramathuli said the problem of poor distribution was not just in Zimbabwe but the whole region (southern Africa) as well.
Films are made and premiered, but they are not being marketed and distributed properly and there are no movie houses showing African films.
The movie houses are awash with Western content, which teaches us nothing about who we are as a people other than showing that we are eager to consume foreign products more than our own.
Western productions have perpetuated our mental slavery; we continue to be captured and ruled through films from the West.
We need to rise above just making films and dramas for television and start dealing with the end product.
Ramathuli said film-makers in the region had to take notes from Zambia which has perfected the film-making chain.
She said Zambians were filling up movie houses to watch their own local content.
The important question that we need to provide answers to is: How have Zambian film-makers managed to get their people to fall in love with local films above Western films?
That is where we need to start off from if we are to ever turn our sweat, as film-makers, into profit.
In an online discussion with film-maker Melgin Tafirenyika, who has done at least eight movies this year alone, I asked what his secret is; how it is that he has managed to do all these movies when most people have hardly even managed to do a single movie in at least two or more years.
Last month, Tafirenyika was in Egypt where he showcased two of his films, Chihombiro and 206 Bones, at a festival.
The film-maker remains little known, except to film-makers, yet he has managed to achieve something most film-makers are struggling with – the ability to constantly release a film (approximately one in every month).
Some of the films he’s done this year include The Lamb, I married my Mother, 5th Anniversary, Where is Home? and Boarder Jumper.
Tafirenyika said it has taken him and his team years to master the art and technique of shooting a movie in one month.
“That’s our strategy,” he said.
His productions are being shown on Zambezi Magic.
Concerning the distribution problem, he said film-makers had to be aggressive in marketing their products.

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