Story by Farai Gwaze
ZIMBABWEAN film Chinhoyi 7, which chronicles the country’s liberation struggle, scooped four awards at the Rivers International Film Festival held in Nigeria over the weekend, including a special recognition for President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Filmmaker Moses Matanda and his team received the accolades in key categories celebrating storytelling and production excellence.
“We entered the Rivers International Film Festival and submitted in six categories including Best Producer, Overall Story, and International Story. We won four awards, Best Story, Best Editing, Best Producer, and Best International Film. In addition, we received a special award for His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Dr Mnangagwa, for his commitment to the social and cultural development of our nation,” he said.
Matanda expressed excitement at the international recognition, saying it affirms the importance of telling Zimbabwe’s story to the world.
“We are very excited to have reached this stage with Chinhoyi 7. Sharing our liberation story across Africa has been our dream as Zimbabweans. We hope this inspires the young generation to understand our history and the journey that led to the liberation of our nation,” he added.
The international honours highlight the growing influence of Zimbabwe’s creative sector in preserving national heritage and promoting cultural identity on the global stage.
