Review of Maangamizi the Ancient One

I found this review of Maangamizi the Ancient One, very good. It hits the nail on the head about what the film is about. As you know Maangamizi is the first film to be submitted to the Academy Awards by Tanzania.

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From: http://www.nathanielturner.com/maangamizitheancientone.htm

Maangamizi (the Ancient One)

A film by Martin Mhando, Ron Mulvihill and the Ancestors

Featuring Amandina Lihamba, BarbaraO, Mwanajuma Ali Hassan, Thecla Mjatta, Waigwa Wachira

Review by Marvin X (El Muhajir)

Maangamizi is a film in the genre of Daughters of the Dust and Sankofa, it even stars Babrara O from Daughters of the Dust. So let's get to point of this film that has won awards at several international film festivals, though few have heard about it.

I have long maintained that before African Americans can heal the trauma of White Supremacy they must make peace with their southern roots, the pain of slavery in all its vicissitudes. This film justifies my thesis that we must indeed come to peace with the terror of Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, and the rest of the south before we can truly be healed. Whatever the south meant to us or means to us now, we must come to grips with it before we can deal with Mother Africa.

In the film the African American psychiatrist (Barabra O) goes to Tanzania to work in a mental hospital, but she cannot heal the Africans until the Africans come to terms with who she is as long lost daughter and she cannot deal with Africans until she is woman enough to confront the terror of African American oppression, there is a leitmotif of lynching to allow us to see her suffering, even though she is a doctor on a mission to heal her African brothers and sisters.
But she cannot heal her primary patient until the patient understands that the doctor from America is her salvation, not in a medical sense but in a spiritual sense.

After the African sister is traumatized by seeing her father burn her mother to death in a hut, the child refuses to speak until the wise woman Manzamizi (also grandmother) entreats her to connect with her African American sister, that is her salvation.

But as I said above, the African American must heal from the terror of America, not their disconnection with Africa as we are usually told. Supposedly, we cannot heal until we come to terms with our Africanity, but this film flips the script as many revolutionaries and radicals have discovered: we must come to terms with our Americanity in all its vicissitudes. Afterwards, we will have no problem with Africa.

With their attitude of jealousy and envy as expressed in the film, clearly, it is Africans who must adjust to African Americans. The film showed our African brothers and sisters as the playa haters of African Americans, and certainly the star patient had reservations about reconnecting with her African American sister, but this was the point of the film: that until Africans come to terms with African Americans, no healing can come to Africa, even though she has her neo-colonial problems with religion, Western religion, Christianity, the father being so dogmatic and savage that he burns his wife alive because her daughter is supposedly under witchcraft when it is clear the father is a devil under the power of a pseudo-Jesus. What Jesus told him to burn his wife alive in the granary hut?

The most powerful scene is the father in hell begging his daughter for forgiveness. And she forgives him, thus transcending the pseudo-Christianity of her father, to the objection of her wise woman, grandmother, Maanzimizi, who said to hell with the father, let him burn in hell for dissing the ancestors in favor of Christianity.

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Majina Yatajwa - tuzo za Vinara wa Filamu Tanzania

Press Release Kutoka One Game:

Habari yako ndugu yangu...
Kwa kifupi kinyang'anyiro cha Tuzo za Vinara wa Filamu Tanzania kinakaribia kufika ukingoni, ambapo leo majaji wametangaza rasmi majina ya waigizaji na filamu zilizoingia katika hatua ya mwisho.
Majina yalitolewa katika ukumbi wa mgahawa wa Hadees Fast Food!
Asante sana kwa ushirikiano wako wa awali!
Tupo pamoja!

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TUZO ZA VINARA WA FILAMU TANZANIA (TANZANIA FILM VINARA AWARDS) 2007 – 2008

Muigizaji Chipukizi wa Kike (Up coming actress)
1. Irene James – Miss Bongo II
2. Irene Uwoya – Diversion Of Love
3. Fatuma Makame – Karibu Paradiso
4. Jennifer Mwaipaja – Silent Killer
5. Grace Michael – Malipo ya Usaliti

Muigizaji Mwandamizi wa Kike (Best Actress in a Supporting Role)
1. Irene Uwoya - Diversion Of Love
2. Mama Frank – Yolanda
3. Irene James – Miss Bongo II
4. Susan Lewis – Behind the Scene
5. Tecla Mjata – Macho Mekundu

