Tafadzwa Chigudu, first Zimbabwean to feature in Chinese movie
LOCAL actor, Tafadzwa Chigudu, has struck a lucrative deal with a Chinese film production house that will see him feature in When Africa Meets Channel, becoming the first Zimbabwean to star in a Chinese movie.
The actor is famed for his role as the Prince of Darkness 666 (Maselas) in the movie, Dead End.
The film’s producer-cum manager, Yannong Tian, said some of the scenes were shot in Harare, Gweru’s Antelope Park and Victoria Falls.
The movie is set to premiere at a festival in South Africa next year before coming to local cinemas, Tian told NewsDay during a shoot of the Gweru scenes last week.
The 32-year-old Chigudu said he was optimistic that the movie would open doors for him and probably line up a move to Hollywood.
“Although I have done some productions locally, this will be my first movie with international producers,” he said.
“My passion is to go to Hollywood and maybe China has become my first door, and then after that I am hoping for other doors to open. With this movie, they are putting me on the world premiere, which means I have the chance to be noticed by foreign directors.”
Chigudu, who ventured into acting in 2013, said the movie was part of the cultural exchange programme between China and Zimbabwe that will help to market Zimbabwe outside Africa and also promote tourism and Zimbabwean culture.
Tian said the film’s storyline revolved around a Chinese girl who comes to visit her father who is an entrepreneur in Zimbabwe.
The film crew in partnership with Chinese Federation of Zimbabwe, ZLG, Sino-Zim Cement made donations of computers, food items, books, cash and cement to the Midlands Children’s Home and Rutendo Children’s home.
Minister of State for Midlands, Jason Machaya, said the shooting of the film’s scenes in Gweru was an important gesture to the government in promoting wildlife.
BY WINSTONE ANTONIO
