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Mbulelo Mpofu, [email protected]

Film lovers, buckle up for what is set to be a rollercoaster ride when a Pan-African cast unites for an Afrofuturism series of films titled Africanda.

Bulawayo has raised its hand again as the upcoming series will feature actor Tawanda Denga who rose to fame with his involvement in the IsiNdebele sci-fi The Signal. He will be joined by musician Jah Prayzah (real name Mukudzeyi Mukombe).

Everyone knows of Jah Prayzah’s musical acumen, but who knew the guy could actually act?
Denga told Chronicle Showbiz that being part of Africanda was his way of raising the Bulawayo flag high.

“Being on set with diverse and talented personnel from Africa just proved to me that I have what it takes to be a world-class actor. This was my first time to be on a set of this magnitude where I was surrounded by world-class African award-winning thespians such as Rwandans – David Murenzi, Kennedy Mazimpaka, Malaika Uwamahoro, Ruth Bahari, and Shandari Kanyoni.

“I play the role of the main protagonist in the story and I’m happy to play such a big character. Being given such a role as a mere Bulawayo actor in an iconic movie is humbling. I’m really excited to be a part of this,” Denga said.

“From this production, I learnt that if we pull together, Bulawayo has the potential to be Hollywood-esque. We aren’t harnessing the talent and resources enough in Bulawayo. This stint put a stamp on me as an actor since I’m now internationally-recognised,” he said.

A scene from Africanda

Africanda, a movie that teleports one to the past and the future follows a university student as she goes on a journey of self-discovery and what it means to be a descendant of those who have gone before her and achieved big things.

It was shot in Zimbabwe, Senegal, and Rwanda and is a Tariro Washe and Rwandan producer Annette Uwizeye, production. It was directed by Zimbabwean filmmaker Steven Chikosi and is set for release later this year.

The series seeks to promote Pan-African values, create a united Africa and showcase the continent’s prowess in filmmaking. It is about the expansion of African renaissance and the preservation of its heritage and culture.

In a recent interview with The New Times, Washe, a Zimbabwean film producer and actress who produced Gonarezhou: The Movie said the idea was to promote Africa’s beautiful locations.
“During my first visit to Rwanda, I fell in love with the resilience and ethnicity that embodies Rwanda.

Having met Annette, I decided to make Africanda so much better than what it initially was and make it a platform where African filmmakers could come together to show their talents, showcase our beautiful locations across the continent and also be able to promote Pan African ideas,” she told The New Times.

There are several things, she said, that make this film special, but the most powerful thing is the awakening of the possibility that can come from filmmakers and storytellers collaborating to tell our stories.

Sci-fi movie lovers are well-versed with the “Wakanda forever” phrase from the movie, Black Panther where Zimbabwe’s Danai Gurira features. It remains to be seen whether there will be an “Africanda forever” phrase as well.

Africanda whose teaser was aired on social media recently is a combination of three African languages: Kinyarwanda word “Kwanda” which means expansion, “Tawanda” that derives from the Shona language of Zimbabwe that means to become many and the Namibia word “Oshikando” from Oshiwambo language. — @MbuleloMpofu