Dr Agnieszka Piotrowska is a filmmaker and the Course Leader for the MA in Creative Digital Film Production and MSc in Digital Production and Technology. She is also the Reader in Film Practice and Theory at the Media Arts and Production Department at the University.

The film is part of her continuous collaboration with a number of leading Zimbabwean artists, in particular the award winning filmmaker, Joe Njagu.

Flora and Dambudzo is part of a feature film in development of the same title. The short film features a moment in the relationship between German scholar Flora Veit Wild and acclaimed Zimbabwean writer Dambudzo Marechera.

The couple met in the 80’s in Harare and became close friends until the writer’s death of AIDS in 1987.

Dr Piotrowska said: “Dambudzo, was a flamboyant and eccentric figure at the time and is arguably still the most important voice of his generation. He is considered an iconic figure in Zimbabwe but is also viewed as highly dangerous and subversive.

“The nature of his relationship with Flora Veit Wild was the subject of speculation and rumours for decades. At the time of their friendship Flora was married to the Director of the Zimbabwean German Society in Harare and they had two young children.”

The film discusses the difficulties of the black/white romance at that time, as well as the additional difficulty of it being an illicit affair in a traditional post colonial society. Flora Veit Wild recently published an essay in which she confirmed the sexual and romantic nature of their relationship.

The film has generated a great deal of interest in Zimbabwe, with Dr Piotrowska recently interviewed on the national radio with Joe Njagu talking about their collaboration.

Both the short film and the full length screenplay film are inspired by true events, in consultation with Professor Flora Veit Wild as well as other close friends and acquaintances of Dambudzo.

Dr Piotrowska says: “This is an extraordinary tale, largely untold. I am delighted to be able to present this short here in Harare and am so impressed with the programmers who are taking a risk in screening this controversial work.”

Joe Njagu who was the cinematographer and editor on the film said: “It was a very exciting opportunity to work with Agnieszka yet again on a different project. It is fun to be able to complete something so quickly too and we look forward to the reactions of the audiences at the festival.”

The film is directed, co –written and produced by Dr Piotrowska. It is co-written by Ery Nzaramba who plays Dambudzo Marechera.

Dr Piotrowska is also a judge for the Zimbabwean section of the film festival.

Full credits:

• Director - Agnieszka Piotrowska
• Written and Produced - Agnieszka Piotrowska and Ery Nzaramba
• Cinematographer and film editor - Joe Njagu
• Ery Nzaramba as Dambudzo
• Sonja Wirhwohl as Flora Veit Wild