U.S-Based Zimbabwean Nick Zemura Using Film to Bridge Cultural Gaps
Nick Zemura, a Zimbabwean actor and film producer, enrolled into a college in Los Angeles where honed his skills.
WASHINGTON D.C. — For many Zimbabweans, realizing their childhood ambitions remains a pipedream. But for Nick Zemura, a Zimbabwean actor and film producer, a move to the United States 15 years ago opened many doors to his childhood passion of acting. He did not waste time before he enrolled into a college in Los Angeles where his skilled were honed. Today, the former Gumbanjera Primary and Murehwa High Schools student, is a proud director of Mirazvo, an arts company he set up together with his younger brother, Mike and is registered in Zimbabwe. “Those who grew up with me can confirm that I was born an actor because from my primary days up to the days I went to Seke Teachers’ College for my teacher training course I never looked back,” says Zemura. After moving to the United States and settling in the Washington D.C. Metropolitan area, he found himself interacting again with school children as a teacher. But that did not kill his passion for acting. He became a regular at theatres around the area performing or teaching arts. After undergoing training in Los Angeles, Zemura then started working with Nigerian, Ghanaian and American top actors and film producers before he decided to pay back to the community that raised him, Zimbabweans. Zemura recently finished filming “Mwana waMwari”, a movie based on the rights of a girl-child. "My films try as much as possible to highlight issues affecting both Zimbabweans in the diaspora and at home, I am trying to bridge the cultural gaps," Zemura says. He has also worked with some of Zimbabwe’s best actors, who include Jesesi Mungoshi and the late Fidelis Cheza popularly known as Mudhara Danger in ‘Makunun’unu Maodzamoyo’, an adaptation of Charles Mungoshi’s novel. He has also worked with musician-cum-actor Elijah Madzikatire, the late Safirio Madzikatire’s son. The senior Madzikatire was well-known for his Mukadota family shows. Though Zemura says he has never been affected by the political and socio-economic situation in Zimbabwe, he urges the government to take arts seriously by assisting in any form those who are working tirelessly to keep it afloat. He says the industry's main problem is funding and is at the moment looking for funds to start work on a new film that retraces Zimbabwe's Chimurenga war of liberation.