Showbiz Reporter
ZIYANDA executive producer Dumisani Nkomo says they’ve been hard at work behind the scenes raising awareness on human trafficking and looking for business partnerships to fund the production whose trailer was launched in 2015.
Ziyanda is a feature film that deals with raising awareness on human trafficking.
Nkomo said after the launch of the Ziyanda trailer, they launched a website called www.ziyandafilmproject.org.
“We have been very busy after the launch that was held one and a half years ago. We launched a website for the Ziyanda Film Project. Also we were heavily involved in raising awareness about the shocking statistics surrounding human trafficking and how it has affected Zimbabwe,” he said.
“We also held commemorations with Commissioner Sethulo Ncube of the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission during the International Day Against Human Trafficking.”
Nkomo said this has helped them clinch deals in distribution of the film.
“We’ve been trying to clinch deals with film distributors. Finally after one and a half years of negotiations, some distributors from South Africa have shown interest in helping us get it across Africa and the world,” he said.
“Other partners that have come on board are Simbisa Brands and Unilever through our new business model and what is left is for us to put pen to paper.”
Nkomo said they would hold cocktails and dinners in Zimbabwe and South Africa later this year.
“In March we want to hold a cocktail in Bulawayo then one in Harare in May. We will also have one in Bulawayo with the South African cast. In August we will have an unveiling dinner with corporates before a casino in September in Victoria Falls. Thereafter we start shooting in October,” he said.
A shocking statistic that human trafficking is a $35 billion global business inspired the production of the feature film Ziyanda two years ago.
The film is about Ziyanda (played by Zintle Ncipha), a woman who goes undercover to dismantle a human trafficking syndicate headed by prominent South African actor Luthuli Dlamini. She rescues her kidnapped young sister, a role played by Penelope Moyo.