The ManicaPost
Liberty Dube
Entertainment Correspondent
IN another historic feat for the Mutare showbiz, a local movie, ‘Kushata Kwemoyo’, is debuting on DSTV’s MNet Movies pop-up channel this week.
MultiChoice launched the pop-up channel MNet Afro-Cinema, which is dedicated to showcasing and celebrating contemporary African films.
‘Kushata Kwemoyo’ was written by Mutare-based actress and film maker, Amanda Ranganawa and premiered in 2017.
The movie won the Outstanding Screen Production at the National Arts Merit Awards in 2018.
MultiChoice selected the movie among other African films as part of Africa Day commemorations.
Africa Day is celebrated on May 25 every year.
“To celebrate Africa Day on Tuesday, May 25, MultiChoice Group launched M-Net Movies Afro-Cinema, a pop-up movie channel dedicated to showcasing and celebrating contemporary African films,” reads part of a statement on the DSTV website.
“The Afro-Cinema channel is created to celebrate Africa’s cultural diversity aptly reflected and captured in the work that is being produced by film makers all over the continent.
“Through collaboration and turning challenges into possibilities, local film industries across the continent have produced award winning productions that have launched the careers of many writers, directors, producers, and stars while also taking “for us, by us” African stories global,” reads the statement.
“As its essence, Africa Day is about celebrating African Unity and success as well as acknowledging the challenges that lie ahead. The Covid-19 pandemic has hit the film industry quite hard and African film makers were not spared.
“This Africa Day, we want to celebrate the talent and resilience of the continent’s film industry with the launch of this festival of African films where our audiences can enjoy Afro-Cinema from the comfort of their own homes,” said Yolisa Phable of MultiChoice on the website.
The Weekender caught up with the bubbly film maker and actress, Ranganawa, who could not hide her joy after the screening of her movie on DSTV.
“The film was submitted to MNet movies and it aired on Monday at 8pm. It will be aired again on Friday (today) at 8pm.
“When we submitted ‘Kushata Kwemoyo’, MNet loved it. I am excited with the opportunity we have been given. I am grateful to God. This is a great opportunity for the ‘Kushata KweMoyo’ cast and crew. People from across the globe are watching this Zimbabwean film and are seeing just how talented Zimbabwe is in terms of film making,” she said.
‘Kushata KweMoyo’ is about a woman, Chiedza, who was abused during her childhood by her step-mother.
Chiedza grows up to become a very bitter woman who hates her family.
Her character is put to the test when her step-sister Pedzisai and her husband decides to come and stay with Chiedza’s family.
The film has won two NAMA Awards for Best Feature Film 2018 and Best Actor 2018.
It has also won a Pan-African International Film Festival award and was selected for the Zimbabwe International Film Festival in 2019.
Ranganawa wrote the scripts for Benchley Media, MoonDawg Media in South Africa.
She was working with the late former Studio 263 actress, Anne Nhira, on a drama series before her untimely death earlier this year.
