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Tafirenyika makes waves in SA

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AFTER successfully landing his debut film, I Will Marry Myself, on South Africa’s Mzanzi Magic, Chitungwiza-based, rising film writer Melgin Tafirenyika has proved that local talent can make it anywhere.

AFTER successfully landing his debut film, I Will Marry Myself, on South Africa’s Mzanzi Magic, Chitungwiza-based, rising film writer Melgin Tafirenyika has proved that local talent can make it anywhere.

Tinashe Sibanda

Tafirenyika, who took it upon himself to have the romantic comedy produced in South Africa, said he had been overwhelmed by the responses from the South African viewers considering that it was his debut production.

“I was just trying to raise awareness of practical things that people are going through and most of all I want people to realise that anything done for the wrong reasons always ends in sorrow and above all prove that Zimbabweans can make it anywhere in the world,” said Tafirenyika.

He said at this point the local film industry could not be compared to the South African industry as it is bigger and there was still need for locals to realise the need to support local productions. “I feel it was a good move for SABC to shut its broadcast from Zimbabwe as this may be a relevant move to push people to support, promote and appreciate local films,” he added.

The 28-year-old film writer said he was hoping that in a few years he would be listed under Africa’s top film makers as he was passionate about writing more films to inspire people.

Tafirenyika said it was time to do away with mere complaining as challenges would always come, but how one handled things was rather important. He said he did not have enough money to make the best film, but he manipulated whatever he had to make things right.

“I did not think the comedy would go this far after facing a lot of discouragement, but right now I am just over the moon seeing the responses from Mzansi Magic viewers, I have been given power to go stronger,” he said.

I Will Mary Myself is a film that addresses African culture marriage pressures and how they have negatively affected the family and this is depicted through the story of Shelter, who has a good job and income, but suffers emotional abuse because of desperation to get married to please her parents and relatives.

Despite her successful career, she is made to believe that she is incomplete if she grows any older without a man. Her desperation leads her to a terrible heartbreak and the plot develops when she decides to pay lobola for herself through hired people just to please her parents.

Tafirenyika said after completing drama and performing arts theatre at the State Theatre School in Pretoria in 2010, he began working on the film which he also shot in SA as he aimed to capture a wider audience as he has done.