THE INTERNATIONAL IMAGES FILM FESTIVAL FOR WOMEN (IIFF) 2024 TAKES OVER THE CITY AGAIN
The 21st edition of the International Images Film Festival for Women brings a packed line-up of inspiring films to Harare audiences from August 23 through to August 31.
ICAPA Trust hosts the 21st edition of the International Images Film Festival for Women (IIFF) from 23 to 31 August in Harare this year, in a week packed with activities for film lovers, filmmakers and general audiences ranging from screenings to Masterclasses and launches.
Opening the festival is a ceremony at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe (NGZ) with the South Sudanese full length fiction film GOODBYE JULIA (2023) directed by Mohamed Kordofani. In this bittersweet drama, after covering up a murder case which involves her husband, housewife Mona reaches out in friendship to the victim’s family with life-changing consequences.
NGZ Screenings continue during the following week, when the public can also watch IIFF's selection of 60 films at Batanai Mall (B2C), Alliance Française, Dzivarasekwa Community Hall and Hatcliffe Community Hall. All screenings and events are free, although some events are by invitation only. A Rungano Nyoni directed film, ON BECOMING A GUINEA FOWL (Zambia, Ireland, United Kingdom, USA, 2024) closes the festival. In this tale, which is very close to local audiences, a death in the family results in members unveiling closely guarded secrets.
This year IIFF continues its activities to contribute to developing the local industry with three masterclasses. Script analysts Donat Keusch (Switzerland/Germany) and Gabriele Sindler will hold a Story and Script Development Masterclass at Batanai Mall (B2C) on August 25. Film Music is the subject of American composer Osei Essed's masterclass, which takes place on August 26 at Alliance Française. The final masterclass, on Feminism and Film, presented by Spanish director and producer Carla Sospedra takes place on August 28 at Alliance Française. Each of the two hour long masterclasses begins at 10.00h and runs until 12.00h.
In recognition of other narrative forms, House of Books will launch KUSAGADZIKANA and HAKUNA ZVAKADARO, which are Shona language translations of Tsitsi Dangarembga's NERVOUS CONDITIONS and THE BOOK OF NOT by Ignatius Mabasa and Dr Tanaka Chidora respectively. The dual book launch takes place on August 29 at Alliance Française, beginning at 18.00h.
Further scoops at the festival this year are premieres of two timely and relevant Zimbabwean documentaries. THE FRIENDSHIP BENCH directed by South African filmmaker Reabestwe Moeti-Vogt, an exploration of Dr. Dixon Chibanda's visionary community mental health initiative of the same name has its Zimbabwean premiere at Batanai Mall on August 27 at 15.00h, with additional screenings at Hatcliffe Community Hall (August 28 at 12.30h) and Dzivarasekwa Community Hall (August 30 at 14.30h). Meanwhile, the world premiere of FROM HUTS TO POTS, a short documentary which focuses on how to harness shared community artistic talents in order to shine a light on the communities in question is by invitation only and will take place at the Zimbabwe Germany Society. FROM HUTS TO POTS is produced and directed by Tswarelo Mothobe.
‘Women of the Future’ is the theme of this year's festival. This theme points to changes in society away from regarding women as exploitable objects towards an idea of women as individuals who know their worth and who have activated their potential so that they are able to realise their goals for their own good and for the good of society.
True to its 21 year old tradition, the International Images Film Festival for Women offers all residents a choice of inspiring films at free screenings in different venues throughout Harare from morning to sunset.
