BY FREEMAN MAKOPA
JENAGURU Arts Centre has released an animated version of its upcoming movie Nesango, which captures the brutality committed by the Ian Smith regime (Rhodesian armed forces) during the liberation struggle.
The movie is expected to be released a few weeks before Independence Day on April 18.
The movie is a follow-up to veteran musician Clive Malunga’s popular video to the song Nesango, which is regarded as one of the best visual productions in the country.
Tailored for the screen, Nesango “traces the remarkable battlefield journey of the Zimbabwean fighters” in the liberation of the country — showing roles played by various individuals, who included the war collaborators, businesspeople and members of community to attain independence.
Malunga yesterday told NewsDay Life & Style that the motive behind the release of the cartoon version and the movie itself was to remind the nation of the need to preach peace as war brought misery.
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“Zimbabweans must not forget that war is not a football game. We must try by all means to preach peace, for war brings us misery,” Malunga said.
“We have done an animated version, which is a new thing in the film industry and it explains the whole movie, but we are set to release the original movie in March so that it coincides with the Independence Day commemorations.”
The movie explores various themes ranging from brutality, torture, sacrifices, community roles and songs which boosted the spirit of the liberation struggle.
It also traces the causes of the war of liberation and the challenges encountered while trying to achieve total independence.
The first was the arrogance of the Rhodesian army, which terrorised villagers and subjected them to all forms of abuse.
Nesango also captures some intriguing facts such as how freedom fighters were able to penetrate the Rhodesian strongholds although they diligently monitored all entry points, said Malunga.
The veteran musician, whose articulation of the history of the Chimurenga war is remarkable, said the film tells of how the freedom fighters entered the country under the cover of darkness by canoe or on foot and how they were well organised, armed with maps and diagrams to assist them to fight the war.
He said as a patriotic cadre trained and groomed under the Chimurenga umbrella, he was privileged to have been given such a huge responsibility to tell the Chimurenga story in his new project.
“As Jenaguru Arts Centre, we are privileged to be given such a mammoth task by the masses of Zimbabwe to re-ignite the past disheartening colonial era so that what we inherit from our past and present leaders will be guarded jealously and cherished by all generations to come,” Malunga said.
“So, we have done this animated short film with the history of the main movie Nesango.”
Follow Freeman on Twitter @freemanmakopa