Arts Focus with Raisedon Baya
Before your imagination runs riot please hold on. Get some coffee and relax. This is not what you think. I’m not a politician and honestly have no wish to become a minister of anything.
I’m an artiste who enjoys what he does and only wishes things were much better so I could enjoy the fruits of my creativity more. But, as many artistes in this country will tell you, the current environment makes it more difficult to enjoy being an artiste, rather there is more pain — pain of unfilled dreams, of working in an environment that has zero respect for your talent and creativity, pain that comes with the poverty of the sector. There is no pain worse than that of watching one’s dreams dying and having people around you laughing at you for trying.
As a filmmaker I often wonder what really went wrong after we produced successful films like Neria and Yellow Card. After their success we all thought we were on the right track and headed for the glitz and glamour associated with the film sector all over the world. I remember at some point we were even laughing at Nigerian films, pointing at both their technical and creative weaknesses. But the Nigerians laughed their way to the bank and now are miles away from us, their industry raking in billions of dollars annually.
They are obviously having the last laugh. What exactly did we do right with Neria and Yellow Card? And recently with Cook Off? And what did we do wrong with all other projects? By the way it’s not like there is nothing good happening in the sector. Don’t get me wrong.
There is. In fact, there is a lot happening, just that the sum effect of all the efforts is nothing to write home and celebrate about. However, what is obvious is that more effort is needed and that effort has to be spearheaded by the film sector’s parent ministry.
The ministry has to craft and implement policies that promote film and film making in the country. The ministry has to find ways to prop up provincial and national institutions and structures to promote films and film making. The ministry should be looking for and availing resources to the sector to thrive.
Another clear demonstration that where there is political will things get done is the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ)’s digitalisation project. The funding of local film production was a stroke of genius that unfortunately died at implementation because the authority tried too hard to be politically correct, even wanting people or communities that had no idea what film was, to make films.
They forgot that film is a specialised field that need serious training and a lot of resources. The implementation forgot a critical element. Sustainability. They should have focused on empowering a focused group that would have continued making films way after the funding dried. Hopefully, there were good lessons learnt.
So, if one day I were to wake up as minister I would make sure I prioritise the following: Policy. Training. Funding. My top priority will be developing policies that are relevant and implementable. Policies that would speak more about creating conducive environment for local productions to prosper and attract collaborations with other countries. I would prioritise training. Proper training that would equip graduates with what they need to come into the sector and produce Zimbabwean films. Training would also come with building or propping up provincial and national institutions.
A country like ours cannot keep banking on individuals to develop the whole film sector. We need to go back to a belief and trust in strong institutions. I would focus on funding too. Create a national fund to give annual grants to serious filmmakers to make films. But again this is just me dreaming and hoping that on the ground filmmakers are coming together and advocating for their parent ministry to make things happen for the sector.