Zimpapers Logo

Jonathan Mbiriyamveka Entertainment Reporter
Zimbabwe film industry has joined the rest of the world in moaning the death of Richard Attenborough, a pacifist and anti-apartheid filmmaker as seen in the movie “Cry Freedom” which was shot on location in Zimbabwe.
The Oscar winning actor and director died on Sunday at the age of 90.
“Cry Freedom”, a 1984 production made Zimbabwe the bedrock of film-making in Africa since a good number of filmmakers flocked to the country to use the Central Film Laboratory which served the entire continent.

The film saw Zimbabwean filmmaker in the likes of Steven Chigorimbo landing big roles as the first assistance director to Attenborough.
Added to this, “Cry Freedom” shaped careers of Hollywood A listers as big as Denzel Washington who spent at least two months in Zimbabwe shooting the movie.

The Herald Entertainment spoke to Chigorimbo who worked with both the late Attenborough and Denzel about his experience with the two renowned actors.
“It is indeed a great loss for the arts and Zimbabwean film industry in particular. We are with the family especially the wife Sheila. He was a prominent member of the anti-apartheid movement and a pacifist. When we did ‘Cry Freedom’  I was his first assistant director,” Chigorimbo said. He described his experience with the late Attenborough as a life changing saying it was first time to be regarded as a “proper assistant director”.

“I had worked as an assistant director before on other films such as ‘King Solomons Mines’ just because they wanted people of colour but when Richard came he took me as a proper assistant director and he would ask for my opinions on a number of issues.

“So for me it was a life-changing experience and he used to call me Cde since Zimbabwe had just attained independence. I met Richard or Bickie as we used to call him in London through a colleague. Remember they couldn’t shoot the film in South Africa and when Bickie came together with the late Donald Woods, the writer we worked together well. I remember the working title was ‘Asking for Trouble’ which we scripted and worked for six months before the actual production including polishing up the script.

“Initially, Richard wanted me to play Steve Biko after the Zimbabwe Government had put in US$8 million for the film. The late Cde Nathan Shamuyarira was the minister who was part of the deal. We then travelled across Zimbabwe in Bulawayo, Gweru, Harare, Mutare, Nyazura as well as Odzi. We created a border between South Africa and Lesotho over the Nyazura River while we made Gweru the King Williams’ Town.

“And for the Steve Biko funeral we used the Chibuku Stadium in Chitungwiza where we had 20 000 actors and actresses who each was paid Z$5. However, the total budget shot to US$40 million. I remember this one incidence when the crowd failed to respond to the South African slogan which says ‘Amandla’. Richard then asked me how we were going to make people respond since they did not know the slogan.

“So I told Richard that I had a plan.  I took the microphone and shouted ‘Pamberi neZanu’ and there was loud response from the crowd. But on the actual film we had a few selected people who answered,” he explained.

Nigel Munyati, the director of the Zimbabwe International Film Festival Trust said Richard was instrumental in the first stages of the local film industry.
“In fact, after we heard of the news of his death we were thinking of screening ‘Cry Freedom’ again this year. Richard worked with the likes of Chigorimbo who benefited quite a lot from his experience. We join the rest of the world in celebrating the life of a great filmmaker and though we failed to sustain the industry  to the level set by Richard it is our hope to complement his efforts to ensure that the film industry is sustainable,” Munyati said.

Munya Chidzonga , popular filmmaker said Attenborough made the biggest feature film in the history of Zimbabwe with help from the Zimbabwean Government.
“For me that film helped liberate South Africa because it was anti-establishment. Sir Richard made commentaries on several nature films which have been featured on NatGeo and he was so diverse. I know he loved Africa and Zimbabwe in particular. It’s good that even though he’s gone he left a legacy of good filmmaking,” Munya said.