BY TATENDA SQUARE/ SHARON SIBINDI
ORGANISERS of Intwasa Arts Festival koBulawayo have produced a short film titled Amacala which seeks to raise awareness on child marriages.
According to the United Nations, one in three girls in Zimbabwe gets married before the age of 18.
The government has since introduced a Marriage Bill which contains provisions aimed at curbing child marriages by penalising perpetrators.
The film was released on Tuesday as part of the Amplifying Girls Voices through Digital Arts project which provides a platform for girls and young women to discuss issues affecting them.
Amacala was produced in association with Plan International Zimbabwe and government with the support of Finland Development Corporation.
Directed by William Nyandoro, the film features Stacey Matarise, Loneness Tapiwa and Xavier Dhlomo.
In an interview with NewsDay Life & Style yesterday, Intwasa festival director and multi-award-winning playwright Raisedon Baya said the film documented some painful and traumatic experiences of girls, who were married off at an early age.
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“What is close to my heart is to tell stories and help others tell their stories.
“Ben Okri once said, to poison a nation, poison its stories which are a window into a nation’s soul,” he said.
“Through Amacala girls tell their story on child marriages.
“We are hoping that the communities will learn from the effects of marrying off their girls.”
Baya said the film also highlighted that members of society should be each other’s sister’s keeper by speaking out against bad practices and bringing those that prey on young girls to book.
“Amacala is the first of a series of short films which have been produced within the project, using film as an art form to address the issue of child marriages,” Intwasa administrator Runyararo Mutandi said
“This particular film focuses on child-to-child marriage in particular,” she said.
“The project started in June and will run for six months under Plan’s Innovation Fund.
“The idea of the project is to provide a platform for girls and young women to talk about the issues affecting them.”
The short film, which is shot in a rural setting, opens with three young girls coming from school sharing their dreams, effects of COVID-19 on their education and later talking about dating.
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