Muigizaji Bora wa Kike (Best Actress)
1. Lucy Komba - Diversion Of Love
2. Grace Michael – Malipo ya Usaliti
3. Halima Yahya – The Stranger
4. Elizabeth Chijumba – Copy
5. Riyama Ally – Fungu la Kukosa

Muongozaji Bora wa Filamu (Best Film Director)
1. Gervas Kasiga – Fake Pastors
2. Jimmy Mponda – Misukosuko II
3. Kulwa Kikumba – Macho Mekundu
4. Haji Adam – The Stranger
5. Halfan Ahmed – Copy

Mtunza Sauti Bora (Best Soundman of The Year)
1. Adam Wazir – Fungu la Kukosa
2. Cleophance Ng’atingwa – Kolelo
3. David Sagala – Copy
4. Camillius Kanuli – Fake Pastors
5. Swalehe Juma – Fungu la Kukosa

Mpiga picha Bora wa Filamu ( Best Cameraperson of The Year)
1. Mbalikwe Kasekwa – Misukosuko II
2. Sylon Malalo – Kolelo
3. Rashid Mrutu – Copy
4. Nicholaus Mtengwa – Kilio moyoni
5. Sylon Malalo – Simu ya Kifo

Adui Bora wa Filamu (Best Film Villain)
1. Mohamed Aziz – The Body Guard
2. Irene Uwoya - Diversion Of Love
3. Sebastian Mwanangulo – Misukosuko II
4. Ahmed Ulotu – Silent Killer
5. Elizabeth Chijumba – Copy

Mhariri Bora wa Filamu (Best Film Editor)
1. Moses Mwanyilu – Misukosuko II
2. John Kalage – Miss Bongo I
3. Rashid Mrutu – Copy
4. Hassan Mbangwe – Malipo ya Usaliti
5. Sylon Malalo – Kolelo

Mwandishi Bora wa Filamu (Best Script Writer)
1. Seleman Mkangara – Malipo ya Usaliti
2. Hammie Rajab – Kolelo
3. Kulwa Kikumba - Diversion Of Love
4. Lucy Komba – Utata
5. Elizabeth Chijumba – Copy

Muigizaji Bora Mwandamizi wa Kiume (Best Actor in a Supporting Role)
1. Aliko Tshmwala – Segito
2. Single Mtambalike – The Stranger
3. Adam Kuambiana – Fake Pastors
4. Halfan Ahmed – Copy
5. Emmanuel Muyamba – Fake Pastors

Muigizaji Chipukizi Bora wa Kiume (Best New And Upcoming Actor)
1. Emmanuel Muyamba – Fake Pastors
2. Laurent Anthony – Karibu Paradiso
3. Hassan Nguleni – Body Guard
4. Yussuf Mlela - Diversion Of Love
5. Uswege – Malipo ya Usaliti

Muigizaji Bora wa Kiume (Best Actor)
1. Single Mtambalike – Agano la Urithi
2. Nurdin Mohamed – Utata
3. Jacob Steven – Copy
4. Haji Adam – Miss Bongo
5. Yussuf Mlela - Diversion Of Love


Mapambo na Maleba Bora (Best Costume And Makeup of The Year)
1. Misukosuko II
2. Macho Mekundu
3. Kolelo
4. Utata
5. Copy

Mtunzi Bora wa Filamu (Best Creater of The Year)
1. Lucy Komba – Utata
2. Nicholaus Mtitu - Diversion Of Love
3. Single Mtambalike – The Stranger
4. Halfan Ahmed – Copy
5. Hammie Rajab – Kolelo

Filamu Bora ya Mwaka (Best Movie of The Year)
1. Behind the Scene
2. The Stranger
3. Diversion Of Love
4. Macho Mekundu
5. Misukosuko II
6. Simu ya Kifo
7. Copy
8. My Sister
9. Silent Killer
10. Miss Bongo I
11. Agano la Urithi
12. Malipo ya Usaliti
13. Utata
14. Kilio Moyoni (Crying Silently)
15. Fake Pastors

Uzinduzi Rasmi - Bongoland II

Habari kutoka Kibira Films International:

Moja kwa moja kutoka mjini Dar-Es-Salaam, tunafurahi kutangaza siku ya uzinduzi maalumu wa sinema ya Bongoland II. Tarehe ya uzinduzi ni mwezi April 5, 2008 hapa mjini Minnepolis, Minnesota katika ukumbi wa sinema wa Oakstreet Cinema.

