Yellow Card warmly received in Kwekwe

By Jacob Gono
Sex, Soccer and education you can not get away with the three that's what it is all about a journey towards self knowledge and discovery "Yellow Card" a new film production from Media for Development Trust.
No doubt the locally made movie is eyemarked for success. During it's premiere in Kwekwe last Friday it left viewers stunned anxious to find out what happened after the separation of the two loving birds Kasamba Mkumba who plays (Juliet) and Leroy Gopal who plays (Tinaye Tsumba) and an ambitious footballer.
Entirely shot in Zimbabwe and depicting some well known places and common and famous Zimbabwean faces, the movie features Linda (Ratidzo Mambo) another Tinaye sweet heart who gets pregnant and tries to abort but fails. The late Sibangani Dude playing (Skido) who is HIV positive, Walter Maparutsa, Tinaye's father and Dumiso Gumede (coach).
The story is all about Tinaye who has a dream of taking soccer as a carrier and has set targets to play for Manchester United but later lands in serious problems arising from teenage sexuality.
Tinaye did not get away with it as one of his sweetheart Linda gets pregnant, tries to abort and fails only to dump the newly born baby at the door step of Tinaye's compartment after he had denied responsibility.
His career is put on line but had nothing to do except to confess to his parents what he has done following unbearable attempts to stay with the child.
His other lover Juliet is kept ignorant only and after the child was taken to the parents who then agreed to look after the newly baby born child. When Juliet learns of the affair she separates with Tinaye.
"Its your child and not ours", said Juliet while sheeding a tear before driving away for good but could not forget Tinaye as she listens to his team Hyenas football club playing against Caps United in a cup final.
Meanwhile the executive mayor of Kwekwe Mr Johnson Mawere who also attended the movie said the premier Yellow Card has marked an important landmark in the evolution of film industry in Zimbabwe as actors starring in the movie would gain international exposure as the film would be shown at film festivals around the world.
Said Mawere "I have no doubt judging from the rare viewers the movie is receiving it will again put Zimbabwe on the spotlight and further that the movie is not only better but is in the same class as other movies produced by the same media for Development Trust such as Neria and More Time.
He said the movie should be a must for all teenagers who should be able to identify with the story and who should also learn a lot and be able to avoid some of the mistakes made by the characters.
The movie is expected to be viewed by over 50 million viewers in Africa as US$600,000 has been used in distribution campaigns only, said the director John Riber.
He pointed out that from Zimbabwe it would be taken to Zanzibar, Durban in South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Zambia.
"The important message in the movie without no doubt is what you do always catches up with you, we should as adults and teenagers alike strive to do good and be honest rather than deceptive", said Mawere.
He however thanked Pathfinder International and Media for Development Trust for having championed the production of Yellow Card.
The movie is readily available at various movie houses in Zimbabwe including Rainbow in Kwekwe.

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