All set for Qiniso Premiere

THE stage is set for the premiere of Bulawayo’s first full length movie entitled Qiniso to be held at the Bulawayo Centre on Saturday evening.

A lot of interest has been generated about the flick with social media platforms awash with excitement from Bulawayans and who can blame the city of Kings and Queens’ citizens for taking pride in one of their own.   

We have become a city that revels in South African productions as if we are a province of South Africa and it is refreshing to see people rallying behind a local production for a change.

Lenni Mdawini

This is a movie written and directed by Bulawayo’s very own Lenni Mdawini (can somebody give it up for Pumula East) who says his motivation is to tell the story from his region, country and continent.

“I dream of creating an original film industry in Zimbabwe. Sacrifices have to be made and I am prepared,” Mdawini said.

He added: “I started dreaming of making films with my friend Melusi Mnkandla when I was in Form Five. Qiniso was written early last year and the script only took three days to finish. It is my show of respect to Akira Kurosawa who made Rashomon in the early 50s.”

Oh by the way! I went to school with Lenni at Ingwegwe Primary and I feel I should identify him by his proper name which is Learnmore Sibanda so that our peers can recognise him and also claim to have rubbed shoulders with him in his formative years like I just did kkkkkk.

 I am soooo glad another one from the class of 2001 (footballers Peter ‘Rio’ Moyo and Thabani ‘Mickey Dread’ Kamusoko where also in our stream) is putting my township and my city on the map.

And I hope and pray that Qiniso the movie will be a runaway success and be an example to my fellow Bulawayans that dreams can come true.

This can only be possible with overwhelming support from the citizenry of the city of Kings and Queens so let us turn out in our numbers for the launch and recreate those red carpet moments that we always marvel at on international television.

The stars in this film include NAMA nominee Philani A Nyoni, poet and actress Lady Tshawe, Gilmore Tee, Thorne from the hip – hop group KLAP, gospel musician and actor Hanne Nkalanga and fashion designer Annie Maliki.

So make your way to Bulawayo Centre this Saturday for a night filled with lights, camera, red carpet moments and cocktails!!!

Do not miss out.

Let us create our own stars Bulawayo.

God Is Love

Emma