Journey to the State House: The Life of Seif Shariff Hamad

Press Release

ZG FILMS

at

Zanzibar International Film Festival

Journey to the State House: The Life of Seif Shariff Hamad

Imetayarishwa na Kuongozwa na Javed Jafferji

Ufunguzi
2:40 Usiku, Juni 19
Pamoja na Mgeni Rasmi, Mhe. Maalim Seif Shariff Hamad
ZG Films and Media House, wakiongozwa na mpiga picha mashuhuri na mtengenezaji wa filamu Javed Jafferji, akiwa na malengo sio ya kukutana na kiwango cha sasa cha utengenezaji Filamu Tanzania pekee, bali kuongeza kiwango kwa kiasi ya Filamu za Tanzania kufikia katika zama mpya za uzalishaji wa kimataifa nchini. Ili kufikia lengo hili ZG Films and Media House imekuwa ikifanya kazi kwa bidii ili kuleta miradi kadhaa bora kwa kuzaa matunda. Miongoni mwa haya ni idadi ya filamu kuendeleza visiwa vya Zanzibar pamoja na taarifa nyinginezo kama za Tamasha la Sauti za Busara, Tamasha la Filamu (Zanzibar International Film Festival), Swahili Fashion Week, Naomi Campbell Fashion for Relief, Watu wa Hadza, na pia, Filamu ya ZG Films and Media House, “Glamour: The Reality Behind Dreams” ambayo ipo mbioni kwa ajili ya tuzo za Filamu katika Tamasha la ZIFF (Zanzibar International Film Festival) mwaka huu.

Mwaka huu ZG Films and Media House, kwa kushirikiana na Zanzibar International Film Festival, inatoa toleo la mwanzo ulimwenguni la:

Journey to the State House: The Life of Seif Shariff Hamad

Journey to the State House: The Life of Seif Shariff Hamad – Ikiwa na maana ya Safari ya Ikulu: Maisha ya Seif Shariff Hamad ni Filamu juu ya Mapambano ya Siasa ya mtu mmoja na visiwa vya Zanzibar - ni filamu iliyojaa ufahamu wa kihistoria na maigizo. Journey to the State House: The Life of Seif Shariff Hamad inaonyesha hadithi ya muda mrefu ya mmoja wa wanasiasa wa kujitolea zaidi Zanzibar. Rangi ya filamu hii inagusa hisia na ukubwa wa kisiasa wa Maalim Seif Shariff Hamad kuchaguliwa kutokana na nguvu za watu wa Zanzibar mwaka 2010. Filamu inasherehekea dhamira yake binafsi na ushirikishaji wake katika kuleta amani Zanzibar, na mtumishi kama kifungua macho kwa wale wasiokua na historia ya siasa za Tanzania na Zanzibar. Ingawa mada kujadiliwa ndani ya filamu ni ya kisiasa, mtayarishaji wa filamu hii na mkurugenzi, Javed Jafferji, anasisitiza kuwa lengo kuu sio la kisiasa zaidi, bali kua ni "sherehe ya maisha ya mtu mmoja wa kipekee na mapambano, na mkazo juu ya umuhimu wa amani katika visiwa vya Zanzibar. " Juu ya hadithi kwamba alijisikia zinahitajika kuwambiwa, Jafferji na timu yake ya ZG Films and Media House walifanya kazi ya bidii kwa muda wa miezi sita kutoka Hati ya kura ya maoni na Uchaguzi mkuu wa Zanzibar ambayo mabadiliko ya historia yake ya kisiasa milele, pamoja na kukusanya picha za kipekee, filamu na mahojiano kwa ajili ya filamu hii kuvutia. Jafferji alichagua kuwaambia hadithi hii ili Wazanzibari kueneza habari kubwa ya mabadiliko ya siasa za Zanzibar kwa ujumla, na "kueneza habari njema ya kile kinachotokea katika visiwa hivyo."

