Preparations for the inaugural Matamba Immersiv Festival, the country’s first virtual reality festival serving curious audiences that have been dabbling with the idea of experiencing films, games and content through immersive new media are at an advanced stage.
Running under the theme “Exploring new realities,” the week-long festival, which runs from October 18 to 22, is a hybrid showcase of physical and virtual formats allowing physical users, users on desktops, phones and in VR headsets to experience 360 films and content from all over the world.
One of the festival coordinators, Courage Chinokwetu, said preparations were at an advanced stage.
“We are at advanced stages of planning whereby most performers both locally and internationally have confirmed participation and are eager to come through for the festival,” she said.
“We have also secured partnerships with key industry stakeholders such as Culture Fund and the EU Delegation to Zimbabwe and Zimbabwe German Society.”
Chinokwetu said the festival was inclusive.
“The festival is for all VR and new media lovers, young and old.” she said. “The films and experiences are curated from Zimbabwe, the Sub Saharan region as well as global content makers and topics vary and range from educational, entertainment, children’s as well as social impact content.”
Creative director Siza Mukwedini said the festival will also include workshops.
“Apart from VR screenings and experiences, we have workshops and industry talks for all those who may want to venture into new media related careers,” she said.
“We will facilitate talks from local industry leaders, from across the continent as well as from our European partners who have also been using VR across platforms like tourism, medicine, agriculture, entertainment and gaming,” she said.
Regional guests from Black Rhino V.R (Kenya), Electric South Alumna and local VR experts will be physically and virtually present, showcase their work and share experiences and skills transfer through the Immersiv workshops and online talks.
“We also have global presence from Germany, Spain and the UK giving industry talks as well as showcases,” she said.
Mukwedini said the festival’s biggest production is coming from Mozambique.
“Biggest production is “Nakhodha and the Mermaid” by Mozambican female Yara Costa Pereira, Production Company is YC Plataforma Criativa,” she said.
“Nakhodha and the Mermaid” from the immersive experience of those for whom the sea is the extension of life and their identity that is now threatened by the impact of climate change.
“It combines art, culture, music, tradition and wisdom that we are losing before we even realize it exists.”
The festival is being organised by Matamba Film Labs for Women, a new-media organisation registered and based in Zimbabwe. Apart from day to day production, the organisation equips and empowers the new generation of storytellers with original Zimbabwean and African perspectives to produce compelling films and digital content.
“We provide safe, non- exploitative environment for women to learn new media storytelling skills,” said Mukwedini. “In addition, we engage with other regional and global filmmakers who are producing commercial content for prime time and cinema, with a hope of transferring knowledge, skill and confidence to our local storytellers.”
Chinokwetu said there has been an increase in women participation in film.
“In recent years’ female participation in the arts industry has increased as women have begun to take initiative and own creative spaces,” she said.
“This particular festival is being coordinated by three women Siza Kukwedini, Kudakwashe Makuzwa and Courage Chinokwetu who have contributed significantly in the arts sector over the past few years with the support of two enterprising upcoming young female arts practitioners.
“The Matamba incubator programme, a content creation training programme which will feed content into the festival is also occupied by three powerful women in the arts industry.”
