…peace album entitled Oneness Zimbabwe launched
A MOVIE on national healing and reconciliation, Two Villages Apart premiered at Harare International Conference Centre on Monday night.
Report by Entertainment Reporter
Co-produced and directed by Donald Mabido, the movie stars popular musician Pauline Gundidza, Prince Makanda, Lewis Mukanda and Dereck Nziyakwi, among others.
It is a tale of two villages torn apart by political affiliation and violence in the aftermath of the June 2008 election.
The tension causes intense polarisation to the extent that if a villager is seen conversing with another from a rival village they are expelled by the headman.
This is all changed when a young cricket player, James (played by Prince Mukanda) is forced into retirement after being diagnosed with an incurable heart disease.
He decides to spend the rest of his days at his rural home.
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Though the three principals of the Government of National Unity shook hands in a unity accord, people of his and the next village are far from forgiving each other.
Engagement of both parties in the game of cricket, something strange and new to both villages, however, works the magic of uniting young people, then the old that at the time of his death, both villages gather to mourn the passing of a hero.
The movie brings out the marginalisation of rural areas, how news is spread through word of mouth and the importance of family while discussing political violence without pointing fingers at parties involved. Though of low production cost, the movie could be one of the best the country has ever produced with an excellent story flow and good picture quality though sound glitches are evident in some parts.
Mabido said they faced many financial constraints in the production process.
“As this is our first project as Tagline Film Production, we faced many challenges along the way, mostly financial till the Organ of National Healing, Reconciliation and Integration (ONHRI) chipped in with funds,” he said.
“We could spend up to three weeks in Guruve shooting without ‘proper’ accommodation, but we stuck together as a team and in the end we achieved our goal.”
The production team consists mostly this year’s graduates of the film school among them Lucky Aaroni (line producer and continuity), Admire Kuzhangaira (cinematography), Caroline Marufu (editing), and Morebryan Marara.
Media, Information and Broadcasting Services minister Professor Jonathan Moyo, who was guest of honour at the event hailed the young filmmakers for a job well done.
“Some of us in the communication industry try very hard to talk about peace and its importance, but I am very sure there is no better way to speak what is in our hearts and minds other than through art, film and music,” he said.
Meanwhile, the premiere also doubled as a launch of a peace album entitled Oneness Zimbabwe featuring various artistes including the legendary Mechanic Manyeruke and Pastor Haisa. It carries 11 tracks among them the theme song to the movie Runyararo.
The movie and album will be distributed by the OHHRI.
