Zimbabwe News Update
zbc
3 min read
Zimbabwean short film ‘rise’ qualifies for 2026 oscars in historic first story by farai gwazezimbabwe has achieved a major milestone on the global film stage, with the short film ‘rise’ qualifying for consideration at the 2026 academy awards, marking the first time a zimbabwean production will be in the running for an oscar.Written and directed by jessica rowland, the short film has captured international attention for its artistic depth and emotional storytelling. Rowland said the film’s journey has been nothing short of extraordinary, signaling a new era for zimbabwean cinema.“i am the writer-director of ‘rise’, the zimbabwean short film that has recently qualified for consideration at the 2026 oscars. We have been on the most incredible festival journey to get here.
We had our world premiere at the tribeca festival in june, and we are the first zimbabwean film, short or feature, to ever get accepted to that festival.“in the five or six months since then, we have been accepted into over 40 international film festivals all over the world and won 16 awards so far. Including the best actor nama award for our young lead, who was only 10 years old at the time, and he is the youngest nama award winner in history,” he said.Producer joe njagu described the achievement as a major validation of zimbabwe’s storytelling capabilities, emphasising its significance for the entire local film industry.“our film has qualified for consideration in the oscar’s and i think what this means for zimbabwe is that it is a big milestone for the country.
It is a big achievement for the industry, and this is the first time a film from this country is being considered. This is a big validation that our local stories can actually resonate on a global stage,” he saidthis oscar qualification represents a significant breakthrough for zimbabwe’s creative sector, demonstrating the growing recognition of local talent and storytelling on the global stage. Zimbabwe has achieved a major milestone on the global film stage, with the short film ‘rise’ qualifying for consideration at the 2026 academy awards, marking the first time a zimbabwean production will be in the running for an oscar. Written and directed by jessica rowland, the short film has captured international attention for its artistic depth and emotional storytelling.
Rowland said the film’s journey has been nothing short of extraordinary, signaling a new era for zimbabwean cinema. “i am the writer-director of ‘rise’, the zimbabwean short film that has recently qualified for consideration at the 2026 oscars. We have been on the most incredible festival journey to get here. We had our world premiere at the tribeca festival in june, and we are the first zimbabwean film, short or feature, to ever get accepted to that festival. “in the five or six months since then, we have been accepted into over 40 international film festivals all over the world and won 16 awards so far. Including the best actor nama award for our young lead, who was only 10 years old at the time, and he is the youngest nama award winner in history,” he said.
Producer joe njagu described the achievement as a major validation of zimbabwe’s storytelling capabilities, emphasising its significance for the entire local film industry. “our film has qualified for consideration in the oscar’s and i think what this means for zimbabwe is that it is a big milestone for the country. It is a big achievement for the industry, and this is the first time a film from this country is being considered. This is a big validation that our local stories can actually resonate on a global stage,” he said this oscar qualification represents a significant breakthrough for zimbabwe’s creative sector, demonstrating the growing recognition of local talent and storytelling on the global stage.
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