In the city of Kings, a new generation of filmmakers is emerging, shattering glass ceilings and redefining the Zimbabwean film industry.
Among them is 27-year-old Praise Nkala, a youthful visionary who is making significant strides with his organic talent, creative flair and unwavering passion.
With a collection of acclaimed projects under his belt, Nkala is fast becoming a force to reckon with in the Zimbabwean film industry, as he tells stories that resonate with the experiences of Zimbabweans.
This is his story.
Nkala's passion for film making manifested during his childhood days. He was obsessed with collecting objects that he would turn into actors and actresses that played different imaginary characters, with action being facilitated by his hands.
Years later in high school during lights off time, he would gather his dorm mates to discuss film. During such occasions, he would narrate different, sometimes imaginary films to them.
He was fascinated by the hypnotic effect his narratives had on his audience and saw that as confirmation that pursuing a career in film production was the correct path for him.
After finishing high school, Nkala began to take the necessary steps to bring his dream to life. In 2018, he opened Zizo Motion Pictures, which is the stable for his film productions.
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Two years later he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Film and Theatre Studies from the Midlands State University.
Excited and eager to make a name in the film industry, Nkala started his journey in professional motion picture production.
His joy was soon diluted by the rude awakening he got in his early days in the film industry.
Nkala had dreamt of producing films that mimic the Hollywood standard and had passionately worked on numerous scripts that he sought to bring to life, but he soon learnt that the dream was beyond reach.
“I faced a number of challenges when l sought to bring the scripts to life,” he said.
“Firstly, the Hollywood standard, l realised, could only be met if sufficient resources where at my disposal which was not the case.
“Standard sets needed to be paid for, locations needed to be paid for, polished, experienced actors came at a cost. Quality costumes, lighting, sound to mention just a few all needed money.
“I also needed certain specialised equipment like drone cameras, but l had no money to buy the equipment.
“What l had instead was the option to hire some of the equipment l wanted since in Zimbabwe we have different companies that hire out film production equipment.
“The challenge is these are not resourced enough to cater for every need therefore, you still remain limited in terms of what you can produce even when you have the money to pay.”
The other obstacle in his path was his failure to get sponsorship from different companies he approached with his vision.
“It was a struggle to get sponsorship from companies,” Nkala said.
“A few companies that proposed coming onboard always wanted a negotiated deal that fell far from my demands.
“This led to an exploitative contract since I had to stretch myself to meet targets on a restrictive budget.
“In some instances, contracts were sealed in United States dollars, but payments came in local currency, yet most of the resources needed in film production demand payment in forex.”
The problem of companies shunning sponsoring film is more complex than what Nkala thought.
The founder of the Cinema Society of Zimbabwe Richard Tenton highlighted some of the reasons why the corporate world shuns sponsoring film.
“Firstly, the lack of distribution platforms and infrastructure, both physical and virtual, is a major challenge,” Tenton told Standard Style.
“Film thrives when it can reach audiences in theatres, but Zimbabwe sadly lacks a proper theater network to promote the art and business of film.
“Without a clear path to get their films in front of viewers, it becomes very difficult for investors and sponsors to justify funding these productions, as there is no guaranteed return on their investment.
“Secondly, many young filmmakers simply lack a cohesive, well-thought-out business plan for their projects.
“They may have creative ambitions, but fail to present a compelling financial case that would convince potential funders. Investors need to see a realistic projection of costs, potential revenues, and a credible strategy for monetising the films.”
Tenton said the other factor was the general neglect of the film industry by the government in terms of legislative frameworks and industry support.
“Without clear policies, incentives, and a regulatory environment that fosters growth, it is very hard for financiers to make sound business decisions about investing in this sector,” he said.
“The lack of an established, well-functioning film ecosystem creates a lot of uncertainty and risk for potential funders.
“Until we can address these fundamental infrastructure, business planning, and policy challenges, it will remain an uphill battle for young Zimbabwean filmmakers to secure the necessary funding to bring their creative visions to life.
“Strengthening these core elements is crucial to unlocking the immense potential of Zimbabwe's film and television industries.”
The other option that could not yield result for Nkala was being funded by government.
In Zimbabwe upcoming artists like Nkala can get occasional funding and support through organisations like the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe.
The process of acquiring funds is however lengthy and needs patience. The artist has to come up with a proposal that stipulates the concept, budget and is accompanied by various documents namely their curriculum vitae, portfolio, letters of support and other relevant credentials.
The artist then fills an application form that is reviewed and evaluated by a panel of experts and if the application passes you are called for an interview.
If you pass interview you sign a funding agreement and begin to work as per agreed plan and timeline. NACZ may monitor the progress through asking for progress reports.
The process is cumbersome and complex, which might deter some film makers, especially those who are still green like Nkala since they lack experience in grant writing.
Moreover, if the initial request for funding flops it is discouraging to try again.
However, Nkala’s story is testimony that goals can still be achieved even when the terrain is not favourable as painted by all these problems.
He did not take his eyes off the ball; these challenges did not deter him. He had to tailor his productions to the available resources. He realised that he could work with local upcoming artists in his productions and still do well.
Local sets and standard available equipment could also be used to achieve amazing results.
Therefore, between 2020 and 2024, he has managed to produce more than ten short films with the most notable among these being A Family Secret (2021), The Strength of a Young Heart (2023) and Surviving Buhle (2021).
A Family Secret made it to the 2021 Bulawayo Arts Awards nomination list. He is also proudly the director of the series Madhlela Comes to Town that started airing on Zimbabwe Television Network in April 2023.
This has already seen Nkala basking in glory. He was the cinematographer for the Yellow World production, Tears of a Daughter, that premiered in April 2024 at Alliance Française in Bulawayo and two months later in June 2024, A Trap of Trade premiered at Stierkenekor Theatre in Bulawayo.
Nkala has also taken his talent to the music scene where he has produced music videos for various artists. His most notable music video Boys, boys boys was released in May 2024 for Iris Gold
He also collaborated with Madhlela Skobo Kobo on the music video Kwamu Kwamu that was released in April 2024.
Nkala is currently part of the young talent that has been roped in by Plan International in their Safe and Inclusive Cities project that has been running since 2018.
The project aims to make urban environments safer and more inclusive, particularly for young people and women.
It focuses on reducing violence, harassment and exclusion in cities by implementing various strategies and initiatives that are divided into four outcomes.
Nkala and peers have been tasked to implement the first outcome of the project that aims to enable young people to have knowledge and skills to advocate and influence change.
Nkala seized the opportunity to tap into his passion through using film to train youths on topical issues like gender based violence and child marriages to mention just a few, the goal being to influence their behaviour and attitudes.
A Trap of Trade is a brain child of this edutainment project.
Nkala has also educated youths from Makokoba and Pumula suburbs through film screenings in each respective suburb.
He has also taken in young raw talent that aspires to venture into the film making business and has nurtured and given them a platform to come up with their own supervised productions.
As a result of this venture four films are lined up to be released this coming August.
When asked what advice he has for upcoming filmmakers Nkala said,
“Don't let your circumstances deter you from achieving your dreams.
“Always think within your capabilities at a particular time.
“Never compare what you can offer to what you see.
“Use the resources you have to start because if you wait for the opportune moment you might wait forever.”
