ABOUT SIMBA MAHACHI
A PASSION FOR STORYTELLING
Having his first novel published at 13, his first screenplay shortlisted for a contest's semi-finals from over 900 submissions at 17, and achieving over a million views online by 19, Simba Mahachi's talent and passion for storytelling have pushed him from his infancy.
Born and raised in the culturally vibrant Harare, Zimbabwe, he always felt comfortable in the creative industry and sought out cinema, finding it one of the most expressive and malleable art mediums. After double-majoring in screenwriting and directing at an art institution in South Africa, he graduated on the dean's list with his graduation film winning awards for best undergraduate film, the critics' award for the best undergraduate film, best screenplay, best producer and best performance in a leading role in addition to being selected as one of three films from the campus to represent the school at international film festivals.
A passionate, multi-disciplinary creative, Simba endeavours to create motion pictures that stir audiences emotionally, challenge them intellectually, and dazzle them visually.
ACCOLADES
FILM AFRICA LONDON (2022)
Baobab Award Special Mention & Nominee - Black Ultraviolet
Selected as a special mention from out of 10 nominees for the Baobab Short Film Award at London's premier film festival for African cinema.
Juror's Statement:
"We would on this occasion like to give a special mention to one film for its originality, creativity and artistic merit. It stood out for us in terms of ambition and we feel that this director is one to watch. We are very excited to see such work that pushes the envelope come out of the continent. Beyond the visual, experimental language of the film melded so well with the cinematic; the use of poetry and metaphors that speak to universal themes such as personal and human evolution, identity and love, we were enthralled and are thus spotlighting Black Ultraviolet by Simba Mahachi as our choice to receive a Special Mention as part of the 2022 Baobab Award Shorts."
AFDA GRADUATION AWARDS (2021 & 2022)
Best Undergraduate Film, Critics' Award For Best Undergraduate Film, Best Screenplay, Best Producer & Best Performance in a Lead Role
At the AFDA 2021 Awards & 2022 Graduation, my graduation film If These Walls Were Wallets received 5 awards in addition to nominations for Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Production Design, Best Costume, Make-Up and Styling in Film & Best Musical Score.
Semifinalist
Wrote a screenplay entitled Solus In War that was shortlisted for the Film Fund semi-finals from over 900 submissions.
MOV INTERNATIONAL STUDENT FILM FESTIVAL OF PERNAMBUCO (2022)
Official Selection and Winner of Best Makeup - Black Ultraviolet
Official Selection, Best Makeup Award Winner and the only African film to feature in the international section of the Brazilian festival.
ONSCREEN FILM FESTIVAL (2022)
Official Selection & Best Narrative Short Film Nominee - If These Walls Were Wallets
One of two African films selected as one of 14 narrative films from 880 submissions from 72 countries for a festival in Pennsylvania, USA.
STUDENT WORLD IMPACT FESTIVAL (2022)
Official Selection & Honourable Mention - If These Walls Were Wallets
Official Selection & Honourable Mention for a festival in New York, USA.
EKURHULENI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (2022)
Official Selection & Best Short Film Nominee - If These Walls Were Wallets
Official Selection & Best Short Film Nominee for a festival in South Africa.
LUANDA INTERNATIONAL PAN AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL (2022)
Official Selection - If These Walls Were Wallets
Official Selection & Best Narrative Short Film Nominee for a festival in Angola.
FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL DE CINEMA ESCOLAR DE ALVORADA (2022)
Official Selection - If These Walls Were Wallets
Official Selection for a film festival in Brazil.
UMGUNGUNDLOVU FILM FESTIVAL (2022)
Official Selection - If These Walls Were Wallets
Official Selection for a film festival in South Africa.
AFRICAN SMARTPHONE SHORT FILM FESTIVAL (2022)
Official Selection - Legacy Hall
Official Selection for a film festival in Nigeria.
KASI VIBE FILM FESTIVAL (2022)
Official Selection and Best Short Film Nominee - If These Walls Were Wallets
Official Selection and Best Short Film Nominee for a film festival in South Africa.
TOMORROW UNLOCKED TWELVE FILMS CONTEST (2020)
Semifinalist - Double-Click
Wrote, directed, edited, sound-designed, did the visual effects for and acted in a one-minute smartphone short film selected for Tomorrow Unlocked's 'Connection' semi-finals with only 24 hours to shoot and edit the completed project.
FILMIC PRO ONE WORLD CONTEST (2018)
Honourable Mention - Define Africana
Directed, produced, shot and edited a smartphone documentary about the optimism ushering in a new era of Zimbabwe. Selected as an Honourable Mention at Filmic Pro's One World Contest.