Story by Farai Gwaze
Veteran actress, Stella January who succumbed to cancer this Wednesday evening, has been described as a creative genius who played an integral part in the elevation of female roles in the film industry.
The arts and film industry has lost a champion, a motivator, and an influencer par excellence, particularly for female creatives who reckon she has left a permanent mark on the arts space.
“My mother was a loving woman she taught me love, she was not just my mother, she was my friend and I feel the hurt of the loss I am going through, because we were close. Anything challenging that she went through she would come to me, I really feel the pain of the loss,” said her daughter Felistas Scott.
Stella’s role in elevating the role of female film producers and actresses was iconic in the traditionally cut-throat film industry characterized by stiff competition.
“I started working with Stella in 1997, we had a group called screen talent productions that is where people like Gringo and many other actors came from. So when I joined the screen talent productions I was very young so I was not as close with her, but as I grew older I realised that we went through the same journey together and she became my sister,” said actress, Siphilisiwe Kaikeni.
“I am not mourning, we are celebrating the footprints left by Stella. She was one of the most underrated actresses of our generation. She worked hard with so many people in so many productions but she did not manage to get her flowers. We celebrate her life and her footprints,” said actor Blessing Chimhowa popularly known as Mbudzi yadhura.
“Seeing how she worked in over 60, films my humble plea is so the government can help in any way of giving acknowledgment to the work that she has done, but it’s my only plea,” actress, Fatima Makunganya.
As a film producer as well as an actress, Stella was involved in over thirty productions which include Wenera, Gringo the Trouble Maker, Rujeko, Chapungu, and Mawoko Matema among others.
Mourners are gathered at 23 Nzou Avenue in Mufakose suburb, Harare.
Burial arrangements will be announced in due course.
