Katlego Danke
Showbiz Reporter
After two years of silence, the producers of a feature film Ziyanda have crept out of their crevices – promising that they are working on raising a $150 000 budget, with shooting to commence in October.
Ziyanda is a feature film that has the likes of South Africa’s Luthuli Dlamini, Katlego Dankie (Dineo from Generations) and Zintle Ncipha, alongside Zimbabwe’s Penelope Moyo, ZBCTv presenter Nyasha Mtamangira and gospel musician, Pastor G.
A trailer of the feature film was launched two years ago at a high profile event at Impala Lodge but the production has failed to take off.
Now, according to Dumisani Nkomo, the executive director of the feature film, they are looking to engage local and international businesses through an investment model to market their companies in the production.
“We need a baseline budget of $150 000 and a maximum of $750 000 for the film to be shot and completed. This is why we have come up with a corporate package that offers platinum, gold, silver and bronze packages for corporate partners,” said Nkomo at a press conference yesterday in Bulawayo
“In the platinum package for example, corporates will enjoy branding rights and product placement. The gold package offers the partners prime film credits and branding. The silver package offers incredible brand visibility opportunities for them. In bronze it comes with associated branding rights on Ziyanda promotional events.”
Nkomo said they are delighted that they were on course to shoot the film in October.
“Ziyanda Film Project is delighted to inform you that the Ziyanda Feature Film is on course and phase two of the project, which is the actual shooting is set to be done in October.
“We’ve consistently maintained that the Ziyanda feature film will be a quality production capable of competing on the international market and Ziyanda has attracted the attention of film companies,” said Nkomo.
He said the South African actors were ready to shoot the film as soon as they are called to set.
A shocking statistic that human trafficking is a $35 billion global business inspired the production of the feature film Ziyanda two years ago.
The feature film is about Ziyanda (played by Zintle Ncipha), a woman who goes undercover to dismantle a human trafficking syndicate headed by Luthuli Dlamini. She rescues her kidnapped younger sister, a role played by Penelope Moyo.