FILMMAKER Robin Samaya says implementing African cultural aspects in film and drama is crucial because it allows Africans to learn the ways of their ancestors while preserving
identity.
Samaya told NewsDay Life & Style that he found it interesting to create films with a touch of an African cultural background and its relationship with the modern world as a way of helping Africans to learn one or two things about their roots through his production titled Nhimbe With Friends: The Dark Times.
“Nhimbe is a Shona word for a traditional practice where community members are gathered through invitation to help each other in the weeding of fields, land preparation or harvesting and celebrate the hard work with traditionally brewed beer,” he said.
Samaya said Nhimbe With Friends: The Dark Times was a drama saturated by philosophies deduced from real life experiences, observations and stories about African backgrounds.
“The cultural background of an individual is a vital dose he or she needs to acquire for their identity. It is, therefore, important to help Africans to learn the ways of their ancestors and cherish the efforts they made to achieve a sense of unity and working together as a community,” he said.
However, the filmmaker emphasised that while it is useful to stick to our African roots, knowledge acquired from outside the continent should not be undervalued or eradicated.
“The knowledge rather helps us transcend to a better future but at the same time not undermining our ancestors. It must help us to hold on to a positive and constructive image of them as we develop and grow,” Samaya said.
He said the film was inspired by themes spearheaded by the Zimbabwe International Film and Festival Trust (ZIFFT) which invited films with a touch of cultural heritage.
The filmmaker also revealed some of the greatest takeaways from the film as he provided an insight into the film as it unfolds.
“The film sees a character called Nhamo who became successful in life after a meaningful conversation with a friend at a nhimbe gathering. This reveals the power of how physical social networking can transform individuals. It also shows how the world has transformed technologically which has led to the death of certain traditions,” he noted.
He further noted that the film also acknowledged spiritual and physical struggles that people face while trying to escape from traditions to the modern way of doing things.
Samaya’s first film production was a short film Musengabere which won the first prize in the 2021 Smartphone Short Film competitions at ZIFFT.
Last year, his collaborative work Maoko Akandirera was nominated in the National Arts Merit Awards short film category.
He said his short film projects were doing well on digital streaming platforms such YouTube and the filmmaker is humbled by the reviews of his works as he continues to grow and transform despite limited resources.
The film starred actors such as Ian Matare, Molisha Katowe, Siza Mutseka, Lynosha Chad, Edison Magonyo, Aubrey Bvirwa and Shyline Nyamukondiwa.