ZIMBABWE International Film and Festival Trust (ZIFFT) executive director, Nigel Munyati urged filmmakers to persuade the government to licence private players such as Kwesé TV because opening up the broadcasting sector to private players would save the local film industry from collapse.
BY TAFADZWA KACHIKO
Munyati’s sentiments came just before the screening of the opening film, In My Father’s Village, at this year’s joint festival with the International Images Film Festival (IIFF). He said there was need to persuade the government to give a chance to private broadcasters such as Kwesé TV.
“We were told it’s (Kwesé TV) coming, it’s not. You (filmmakers) are the guys being affected because the more channels to push your talent, the more the work you have to do and the more the industry grows. So, it is very important for us to urge our government to license new television channels,” he said.
Munyati expressed hope that the government will allow Kwesé TV to do business for the benefit of filmmakers and consumers. He said there was no need to politicise the issue.
“What is most important now is for it to stop making political decisions and make economic decisions because this industry has great potential to significantly boost our economy. Unfortunately, it does not appreciate the power and value of this industry,” Munyati said, adding that ZBC-TV was not supporting the local film industry.
He expressed concern at the lack of support from the corporate sector, which he said did not seem to value professional filmmakers.
“Corporate executives think of a filmmaker as that guy with dreadlocks, wears sandals and smokes ganja. They don’t think that we are actually people who are very serious and very professional,” Munyati said.
