NORTON – Sarawoga the latest movie made by Pakare Paye Arts Centre is coming to national television and starts showing on Zimbabwe Television 1 during the first week of August.The Centre founded and operated by Oliver Mtukudzi here has its core business various arts development programmes and has been quite ambitious producing at least one short film every year.

Sarawoga (2009) was written by Elias C. Machemedze, Directed by Watson Chidzomba and Produced by Oliver Mtukudzi who also did the soundtrack.

Chidzomba an actor himself and responsible for operations at Pakare Paye Arts Centre says of Sarawoga: “The film is from the ancient world and is told in the context of our day-to-day culture – how we lived in the old world. The story is built on Sarawoga who is claiming chieftainship in a clan where he does not belong and his action sparks serious conflict igniting a furious war.”

But what is particularly interesting about the films made by Pakare Paye Arts Centre, over and above the mere entertainment value, is the educational significance of the movies in the academia where the films are shown at secondary schools as supplementary effort for students studying African literature.

^ On set - a scene from Sarawoga.

“Because of the powerful African literature themes in our films the movies have found a place in the academia where schools enhance their tutorials by using the films as case studies wherever necessary. So, we are playing a modest role in terms of education and development,” says Chidzomba.

Mtukudzi’s other films he produced in recent years include Chipo Changu (2005), Zvirimudundundu (2006), Ndichirimudiki (2007).

Mtukudzi’s own artistic work in the academia stands out fairly remarkably and is acknowledged at university level where he presents public lectures on the arts and culture. Early this year he delivered a paper on music as business at Chinhoyi University of Technology in Chinhoyi. In 2009 he was awarded an honorary doctorate in Fine Arts by the Women’s University in Africa in recognition of his work. – Shepherd Mutamba/tukumusik.com