Sinema hii ilitengenezwa mwaka jana July pale mjini Dar. Vitongoji maarufu vya mji huo kama Manzese na Magomeni vilitumika katika utengenezaji wa sinema hii. Kusema kweli, hii itakuwa ni hadhi kubwa ya wasanii wa ki-Tanzania maana sinema hii itaonyeshwa katika tamasha mbali mbali za sinema za kimataifa.

Sinema hii ni inamhusu Juma Pondamali ambaye baada ya maisha na malengo yake kutofanikiwa nchini Marekani, aliamua kurudi nyumbani. Lakini visakato alivyovikuta nyumbani vilimshangaza sana na hakuna kitu chochote hapa ulimwenguni ambacho kingemtayarisha kupambana na visakato hivyo.ANGALIA TRELA MPYA

Jitayarishe kuwaona wacheza sinema wakongwe wa Tanzania kama Mzee Kipara, Bi Chuma Selemani Mzee na Bi Thecla Mjatta. Vile vile pia kuwaona wachezaji chipukizi kutoka mjini Dar-es-salaam.

Msanii mhusika mkuu ni Peter Omari ambaye anacheza kama Juma. Peter, ambaye kwa sasa anishi Mwanza, aliwahi kucheza katika sinema yetu iliyopita iliyoitwa TUSAMEHE.

Heshima za Mwisho - Mzee Godwin Kaduma (1938-2007)

Prof. Saida Othman (kulia) Prof. Amandina Lihamba, Prof. Penina Mlama na Mama Thecla Mjatta wakiongea kabla ya heshima za mwisho kuanza.
Wazazi wangu Dr. Aleck Che-Mponda na Rita Che-Mponda wakiongea na Prof. Penina Mlama, Prof. Saida Othman na Prof. Amandina Lihamba.
Mama Thecla Mjatta (mwenye Scarf ya pinki) akiongea na waombolezaji wengine kabla ya shughuli za kuwaga Mzee Kaduma kuanza.


Mzee Masimbi akitoa maelezo kuhusu mipango ya mazishi. Mwili wa Mzee Kaduma ulipelekwa kwanza nyumbani kwake Bagamoyo halafu ulipelekwa Iringa kwa ajili ya mazishi.

Prof. Amandina Lihamba na Prof. Penina Mlama wakipita kutoa heshima za mwisho.

Mzee Masimbi akiwafariji Mama Thecla Mjatta na Prof. Penina Mlama

PICHA ZOTE ASANTE
MICHUZI BLOG

Trailer ya Bongoland II sasa iko You Tube

Haya sasa! Mlio na kiu ya sinema ya Bongoland II - Nyumbani ni Nyumbani mnaweza kuona

kuona Trailer sasa Bofya hapa:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eX2w8l37Cho

Mjue Msanii Thecla Mjatta

Thecla Mjatta in Arusi ya Mariamu

Thecla Mjatta at a screening of the film, Tumaini
Thecla Mjatta (in baibui) with other cast of the film, Mlima Kolero
(photo from Jiachie blog)

Mama Thecla Mjatta ni mwigizaji mkongwe wa Tanzania. Huenda mnakumbuka zile michezo za kuigiza kwenye redio. Tulikuwa tunazingojea kwa hamu kila wiki, hasa kwa vile wakati huo hakuna TV miaka ya 70 na 80. Pia aliigiza katika michezo ya kuigiza kadhaa.

TV ilivyoanza alianza kuigiza kwenye michezo ya television. Mama Thecla pia ameigiza katika sinema kadhaa na kucheza kama watu ambao hamwezi kusahau.

Katika sinema ya Arusi ya Mariamu, anaigiza kama shangazi yake Mariamu, na hamtasahau anvyopagawa.

Katika sinema ya Maangamizi the Ancient One aliigiza kama mama wa mhusika mkuu, Samehe. Samehe, alishuhudia kifo cha cha kuunguzwa na moto na baba yake mzazi amabaye alikuwa ni mchungaji mwenye imani kali ya dini. Sinema ya Maangamizi iliteuliwa kama sinema ya kwanza kutoka Tanzania, katika mshindano ya Oscars mwaka 2001 (Foreign Language category).

Pia ameigiza katika sinema za Simu ya Kifo, Tumaini, Mzee Mkude, na mlima Kolero. Hivi karibuni ataigiza katika sinema ya Bongoland II, akicheza kama mama yake mhusika mkuu, Juma.

Kwa habari zaidi za sinema ya Bongoland II nenda : http://www.kibirafilms.com/bongoland/home.html