(Auto)Biographical and cinematographic exposition of Dambudzo Marechera on documentary film and video

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Periodical article

Title:	(Auto)Biographical and cinematographic exposition of Dambudzo Marechera on documentary film and video
Author:	Mhiripiri, Nhamo Anthony
Year:	2013
Periodical:	Journal of African Cinemas (ISSN 1754-923X)
Volume:	5
Issue:	1
Pages:	99-121
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Zimbabwe
Subjects:	writers films
About person:	Dambudzo Marechera (1952-1987)
Abstract:	Documentary film is a technical artistic method whose importance in the representation of Dambudzo Marechera, probably Zimbabwe's best-known creative writer, has not been adequately investigated. Marechera is documented in sequences of 'The house of hunger' (Chris Austin, 1983), Olley Maruma's 'After the hunger and drought' (1985) and in untitled footage shot by Edwina Spicer (1984). These documentaries have cinematographic significance, but they also challenge and reproduce popular impressions of Marechera as an eccentric crazy writer. Besides communicating pro-filmic visuals of Marechera himself, the documentaries offer extensive oral presentations by Marechera on a broad range of topics, including his sanity or insanity and his notions on censorship, identity and his writing habits and plans. This article outlines the structure of each individual documentary, and the relationships between Marechera and the films' directors is explored. Bibliogr., notes, sum. [Journal abstract]