Matabeleland

Chris left Zimbabwe 20 years ago to make a fresh start, but he is still struggling. Work in Botswana is hard and underpaid, and numerous relatives keep making demands of him. He has long believed his family’s misfortunes and his financial struggles are the result of a curse, related to a trauma that he has been carrying for decades.

Nyasha Kadandara’s first feature-length documentary is named after the region in Zimbabwe made infamous by Operation Gukurahundi. Under the regime of President Robert Mugabe, more than 20,000 Ndebele were killed in Matabeleland between 1983 and 1987, among them Chris’s father. There was never a proper funeral, and Chris believes his father’s spirit haunts the family.

The news of Mugabe’s death reopens Chris’s old wounds. A portrait emerges of a restless man caught in his own frustration, until he will finally be able to confront his cruel family history. Touches of humor and a strong musical presence ensure that Matabeleland never becomes overloaded. And despite confrontational moments, this is ultimately a film about healing, moving forward, and compassion.