Film Possible, in association with The Authors and Stone Age Africa, are bringing to life the Matatu Film Stage - Harare Edition.
On a mission to cure the cinema hunger, and taking bold African stories to every corner of the continent and beyond, Matatu has established itself as a cross-continental film festival spanning seven countries, with Zimbabwe now joining as the latest region.
This collaboration with The Authors and Stone Age Africa embodies the Matatu tagline: Cinema is food, but the people are starving.
"The partnership with Matatu aligns perfectly with our current trajectory. Organising and actively curating spaces for the wider community is one of our core tenets, and we believe art is what truly speaks to the people," shared Jabu Mudzvova, co-founder of The Authors.
"We’re coming off a year where both our cinema-related events drew solid audiences — the fictional narrative Residue on one hand and the documentary Prudie’s Canvas on the other. Cinema remains central to our vision, and one of our goals is to liberalise the space by encouraging fellow artists to submit their work and have it screened before an audience."
Film Possible, Stone Age Africa and The Authors are calling on all Zimbabwean filmmakers, both in Zimbabwe and in the diaspora, to submit their films for consideration for the Harare edition.
Unreleased films of all genres are welcome, provided the work aligns with Matatu Film Stage’s mission to showcase exceptional, original, and artistic films from Africa and its diaspora. The productions must have been completed within 24 months prior to the submission date.
"Cinema, the seventh art, continues to serve as a vital agent of cultural expression, and Zimbabwe’s art scene is undergoing what many call a renaissance. We acknowledge and celebrate those who came before us for building this creative foundation that allows us to express and identify ourselves," reflected Mudzvova on Zimbabwe's art scene.
"This upcoming event focuses entirely on African cinema, which is a vast, rapidly growing scene. On a personal level, my engagement with the work stems from deep curiosity. This initiative represents our curatorial effort to showcase a range of Zimbabwean films, making the work more accessible to local audiences and creating pathways for it to reach other countries across Africa," he went on.
Submissions for the Matatu Film Stage - Harare Edition are open until 30 November. For full submission details click here.
The Authors is an arts collective that has been active for just over a year. They have brought to life short films, documentaries and currently, they are promoting singer/songwriter MUTSA’s latest work, "The Children Are Always Ours."