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Been looking forward to this: today I spoke to Tendaiishe Chitima who plays Anesu in @CookOffZim, Zimbabwe’s first ever film on Netflix. Loved Tendai's character when I watched the film 3 weeks ago: a single mum, pushed by her son & her grandmother to enter a cooking competition.
Tendai's brilliant in the film! I loved @CookOffZim first of all because it tells another kind of story from Zimbabwe, one that’s less in the news headlines but is no less true, a story about real life hopes, determination and loyalty.
I loved Tendai’s tips to young Zimbabwean aspiring actresses: ‘Do your research, train hard to ground yourself and then collaborate and be proactive. It’s tough - if you’re not working hard you’re doing something wrong. But if you can apply those things, you should go for it!’
Tendai had a shout-out for @zwbritish for supporting creative industry hubs in Zimbabwe. Platformer gives Zimbabwean creatives a platform to share their content globally. Maybe @netflix will pick them up too!
Cook Off's success, Tendai’s talent & the resourcefulness of the team give me faith in the creativity & enterprise that exist here. We'll keep working hard to support young Zimbabweans so they can continue to do their work & connect globally, following Tendai’s message of hope.
I was so struck by Tendai’s belief that telling authentic stories of ordinary Zimbabweans succeeding can inspire her fellow countrypeople to keep going and follow their dreams.
She’d love to see more stories about what the future will be. I loved her dream of one day appearing in a futuristic action movie set in Zimbabwe. I can’t wait to watch it!
