Zimpapers Logo

Thupeyo Muleya

Beitbridge Bureau

Young filmmakers in Zimbabwe are set to benefit from a fellowship programme recently launched by Accountability Lab Zimbabwe and Magamba Network to identify and nurture talent.

The initiative kicked off last Friday, with the coordinators saying they were now accepting entries from young, new and emerging Zimbabwean filmmakers.

Fellowship project officer, Dexter Fundire, said the programme presented learning opportunities to develop the next generation of impact filmmakers.

“It will give young people aged 18 to 35 an opportunity to gain skills in filmmaking and storytelling, and broaden their understanding of integrity and accountability,” he said.

Fundire said under the initiative, the participants will learn how to work in both film production and post-production roles.

Young people in Zimbabwe, he said, faced multiple intersectional challenges, including limited opportunities to use their creative voice for positive civic engagement.

Fundire said the programme leveraged young people’s interest in digital media and the arts towards creating constructive dialogue and challenging social norms.

“We are especially interested in recruiting young women and persons who are differently-abled,” he said. “This is an opportunity for those perspectives on accountability and governance to be seen and heard.

“The ideal candidate for this opportunity is conscious of social accountability issues in their communities, and wants to tell stories to challenge our society to make a change.”

Fundire said young people will receive training in Social Justice and Accountability, Scriptwriting, Cinematography, Editing, Impact Filmmaking, and Marketing and Distribution.

In addition, he said, they will also be mentored and coached by industry experts.

Fundire said the fellows will be required to make at least one short film or documentary, and will have a chance to work on other film projects on associated AL Zimbabwe work.

“They will also be supported with basic equipment and editing tools, as well as the necessary support to access and use the internet, travel to and from fellowship activities and events,” he said.

The Film Fellowship is part of the Arts4Change component of the New Narratives for Accountability in Zimbabwe (NNAZ) project, a joint initiative of Accountability Lab Zimbabwe, Magamba Network, and Kubatana Trust of Zimbabwe.

The Arts4Change component of the NNAZ project focuses on the use of creative activism, especially through music, film and comedy to promote dialogue on social justice, accountability and integrity.