A POWERFUL Zimbabwe-United Kingdom collaboration is breaking new ground in immersive storytelling with The Rift, a 360° fulldome documentary set to make its world premiere at this year’s International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA).
Selected for the prestigious IDFA DocLab Competition for Immersive Non-Fiction, The Rift will feature in the DocLab Exhibition from today to November 25, marking a major milestone for African creative innovation on the global stage.
The film is a product of XR Labs, a collaborative initiative between Welsh immersive arts studio 4Pi Productions, Zimbabwean media organisation Matamba Film Labs, and dance hub AfriKera Arts Trust.
Supported by the British Council’s International Collaboration Programme, XR Labs was designed to empower female creatives through cutting-edge extended reality (XR) storytelling.
As part of this project, a group of emerging women filmmakers known as the “Future Femmes” received training in immersive production techniques, coordinated by Matamba Film Labs.
The participants not only assisted in creating The Rift, they also produced a behind the scenes VR documentary that explores their journey to this new medium.
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Blending contemporary dance, music and poetry, The Rift is a visually-stunning exploration of water as a universal connector.
Set against Zimbabwe’s diverse landscapes from dense forests and ancient ruins to vivid urban spaces, the film uses choreography and 360° projection to reflect the unity of people, culture and nature amid the growing threat of climate change.
Mary Anibal’s song Mvura, remixed by NO SHAPE, provides the heartbeat of the film, while a poem by XAPA reminds audiences that: “There was water, even before there was light.”
Speaking about the impact of the project, 4Pi Productions described The Rift as a model for meaningful international creative partnerships.
“The training we provided to the Future Femmes in XR technologies, 360° filming and immersive storytelling has equipped them with specialised knowledge in one of the most exciting frontiers of contemporary media,” 4Pi said.
“This experience fundamentally strengthens their ability to innovate independently and lead future projects that push the boundaries of African storytelling.”
Matamba Film Labs added that the partnership had far-reaching benefits for Zimbabwe’s creative sector.
“Working with 4Pi Productions provided invaluable insights that are now informing Zimbabwe’s Film Strategy,” the organisation said.
“Beyond policy, this collaboration transformed our team’s technical and professional capacities, positioning Zimbabwean filmmakers to compete at international stages in immersive storytelling.”
As The Rift prepares for its debut at IDFA 2025, it stands not only as a cinematic achievement, but also as a testament to the power of collaboration, gender empowerment and cross cultural creativity shaping the future of African filmmaking.