Zimbabwean–Egyptian filmmaker Naishe Nyamubaya has steadily built a reputation as one of the most exciting voices in contemporary African cinema. A passionate storyteller dedicated to portraying authentic African narratives, Naishe’s work bridges cultural boundaries and emotional truths. An alumnus of prestigious programs such as the TIFF Filmmaker Lab, Cannes Cinéfondation’s L’Atelier, The Red Sea Lodge, and Film Independent’s Global Media Makers, he brings a unique blend of technical skill and poetic realism to his films. His projects have screened at acclaimed festivals including BFI, Chicago, Pan African, and Jozi-Film Festival, and have earned nominations and awards from the South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs), the European Film Festival, and ZIFF in Zimbabwe.
We caught up with Naishe for a quick chat about his journey so far, his creative process, and the projects that continue to shape his voice as a director committed to amplifying African stories on the world stage.
Stephen Stallone: So your films have screened at major festivals, including BFI, Chicago, and Pan Africa. Is there one screening experience that stands out from the rest as being the most meaningful to you?
Naishe Nyamubaya: The most meaningful had to be the one in my own country. It wasn’t a big festival, not an external audience, but my home audience who aren’t cinephiles or film critics, just regular people. The film was about them, in their language. Seeing what it did to them in that room, that meant everything to me. That meant more than any big festival.
Stephen Stallone: Having received recognition from the South African Film and Television Awards, the European Film Festival, and ZIFF, how has that acknowledgement influenced your creativity? Has it changed the type of films you make?
Naishe Nyamubaya: I think I’ve continued on the same journey. The recognition validated that I was on the right path and that there’s an audience for the stories I want to tell. It showed me I could keep going. But as you grow and tell larger stories, sometimes you have to make concessions, which I try not to do. I just want to stay true to the work.
Stephen Stallone: Looking back, what film best captures your evolution as a filmmaker?
Naishe Nyamubaya: It has to be my most recent short, God Sleeps on Sundays. It was the first time I shot in my own country, Zimbabwe, with a local crew and cast, telling a deeply Zimbabwean story. Despite the challenges, it made me realise this is what I want to be doing.
Stephen Stallone: You mentioned challenges. What have been the most unexpected challenges and breakthroughs shaping who you are today?
Naishe Nyamubaya: Coming from this country, there’s no money, no real industry. But there is community, a handful of passionate people. That shook me. I found my tribe here, people who love cinema as much as I do.
Stephen Stallone: Your work often explores identity, emotion, and social realism. How have those themes evolved across your body of work, and are there topics you’ve yet to explore?
Naishe Nyamubaya: I never wanted to be boxed in. I follow what affects me or those around me. But identity always finds its way in. Coming from a postcolonial country still discovering itself, it’s inevitable. And being mixed race myself, that search for identity seeps into everything I make.
Stephen Stallone: Can you tell us anything about your upcoming projects?
Naishe Nyamubaya: Some are still under wraps, but there are a few I can mention. Black Snake is a magical realist drama about a Zimbabwean family followed by a tree wherever they go. Then there’s The Moon Country, set in Zambia. It’s about a schoolteacher and students who attempted to build a rocket to go to space in the 1960s.
Stephen Stallone: Are there African narratives you feel Western audiences might not be aware of?
Naishe Nyamubaya: Many. The West is often detached from African realities. My first feature, The Hyena Song, critiques tourism, how outsiders see safaris and animals but not the darker realities behind them. And I’m also working on a documentary, Into Darkness, about Chinese mining in Zimbabwe. The environmental damage is devastating and largely ignored.
Stephen Stallone: How do you ensure your films stay authentic while appealing to a global audience?
Naishe Nyamubaya: It’s a balancing act. I want to stay rooted in authenticity, but I also know some things may be hard for outsiders to grasp. Still, these are human stories, and emotion connects us all. People may not understand the language or metaphors, but they recognise themselves in the characters. That’s universal.
Stephen Stallone: You’ve mentioned your mixed heritage, half Egyptian, half Zimbabwean. How has that shaped your experience?
Naishe Nyamubaya: It’s been tumultuous. I’m not white, I’m not black, I’ve often felt in between. In a majority black country, you can feel out of place. But I found belonging in film. That’s where I found my people.
Stephen Stallone: I completely understand that. I’ve felt the same in filmmaking, it’s a space where so many identities coexist. For someone emerging as a filmmaker in Africa, what advice would you give?
Naishe Nyamubaya: Don’t do it. (laughs) No, seriously, keep your voice alive. There are thousands of emerging filmmakers, all passionate and talented. The ones who stand out are those with distinct, bold voices. Stay true to yours. It’s tough, but that’s how you break through.
Stephen Stallone: You’ve achieved international recognition, even if you might not realise how much. I came across your work through a BFI feature. How did that crossover happen?
Naishe Nyamubaya: I think it really began when I started working with my producer, Sue Ellen Chitunya. She’s based between LA and Zimbabwe and had international experience that opened doors for me. That collaboration changed everything. It helped me navigate the global film space while staying grounded in my roots.
Stephen Stallone: Have you had the chance to work in LA yet?
Naishe Nyamubaya: Yes! I did a programme with Film Independent called Global Media Makers. There were twelve of us from around the world, and we got to shoot a scene from our feature in a major studio. It was surreal. But even after that, my focus remains telling stories about my people and my home.
Stephen Stallone: Finally, what films or directors inspired you growing up?
Naishe Nyamubaya: I don’t know if it was a calling, but my mother was a writer and a poet. So our home was full of stories from a young age. I actually wanted to be a novelist first, then I found film. And we found film in a funny way, because we couldn’t get movies here. You had pirates selling discs on the street, thirty films on one DVD. Thirty in one! I was lucky that my mum would pick up these incredible films. Looking back now, I realise how wild it was, Kubrick, Fellini, Tarkovsky, all on a single disc. That’s when I saw what cinema could be, and I decided to migrate the writing to visuals. She was skeptical though. She told me, write me something first. So I wrote a short story, and she said, this is crap.(laughs) I rewrote it three times before she finally said, okay, you can go to film school.
Stephen Stallone: That’s great though, she wasn’t giving you false hope. It’s a hard industry, and you need people who’ll keep you grounded. It’s tough love, but that’s what pushes you to reach your full potential.
For more on Naishe Nyamubaya go to: IMDB
