*📰 Zim and EU foster film industry growth through cultural exchange* *🔗 ᴠɪᴇᴡ ᴀɴᴅ ꜰᴏʟʟᴏᴡ ᴏᴜʀ ᴡʜᴀᴛꜱᴀᴘᴘ ᴄʜᴀɴɴᴇʟ ꜰᴏʀ ᴅᴀɪʟʏ ɴᴇᴡꜱ ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇꜱ*👇 https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029ValTjHxEKyZKPtXS1L1D THE Tenth Edition of the European Film Festival Zimbabwe opened this Friday at the Mbare Art Space, drawing a vibrant crowd of film and art enthusiasts from across Harare. This year’s milestone edition marks a decade of growing cultural exchange between Zimbabwe and the European Union, transforming the festival from a showcase of European cinema into a platform for dialogue between African and European filmmakers. Speaking at the opening, the European Union Ambassador to Zimbabwe, His Excellency Jobst Von Kirchmann, reflected on the evolution of the festival which now provides space for both African and European films enabling mutual understanding through storytelling. “Ten years ago, we started essentially by screening European films with the idea of bringing European culture to Zimbabwe, but we realised our audience was mostly ex-pats. Gradually, the idea emerged that we needed a cultural exchange. Culture defines us, it creates belonging and when we open up to other cultures, it becomes a factor of cohesion. This exchange creates a bigger ‘us’, a shared sense of humanity. Understanding begins with people, traditions, and culture not just laws and economies. Today, ten years later, we see that in the fantastic vibe here in Mbare,” he said. A total of 27 films will be screened during the festival, with curated selections aimed at stimulating dialogue and building artistic bridges across continents. National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) Board Chairperson, Dr. Nozipo Maraire, hailed the collaboration as timely and vital for Zimbabwe’s film sector serving as a catalyst for the growth of Zimbabwean cinema. “As Africans, we are storytellers. And what’s important is that our stories are seen. With this 10-year EU partnership, we can now also see other people’s stories while they see ours. This is the year of the film, as declared by the NACZ, and this platform is critical to building the industry,” Dr Maraire said. The European Union Film Festival continues over the weekend with more film screenings and interactive sessions, before moving to Bulawayo for further engagements with the local arts community. ZBC NEWS