BY FARAI MATIASHE
LOCAL feature film Goodman has been selected for screening at the Montgomery International Film Festival (MIFF) in Bethsaida, Maryland in the United States.
The film’s writer and director Igi Matope told NewsDay Life & Style that the film, which premiered in local cinemas in December last year, will be screened online at the MIFF theatre until September next year.
“During this period, filmmakers, fans, the media and distributors who make up the membership system pay to watch the selected films,” he said.
“The filmmaker gets 70% of the revenue. At the end of the period, films are ranked determined by the total number of clicks, average watch length and number of likes. The top three films will receive the award of fans’ choice in 2020.”
Matope, who started writing the script in 2006, said he was elated that Goodman had been selected for the festival despite the unfavourable environment for filmmaking in the country.
“Our film was selected from a pool of potentially good films from all over the world. We are making these films in a very hostile environment, but when our products meet international standards, it’s both overwhelming and very encouraging,” he said.
Producer Kamo Phuti said it was encouraging that their work had been selected for the prestigious festival given that the film “was self-funded and a lot of sacrifices were made by the production team to produce a world class film that can compete globally”.
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He said the development indicated that it was a world-class production that warranted global audience.
Goodman, which was filmed on location in Mutare, features actors Farirai Borerwe and Tapiwa Marahwa.
Marahwa said just being selected for the festival was a great achievement.
“Whether or not, we are going to be nominated for the awards at the end of the MIFF, it does not matter. This official selection is the greatest achievement and encouragement that our work is being appreciated universality,” she said.
The 1 hour 33-minute long film is premised around a decent and honest young man called Simba, who wakes up in bed with a sex worker, Jeannette, after a corporate party. Jeannette starts blackmailing him claiming pregnancy, but by the time Simba discovers the ”sex-capade” is part of a conspiracy, it is too late.
