AMID a constrained budget, the International Images Film Festival for Women (IIFF) 2022 kicks off today (Thursday) in Harare after a two-year break.
Themed ‘Women at Crossroads’, this year’s 19th edition of IIFF, will run until November 27 at the Alliance Francaise, Afrotopia and Domboshava venues.
Representing the Institute of Creative Arts for Progress in Africa (ICAPA) Trust, Festival Coordinator Tafadzwa Chovhuchovhu told EnterSportNews that preparations are on course and film screenings have started at some venues.
“We have half of the international guests already here and expecting all of them by tomorrow,” she said.
“There were resource challenges as to hold such an event requires a substantial amount of money and personnel, but because there were funding constraints, we had to make do with the minimal resources we had. We are very grateful for the support we received from various sponsors.”
IIFF 2022 is being held in partnership with the Internationales FrauenFilmFest Dortmund + Köln, Germany (IFFF).
The Festival could not take place in the past two years owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. The organisation could not, in good faith, organise and host the event even online because there needed to be available staff and resources.
“In previous years, we had more films in general, but this year, we had to have a trimmed-down festival; therefore, the number of films is less,” she added.
Chovhuchovhu said they look forward to welcoming back old friends and making new ones at the screenings.
“Prepare yourselves to be challenged, excited and inspired by films depicting our theme,” she said.
“We have more than 20 films from around the world which all seek to promote gender equality and to empower women.”
IIFF 2022’s theme, “Women at Crossroads”, exhibits films examining the complex decisions women must make in the modern world and how they might do it most effectively for themselves and society, especially in a post-Covid era, marked by male dominance.
“From shorts to documentaries and feature films, we have films to meet a diverse range of needs and tastes that you, the Zimbabwean public, have,” said Chovhuchovhu.
Francis Ellong’s award-winning film Buried, Enterré in French, will be the opening film at the Alliance Française later on today. The film is centred on silent abuse that happens in society.
Local films to be screened include End Of The Rainbow; Faith (Rutendo); Four Walls And A Roof; Mirage; Mum, I Need Oil For My Car; One In Three; Stitch In Time, and We Fear Father (Tozeza Baba).
“IIFF seeks to stimulate conversations and encourage film enthusiasts to share their thoughts and debate so that the film community can help to contribute to people’s social awareness and development,” concluded Chovhuchovhu.
Founded in 2002, IIFF is an annual festival held in Harare that exhibits films portraying women in at least one significant role. It thus allows African women to observe female characters being active, displaying agency, and positively impacting their lives and communities. The Festival is hosted each year by the ICAPA Trust.
At this year’s Festival, films will also compete for awards in the following categories; Best Depiction of a Woman, Best Zimbabwean Film and World View.
