ZIMBABWEAN films are gaining international acclaim, with a local production featuring as one of three local productions at the International Images Film Festival in Harare this Monday.

The Alliance Francaise in Harare served as a proud venue for home-grown talent as the festival showcased the Zimbabwean film ‘Totem’.
The film, written and directed by Nicole Dzenga, tells the powerful story of a young woman’s journey of self-discovery.

“I wrote the film back in 2022 as a script draft and then in 2023, I decided to make it. I cast Zimbabwean actors and I tried to make sure that I told the story of a young woman discovering herself and that is what led it to be selected for this festival. I think it is important that Zimbabwean film-makers take up space and continue to push because they are so many rich stories to tell. I hope specifically Zimbabwean women can use their voices to raise awareness on anything that they are passionate about,” Dzenga said.

Actress Charlene Furusa, who starred in the production, emphasises the importance of women-led storytelling.

“It was so important to be involved in something that a woman is making and to tell a story of how we just want to live our dreams. We want to be in a space where we do what we want to do rather than live by paying a debt to someone because they did something nice for us in the past.”

The screening of ‘Totem’ represents another milestone for Zimbabwe’s growing film industry, demonstrating the nation’s capacity to produce compelling content with an impact both locally and internationally.