Story by Farai Gwaze
ZIMBABWE’s drive to expand local content has gained momentum after a homegrown film, Dilemma, secured a theatrical release at Westgate Cinemas in Harare, marking a significant breakthrough for the country’s film industry.
The locally produced film, which stars veteran actor Luthuli Dlamini alongside Farai Chigudu and emerging talent Chloe Ncube, is currently screening at the cinema complex, placing Zimbabwean storytelling on a mainstream big-screen platform.
Award-winning filmmaker Joe Njagu, described the cinema release as a milestone for the growth and visibility of Zimbabwe’s creative sector.
“Our recent film is called Dilemma, and it is a star-studded film from Luthuli Dlamini, who is a Zimbabwean actor based in South Africa, Farai Chigudu, and Chloe Ncube, who is new on the scene,” Njagu said.
“The film is showing at Westgate cinema, which is big because we have been pushing that for years, to try get our films distributed in local cinemas,” he added.
The theatrical release comes amid renewed efforts to strengthen Zimbabwe’s local film and creative industries, in line with national calls for increased local content production and distribution.
In a related development, Njagu revealed that the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) has expressed growing interest in expanding local film and television content, signalling new opportunities for filmmakers.
“One of the most exciting things this year is that the public broadcaster is showing big interest in creating lots of content and films. I am proud to announce that I am also part of this venture, and we have already started working with something for ZBC coming soon. So, people must look out for that collaboration,” Njagu added.
The cinema screening of Dilemma, coupled with the emerging partnership between filmmakers and the national broadcaster, underscores a renewed push to professionalise and commercialise Zimbabwean filmmaking, while ensuring local stories reach wider audiences.
