HARARE - No one saw it coming. Amid the celebrations of those films that had won awards at the International Images Film Festival for Women (IIFF), amid the glitz, the glamour and the evening elegance came a razor sharp reality check.A reminder that the same beautiful Zimbabwe we live in is the country where women still get beaten up by their husbands every single day- sometimes with fatal consequences, and a reminder that we all need to do something to stop this sort of thing from recurring.
I know a country where women get beaten up till they abort their twins, said IIFF founder Tsitsi Dangarembga, just before presenting an award. A country where the man who beats her up is arrested and then overnight, makes a deal with a police officer, and is set free. I know a country where distinguished gentlemen who sit on the boards of academic institutions make and break contracts with women at will- but still remain distinguished gentlemen.
A country where daily women get beaten up because the sadza was too hard, or not hard enough. Does anyone know which country this is?
Zimbabwe, members of the audience responded in unison.
Yes, Tsitsi continued, I think we should be ashamed. I think we should be so ashamed that we resolve to make a change. We need to face it. We cannot pretend that these things are not happening. That is why this next award is very important. It goes to a man who has come out and said I will work with you. I will honour you.
The prize, titled the Best Friend of IIFF Award, had three nominees: Operations Manager of Pamberi Trust, Ian White; Assistant for Culture, Information and Public Relations at the Japanese Embassy in Harare, Amos Masango; Director of Padare Enkundleni Mens Forum on Gender, Leo Wamwanduka and the winner, award-winning journalist, Terrence Mapurisana.
Post published in: News