Kufuatilia kua na Maalim Seif kwa muda wa miezi mitano kwenye mguu wa kumalizia mapambano yake ya miaka 22 kisiasa na kuwa Makamu wa kwanza wa Rais wa Zanzibar, dakika 50 ya filamu hii inahusu si tu maisha yake ya kisiasa, bali maisha yake binafsi pia, ikiwa baada ya furaha ya utotoni mwake na majuto yake kama baba na mume baadae. Wakati wa karibia miaka mitatu kama mfungwa wa dhamiri (mara baada ya kustaafishwa bila kutarajia kutoka serikali ya Zanzibar kama Waziri Kiongozi pamoja na CCM, Chama pekee kisheria katika vyama vya siasa kwa wakati huo, katika mwaka 1988), na kutokana na ahadi yake mwenyewe ya kudumu ya siasa ya taifa, yeye na familia yake kuteseka sana kwa muda wa miaka yote. Ikijazwa na hadithi kutoka kwa Maalim Seif, mke wake na wale walio karibu naye, pamoja na mikutano yake ya kuvutia ya uso kwa uso na watu wa Zanzibar na kushiriki katika futari wakati wa mwezi mtukufu wa Ramadhani, itapatikana hisia ngumu zaidi kwa mtizamaji juu ya nani mtu mwenyewe ki ukweli.

Toleo la mwanzo ulimwenguni la Journey to the State House: The Life of Seif Shariff Hamad litafanyika na mgeni rasmi, Mhe. Maalim Seif Shariff Hamad, saa 02:40 usiku tarehe 19 Juni katika Tamasha la ZIFF (Zanzibar International Film Festival) ukumbi wa Ngome Kongwe.

PRESS RELEASE

Journey to the State House: The Life of Seif Shariff Hamad

Produced & Directed by Javed Jafferji

World Premiere
8:40pm June 19th
with special guest, Hon. Maalim Seif Shariff Hamad

ZG Films and Media House, led by renowned photographer and filmmaker Javed Jafferji, aims to not only meet and surpass the current standard of filmmaking in Tanzania, but to raise the bar to such an extent that it re-invents the Tanzanian movie scene and ushers in a new era of worldclass film production in the country. In order to achieve this goal ZG Films and Media House has been working hard to bring several high quality projects to fruition. Amongst these are a number of films promoting the islands of Zanzibar along with other acclaimed documentaries on Sauti za Busara Music Festival, Zanzibar International Film Festival, Swahili Fashion Week, Naomi Campbell’s Fashion for Relief, the Hadza people, and, ZG Films and Media House’s film feature film Glamour: The Reality Behind Dreams which is in the running for the Feature Film award at this years Zanzibar International Film Festival.

This year ZG Films and Media House, in conjunction with the Zanzibar International Film Festival, presents the world premiere of:

Journey to the State House: The Life of Seif Shariff Hamad

Journey to the State House: The Life of Seif Shariff Hamad – A Documentary on the Political Struggle of One Man and One Archipelago – is a film rich in historical insight and imagery. Journey to the State House: The Life of Seif Shariff Hamad depicts the long and winding story of one of Zanzibar’s most dedicated politicians. Brimming with accounts from politicians and observers alike, the film paints an insightful backdrop to the sheer political magnitude of Maalim Seif Shariff Hamad being elected into power by the Zanzibari people in 2010. The film is a celebration of his personal determination and participation in bringing peace to Zanzibar, and serves as an eye opener to those unfamiliar with the history of Tanzanian and Zanzibari politics. Although topics discussed within the film are political, the film’s producer and director, Javed Jafferji, stresses that the overall aim is not so much political, as it is “a celebration of one man’s exceptional life and struggle, and the emphasis is on the importance of peace in Zanzibar.” Passionate about the story that he felt needed to be told, Jafferji and his team at ZG Films and Media House worked tirelessly for six months to document the referendum and general elections in Zanzibar which would change its political history forever, and to collect never before seen photographs, film and interviews for this fascinating documentary. Jafferji chose to tell this story so that Zanzibaris would spread the news of this monumental shift in Zanzibari politics further a field, to “spread the good news of what is happening on the islands.”

Following Maalim Seif for five months on the concluding leg of his twenty-two year long struggle from political outcast to becoming the very first 1st Vice President of Zanzibar, the 50 minute documentary covers not only his political life but his personal life too, from his happy childhood to his regrets as a father and husband. During almost three years as a prisoner of conscience (soon after being unexpectedly ejected from the Zanzibar government as Chief Minister as well as from CCM, the sole legal political party at the time, in 1988), and due to his own enduring commitment to the politics of the nation, both he and his family suffered greatly over the years. Filled with remarkable accounts from Maalim Seif, his wife and those around him, together with fascinating footage of him meeting face to face with the people of Zanzibar and participating in iftar during the holy month of Ramadhan, the viewer gains a more complex sense of who the man himself really is.

The world premiere of Journey to the State House: The Life of Seif Shariff Hamad will take place with special guest, Hon. Maalim Seif Shariff Hamad, at 8:40pm on June 19th at the Zanzibar International Film Festival (venue: Old Fort).