Zim launches reality TV show
HARARE - Prestige Pictures has launched a 90-day reality television programme to compliment on-going efforts of marketing Zimbabwe’s hospitality.
The programme titled Wonderworld Zimbabwe has the backing of the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry and would be filmed at different resort areas dotted around the country.
Participants will be drawn from the country’s10 provinces.
Film and television actor Boniface Chimedza who is the brains behind the project said the reality show seeks to market Zimbabwe as a tourist destination of repute.
“The objective is to market Zimbabwe locally, regionally and internationally as tourism destination. We are showcasing the beauty of our country, culture and showing the world our natural resources, cultural resources as well as our way of life in its uniqueness as a Zimbabwean people,” Chimedza told the Daily News.
The launch of the programme has also been necessitated by the fact that Zimbabwe will for the first time be hosting the United Nations World General Assembly.
“We have sought to implement this programme at such a time as this because we are also excited of the fact that next year Zimbabwe got the privilege to host the prestigious event together with Zambia so we felt that it would be prudent for us to find ways of showcasingourselves, of which we believe that this is one of the ways,” he said.
“We are packaging ourselves as a country by way of compressing our identity into a media which we feel can be distributed with ease around the world as we tell the story of Zimbabwe, from Zimbabwe for Zimbabwe by Zimbabweans to the outside world.”
Wonder World Zimbabwe is akin in many ways to the popular Big Brother Africa television show.
The difference between the two however, is that the local show is specifically for Zimbabweans and participants will not be confined to indoors.
They will have the freedom to move from one tourist resort to another projecting their different cultures and tradition freely.
Targeted audiences are between the ages of 20 and 30 years and have to be Zimbabweans with fluency in at least one local language as well as English.
Participants should also be available because the series will be shot continuously for 90 days.
The winners are set to walk away with a cash prize of $300 000 while the first and second runner up will get $150 000 and $50 000 respectively.
“We are running around to mobilize funds because we have our pride as Zimbabweans and we want to show the outside world that we are better people and can do better by awarding our participants handsomely,” Chimedza added.
“We believe in ourselves so much that as a people we should not fold our hands and wait for someone to execute plans for us. We are very much aware of the challenges that can come now but we will not be deterred by any and we are encouraging the corporate world to give back to the community because subsequently they would have helped the whole country.”
Minister of Tourism Walter Mzembi gave his support for the project in a letter to the entertainment company dated February 22, 2012.
“The ministry supports all efforts that seek to enhance the Zimbabwe population’s appreciation of its natural and cultural endearments. I believe your proposed project has exactly that and would commend it to all institutions from whom you might seek support for the project,” wrote Mzembi.
A website for the programme has already been launched. There is a theme song that was written by Chimedza and performed by Saiwe Chimbetu the younger sister of sungura music maestro Suluman.
Macdonald Chidavenzi better known as Mac Dee produced the song
The programme titled Wonderworld Zimbabwe has the backing of the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry and would be filmed at different resort areas dotted around the country.
Participants will be drawn from the country’s10 provinces.
Film and television actor Boniface Chimedza who is the brains behind the project said the reality show seeks to market Zimbabwe as a tourist destination of repute.
“The objective is to market Zimbabwe locally, regionally and internationally as tourism destination. We are showcasing the beauty of our country, culture and showing the world our natural resources, cultural resources as well as our way of life in its uniqueness as a Zimbabwean people,” Chimedza told the Daily News.
The launch of the programme has also been necessitated by the fact that Zimbabwe will for the first time be hosting the United Nations World General Assembly.
“We have sought to implement this programme at such a time as this because we are also excited of the fact that next year Zimbabwe got the privilege to host the prestigious event together with Zambia so we felt that it would be prudent for us to find ways of showcasingourselves, of which we believe that this is one of the ways,” he said.
“We are packaging ourselves as a country by way of compressing our identity into a media which we feel can be distributed with ease around the world as we tell the story of Zimbabwe, from Zimbabwe for Zimbabwe by Zimbabweans to the outside world.”
Wonder World Zimbabwe is akin in many ways to the popular Big Brother Africa television show.
The difference between the two however, is that the local show is specifically for Zimbabweans and participants will not be confined to indoors.
They will have the freedom to move from one tourist resort to another projecting their different cultures and tradition freely.
Targeted audiences are between the ages of 20 and 30 years and have to be Zimbabweans with fluency in at least one local language as well as English.
Participants should also be available because the series will be shot continuously for 90 days.
The winners are set to walk away with a cash prize of $300 000 while the first and second runner up will get $150 000 and $50 000 respectively.
“We are running around to mobilize funds because we have our pride as Zimbabweans and we want to show the outside world that we are better people and can do better by awarding our participants handsomely,” Chimedza added.
“We believe in ourselves so much that as a people we should not fold our hands and wait for someone to execute plans for us. We are very much aware of the challenges that can come now but we will not be deterred by any and we are encouraging the corporate world to give back to the community because subsequently they would have helped the whole country.”
Minister of Tourism Walter Mzembi gave his support for the project in a letter to the entertainment company dated February 22, 2012.
“The ministry supports all efforts that seek to enhance the Zimbabwe population’s appreciation of its natural and cultural endearments. I believe your proposed project has exactly that and would commend it to all institutions from whom you might seek support for the project,” wrote Mzembi.
A website for the programme has already been launched. There is a theme song that was written by Chimedza and performed by Saiwe Chimbetu the younger sister of sungura music maestro Suluman.
Macdonald Chidavenzi better known as Mac Dee produced the song
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