Tendaiishe Chitima wins 'Best Actress' at the I WILL TELL International Film Festival

Actress Tendaiishe Chitima has won "Best Actress" at the I WILL TELL International Film Festival on Sunday, September 5th for her outstanding performance in the film Gonarezhou: The Movie.  

The actress earned herself an award for her role as "Thulo" in the Gonarezhou: The Movie, which raises awareness about anti-poaching. The film premiered in 2020 at the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles and has received several nominations.

The awards ceremony took place at the Savor Cinema in USA, Florida on Sunday, September 5th in-theatre and online. The I WILL TELL International Film Festival celebrates powerful, authentic stories that have been hidden, forgotten or ignored. These are stories that challenge perspectives and catalyse change.  

The Zimbabwean-born actress said "I am so honoured to receive the Best Actress Award. I feel seen, heard and validated. To be recognized and applauded by an international jury has given me a new perspective on my work and where I am going in my career. My journey has also given me many lessons and I am absolutely grateful to God for leading me this far. A huge thank you to the I WILL TELL International Film Festival for celebrating talent and stories around the world. Gratitude to Gonarezhou: The Movie cast and crew. Especially Tarie Washe and Sydney Taivavashe who gave me a platform to perform and share my craft with the world, and be part of an important message. Congratulations to Eddie Sandifolo for winning the Rising Star Award at the festival! He's is indeed a legend.  

Lastly, I dedicate the award to young Zimbabwean actresses, keep dreaming, working hard and believing."  

About Tendaiishe Chitima

Tendaiishe Chitima is a multitalented star who looks to take the world by storm with her extensive, diverse experience and skills in industries such as film and television, ICT, business and development.  

Born and raised in Zimbabwe, Tendaiishe Chitima is an actor, writer, singer, an arts advocate, tech enthusiast, business consultant and a social issues activist who uses a combination of her skills and knowledge to make a positive impact in the world.  

She studied Bachelor of Arts in Film, Media, Writing and Drama at the University of Cape Town South Africa. She later received a scholarship to study at Warsaw school of economics in Poland as a MBA Erasmus Exchange Student. In 2019, Tendaiishe obtained her MBA at Wits University South Africa.  

Tendaiishe has landed both lead roles and supporting roles in several films. Some of the films Tendaiishe appeared on include the popular Zimbabwean romantic comedy film Cook Off where she was cast on as Anesu, a single mother who is entered into a life changing cooking competition. Other productions she made an appearance on include Ties That Bind Us, Working Wives, iNumber Number, Isidingo, Mutual Friends, Into Infinity, Gonarezhou, Evelyn and Tapiwa, Zimbabwe's Greatest Talent (as a presenter) and Jayson's Hope.  

"My passion for creative arts goes beyond just acting. I believe that art can be therapeutic, it also reflects the state of our society and it can also be used as vehicle for social change. What drives my passion for creative arts is my belief that through arts, we can help people to imagine the future." said Tendaiishe Chitima.  

Her talents in Film and TV Industry have won her several awards for Best Zimbabwean Actress, Zimbabwe International Film Festival and the National Arts Merit Awards Outstanding Actress (NAMA). In addition to her passion for the film industry, she was also a speaker and facilitator of a unique workshop at the 20th Zimbabwe International Film Festival titled, "The New Conversation: Branding and Marketing Through Storytelling" in September 2018.

Tendaiishe also enjoys being behind the scenes as she had a brief stint as a screenwriter at Ndiani Studios, Johannesburg, South Africa for the drama series Working Wives. She was also a Cinema Events Conceptualiser and Coordinator for Sisters Working in Film and Television (SWIFT). Furthermore, she recently worked as a backstage crew member for the production of the acclaimed Jesus Christ Superstar, showing at Reps Theatre in Harare.  

Tendaiishe is working on launching her own creative businesses that will run as social enterprises. Besides being a budding entrepreneur herself, she is also currently a business consultant for start-ups and entrepreneurial ventures both locally and internationally who wish to enter or grow their reach in the Southern African region – especially Zimbabwe and South Africa.  

Tendaiishe is a former brand ambassador and spokesperson for a tech organisation called AI for Good (UK), rAInbow chatbot that uses AI to bring solutions to problems in society, and has created an innovative AI powered chatbot that provides non-judgmental support and solutions to women in South Africa affected by domestic violence. Her role was to raise awareness and highlight the functionality of this new online platform.  

Driven by her passion for humanitarian empowerment, Tendaiishe has an active interest in development and seeks to take on roles that enable systemic structures (governmental, commercial/financial, and social) to uplift ordinary people across industries and communities through the implementation of effective policies and partnerships. She gained extensive professional training through a masterclass in Financing NGOs and Social Enterprises for African business, held online by Wits Business School in partnership with Southern Africa Trust.  

Furthermore, she was a contributing writer and a panelist at the United Nations Development Program (UNPD), AU- AfCFTA Report Inaugural UNDP Publication: "The AfCFTA Futures Report: Opportunities for Women and Youth." She continues to work with the United Nations agencies in Africa on various projects within the development and creative industries.