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Tafadzwa Zimoyo Entertainment Reporter
Organisers of the International Images Film Festival for Women have encouraged women to tell their stories through films that are screened during the festival.

This year’s festival runs from August 14 to 22 and international film stars have been invited to take part.

They will impart information to local filmmakers at a workshop to be held during the festival

In an interview, one of the organisers, Karen Mukwasi – who is also acting director of the festival – said the workshop is an effort by Women Filmmakers of Zimbabwe to get more women involved in this genre.

“Documentaries are a way for women to start telling their own stories from their own point of view.

“Many films have been made about African women but either through the male gaze or the Eurocentric one. This has resulted in African women being portrayed as victims in need of rescue,” she said.

“IIFF hopes to see more female- authored narratives coming from Africa.

“Zimbabwean filmmakers and audiences will also have a chance to network with internationally acclaimed filmmakers.

In the dramatics and literature, Ludger Pfanz will share his experience.

“The filmmaker studied dramatics and literature at the FU in Berlin and founded the video workshop (Video Wekstatt) ‘Autofocus’ in Berlin.”

International guests to grace the festival include Yaba Badoe from Ghana, Gülsel Özkan and Ludger Pfanz both from Germany, Tanzanian Wilson Davis Rumisha, Chinese Yulu Wang and artistic director of the African Film Festival Pryzemek Stepien among the invitees will be part of the jury while some of them will present at film forums.

Mukwasi said she was happy with the list as it truly represents the industry.

“Eight young filmmakers from the country will receive both theory and practical training from Yaba Badoe who will conduct documentary making workshops with them.

“Yaba Badoe is an award-winning, Ghanaian-British, documentary filmmaker with over 30 years experience in radio and television,” she said.

She said Pfanz was not new to Zimbabwe as he has directed films here and in China, Iraq, Turkey, Guatemala, Mexico, Ecuador, Costa Rica and Iceland.

Gülsel Özkan is a multiple award-winning author, filmmaker and producer.

She is living in Germany but working worldwide.

In 1987 she began to study film at the University of Fine Arts Hamburg and graduated with distinction in 1993.

She worked for many years as a director and scriptwriter for documentaries and feature films.

Since 1988, she travelled across the world, among others: USA, Turkey, Greece, Guatemala, Ecuador, Costa Rica, China, Iceland, Iraq as an independent filmmaker and producer.

Mukwanzi said during the festival Gülsel Özkan will present her 3D film during the film forum to be held on August 17.

She added that Zimbabwean filmmakers will have a chance to learn more on 3D from Yulu.

Tanzanian national Wilson Davis Rumisha will come in with his expertise in filmmaking.

Wilson is the Luxor African Film Festival(LAFF), Tanzanian Representative.

In addition to that he has worked alongside the multi-award-winning director/producer/writer Amil Shivji.

“Working in and with the film industry, Wilson has learned that, when one watches a movie and it captivates you, that feeling is surreal. But, when you make a film and it captivates someone else, that feeling is beyond magical near tear-jerking.”