War biopic Chinhoyi 7 to premiere in March

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Ster-Kinekor will host a night of glitz and glamour when they host the red carpet premiere of Chinhoyi 7 on March 16. Chinhoyi 7 is a movie based on the events that took place during the Second Chimurenga War.

Ster-Kinekor will host a night of glitz and glamour when they host the red carpet premiere of Chinhoyi 7 on March 16. Chinhoyi 7 is a movie based on the events that took place during the Second Chimurenga War.

BY SHARON SIBINDI

The 120-minute long movie was commissioned by Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga, then commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces(ZDF). It was written and directed by Canada-based filmmaker Moses Matanda and produced by United Kingdom-based Tawanda Sarireni.

The film is based on the famous battle of Chinhoyi that ignited the Second Chimurenga War in 1966.

The biopic features both local and international actors and has a glowing cast, which includes gospel singer Fungisai Zvakavapano-Mashavave who plays Sarudzai, a maid working at a Rhodesian army general’s house, British actor Julian Shaw, as well as Canadian actors Cynthia Stone and Greg Brown. Poet Albert Nyathi plays the role of the late Joshua Mqabuko Nyongolo Nkomo.

Matanda said the production took over three years to complete and is a joint venture between ZDF and Honde Valley Television.

“The Zimbabwe Defence Forces played a pivotal role in bringing Chinhoyi 7 to life. We worked closely with them to capture the true essence of this historical story,” he said.

“The Chinhoyi Battle is a significant piece of history. It is one story I wanted to tell because it was the first attack by freedom fighters against the Rhodesian security forces, which sparked the armed liberation war.”

Matanda said the country needed to be aware of the struggle endured by liberation war heroes and it was important to honour and appreciate the role that the sons and daughters of Zimbabwe played to pave the way for its independence.

He said a series of mobile film shows would take place from March 16 for six weeks in cinemas, as well as in a number of stadiums in some towns and cities.

“Sterkinekor movie theatres in Harare will show the movie three times a day and the movie will also be shown in schools across the country,” he said.

“A European tour is also on the cards later on in the year. Canada and the United States of America are some of the overseas markets targeted.”

Matanda said the film was shot in a number of locations in Zimbabwe to portray different events of the war and includes key scenes in Domboshava, Victoria Falls and Mutarazi Falls.

“The gallant seven freedom fighters who participated in the battle of Chinhoyi in 1966 secretly entered Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, from Zambia in April 1966. In the events that followed, the seven were intercepted by the Rhodesian army, provoking the first battle of the Second Chimurenga at Sinoia, now Chinhoyi,” he said.

This action was effectively the first military contact between the freedom fighters and Ian Smith’s regime after his infamous Unilateral Declaration of Independence in November 1965. The seven freedom fighters were attacked by the Rhodesian army with jetfighters and helicopter gunships, but they fought back for the whole day until they ran out of ammunition and were all killed.”

Sarireni said Chinhoyi 7 mirrors an important account of the history of the liberation of Zimbabwe.

“There are so many stories of the liberation struggle that still need to be told. undocumented recollections by those who lived through it or experienced it still to be collated and published,” he said.

“It is our duty as Zimbabweans to acknowledge and shine a light on those who were brave enough to fight for the freedom of our country and Chinhoyi 7 is just one of many.