ZIFF Releases Initial Programme For 2015 Edition

The 17^th Zimbabwe International Film Festival (ZIFF2015) to run from 3 to10 October in Harare, has announced its initial Programme from its 51 films due for screening.

Topping the list will be world class films such as Timbuktu, The Man Who Saved The World, and Elephant’s Dream. Not to be outdone, local filmmakers have also come out in their numbers and contributed at least 16 films this year. This is a huge leap in the right direction for the local industry as they have not only added numbers, but contributed competitive quality films.

Timbuktu,directed by veteran Mauritanian Abderrahmane Sissako, captures the experiences of Malians during the brief occupation of Timbuktu, Mali by Ansar Dine, a militant Islamist group led by Iyad Ag Ghaly, one of the most prominent leaders of the Tuareg rebellion in the 1990s. Parts of the film were influenced by a 2012 public stoning of an unmarried couple for having children outside wedlock.Its success has seen it opening many festivals around the globe, and winning numerous Festival Awards, including a Special Jury Prize at Cannes. It has become the only African film to gross over a million dollars on the USA theatre circuit.

Directed by Peter Anthony from Denmark, The Man who saved the Worldis a 2014 feature/documentary film about Stanislav Petrov, a former lieutenant colonel of the Soviet Air Defence Forces who saved the world on September 26, 1983. While was on duty at the Soviet Serpukhov-15,Petrov who was responsible for reacting to a report that five American nuclear missiles were heading toward the Soviet Union, followed his gut feeling and chose not to retaliate, as per standing instructions. His decision saved the world from a devastating nuclear holocaust.

The film is a reminds us of the critical importance of nuclear disarmament, against the backdrop of how precarious our world has become in the nuclear age, and how,until then, our belief in the sanctity of humanity is our only hope. It premiered in October 2014 at the Woodstock Film Festival in Woodstock, New York, winning; “Honorable Mention: Audience Award Winner for Best Narrative Feature” and “Honorable Mention: James Lyons Award for Best Editing of a Narrative Feature.”

ZIFF2015 will also highlight the “Animation” genre that Zimbabwe’s film sector needs to support more.The Festival will host the Nafuna Talent Campus, led by Nafuna TV Founder Nqobizitha ‘Enqore’ Mlilo, to train aspiring animators. It will also comprehensively scrutinize the local animation sector through, discussions and talks with practicing professionals.

With films such as “Dreamcatcher” (USA), “La Serine De Faso Fani” (Burkina Faso), “Goodbye Lenin” (Germany), “Nila” (India), “Far From Yesterday” (Zimbabwe), which will be screened at venues that include Borrowdale, Westgate, CBD; a massive outreach to Warren Park, Chitungwiza, Rugare, Dzivaresekwa, Mufakose and Epworth and a full programme of workshops and pitch sessions; ZIFF2015 will have something for everyone.

Films representing over 18 countries from Africa, Asia, Europe and America will compete for various prizes at a glittering ZIFF2015 Awards Nightscheduled for the 9^th October at the 7 Arts Theatre. This red-carpet affair will present an Oscars-like evening featuring film, music, dance, and the spoken word.

New entrants to this year’s event will be the Hi5 Short Film Competition where three 5-minute films will be awarded prizes to encourage new, young filmmakers. Another new Awards programme is the Zimbabwe Film and Television Awards (ZiFTA) that will reward excellence in the more technical elements of film.

The full programme will be announced at a press conference to announce the Festival’s 2015 edition on the 25^th September.