For 15 years, Tendaiishe Chitima has made a living bringing other people’s stories to life as an actress. Now, she is taking a step that asks something different of her: trusting herself to create stories of her own.

The Zimbabwean actress has had plenty to celebrate this week. Her science-fiction film won two awards from NEWF and Wrapped The App at the Durban FilmMart, coming at a time when she is finding her feet as a writer, director and producer.
The recognition was a special birthday gift, but it also came after a period of questioning whether she was ready to take on the challenge of making her own films.

Last year, Chitima registered her creative business, Tunga Mwenje. It was a decision that marked a new direction in her career, although making that move did not mean all her doubts disappeared. She noted this on her social media post.

“Even though I’d taken this step, deep down I was still feeling insecure about writing, directing and producing my own stories,” she said.

It is an honest admission from someone who has spent years working in the film industry. Being experienced in front of the camera does not automatically make the move behind it easy. Writing a story, directing its telling and finding a way to bring it to the screen require a different kind of confidence.

For Chitima, part of the struggle was learning to quieten the doubts in her own mind while dealing with the opinions of others.

“Internal doubt and external chatter was clouding my mind,” she said.

Her recent time in Durban appears to have helped her see things differently. Through Talents Durban and the Durban FilmMart, she found an opportunity to learn, meet other creatives and speak with people who understand the demands of filmmaking.

She took part in mentorship with Akosua Adoma Owusu and attended industry masterclasses at Talents Durban hosted by Menzi Mhlongo. Chitima credited the Zimbabwe German Society and Goethe Zentrum Harare for supporting her participation.

What she carried away from the experience went beyond the lessons learned in the classroom.
She spoke about finding the confidence, community and advice she needed to pursue her new direction. After wrestling with uncertainty, she returned feeling that her ideas had a place and that she did not have to figure everything out alone.

“I feel affirmed, supported, seen and most of all – grateful,” she said.

Her film’s awards have given her another reason to believe in the work she wants to do. However Chitima is not presenting the achievement as the end of a journey. If anything, it has strengthened her resolve to keep going.

Through Tunga Mwenje, she hopes to develop her own projects and take greater control of the stories she brings to audiences. Her science-fiction film offers a glimpse of that ambition, although there is clearly more she wants to explore.