10 Best Movies from Zimbabwe to Watch First

10 Essential Films from Zimbabwe

Ranked native cinema in Zimbabwe’s own creative voice.

1. 

   1. Flame

   1996

   During the 1970s liberation war in what was then Rhodesia, two young women leave their village to join the guerrilla fighters, taking new names and confronting both the brutality of the enemy and the hard realities within the struggle. A landmark Zimbabwean war drama.

2. 

   2. Neria

   1993

   When a Zimbabwean woman is widowed, her greedy brother-in-law seizes her children and belongings under the cover of tradition, and she must fight through grief and custom to reclaim her family. A hugely popular, groundbreaking drama.

3. 

   3. Jit

   1990

   A young man newly arrived in the city pursues the most beautiful girl around, but must contend with her gruff father, a demanding rival, and the mischievous ancestral spirit that keeps pestering him. A charming, lively Zimbabwean romantic comedy.

4. Y

   4. Yellow Card

   2000

   A gifted teenage soccer star's future is thrown into doubt when a youthful mistake leaves him facing fatherhood, in a drama that gently tackles the consequences of unprotected sex. A warm-hearted coming-of-age film.

5. 

   5. Cook Off

   2017

   A struggling single mother in Harare sees her life transformed when her son secretly enters her into a reality-TV cooking competition, giving her an unexpected shot at her dreams. A sweet, feel-good Zimbabwean comedy.

6. 

   6. Tanyaradzwa

   2005

   A bright, popular girl from a loving, well-off family sees her perfect life unravel when a long-hidden secret comes to light, dredging up old wounds and forcing a painful reckoning. A Zimbabwean drama.

7. 

   7. Gonarezhou

   2019

   In an isolated village bordering a vast wildlife reserve, an honorable man torn between his dream of becoming a musician and the harsh economics of poaching struggles to survive as rangers and hunters close in. A tense Zimbabwean drama.

8. S

   8. Something Nice from London

   2015

   A Zimbabwean family in Harare awaits the return of a son from London, and the homecoming stirs up long-simmering tensions, grief, and secrets. A drama of the diaspora and the ties that bind.

9. 

   9. IThemba

   2010

   In a bankrupt, broken Zimbabwe, eight disabled musicians shunned as cursed by their neighbors form a band and dare to hope, pouring their spirit into their music. An inspiring documentary.

10. 

    10. The Legend of the Sky Kingdom

    2003

    Three enslaved children escape the underground city of a tyrannical emperor and set off in search of the fabled Sky Kingdom and its great prince. Billed as Africa's first full-length animated film, crafted from recycled materials.