China-Zimbabwe Film Festival Celebrates 45 Years o...

China-Zimbabwe Film Festival Celebrates 45 Years of Friendship Through Cinema

Patience Muchemwa – Senior Reporter

Red carpets, cultural exchange, and cinematic flair marked the inaugural China-Zimbabwe Film Festival, hosted at Westgate Movies by the Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe and the Ministry of Sport, Arts, and Culture.

The festival celebrated 45 years of diplomatic relations between Zimbabwe and China—and showcased the power of film to unite, inspire, and tell stories that transcend borders.

Delivering the keynote, Deputy Minister of Sport, Arts, and Culture Emily Jesaya declared 2025 the Year of Film in Zimbabwe, unveiling a new strategy to revive local cinema through funding, training, infrastructure, and international collaboration.

“Film is a powerful bridge between nations,” said Jesaya. “It narrates histories, sparks imagination, and strengthens people-to-people ties.”

Chinese Ambassador Zhou Ding emphasized the role of cultural diplomacy in deepening Zimbabwe-China relations.

“Our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has delivered results across sectors,” he said. “But its true strength lies in our people-to-people ties—and few things connect people like cinema.”

He added that the festival also contributes to President Xi Jinping’s Global Civilization Initiative and Zimbabwe’s Heritage-Based Education 5.0, building mutual respect through storytelling.

He set the tone for an evening of laughter and camaraderie by promising to give away some pandas. A few lucky audience members did get panda toys—ones in a raffle.

Audiences enjoyed a curated selection of Chinese films:

Jackie Chan’s Panda Plan was a winner, but it was Jia Ling’s YOLO that stole the show. One viewer summed it up: “It’s a universally appealing story of an ordinary person rising to their own definition of victory.”

Richard Tentone, founder of the Cinema Society of Zimbabwe, praised the event as a “cinematic handshake.”

“In Shona we say ‘kandiro kanopfumbwa kanobva kamwe’—the ’plate that gives is also the one that receives,” he said. “This is not just a film festival. It’s cultural reciprocity.”

Tentone called for future co-productions, film education exchanges, and simultaneous premieres in Beijing and Harare.

With Zimbabwe’s film industry poised for a revival and China's cinema sector booming globally, the festival signaled a shared vision: to create and celebrate stories that connect people—across continents, cultures, and generations.

More photos and full coverage in this week’s Zim Now ePaper.