Almasi Collaborative Arts the dramatic arts organisation co-founded by internationally acclaimed actress and playwright Danai Gurira has wrapped up a groundbreaking documentary filmmaking masterclass led by Academy Award-winning director Ezra Edelman a visit widely seen as a milestone for the country’s creative sector.
Edelman best known for O.J.: Made in America, travelled to Harare at the invitation of Gurira and Almasi as part of the organisation’s strategic expansion into documentary storytelling ahead of the 2025 Almasi African Playwrights Conference.
Despite admitting to early trepidation about cultural differences Edelman said he quickly discovered a sophisticated and highly skilled filmmaking community.
Speaking to the 2 Broke Twimbos podcast, he dismissed the idea that he was teaching beginners.
“I was incredibly inspired by the group. They weren’t students; they were adults, professionals bright, curious, passionate. Their reference points weren’t in the dark. They kept up with everything I presented,” he said.
He recalled one moment in which a participant deftly broke down his eight-hour documentary using a “five-act structure,” a level of analysis he described as deeply affirming. The experience, he said reminded him that the world is much smaller than we think.
For Almasi long celebrated for nurturing Zimbabwean theatre Edelman’s visit marks a deliberate broadening of its mission. The organisation is now positioning itself as a hub for non-fiction storytellers, extending its commitment to craft not spectacle.
“Artists are the translators and messengers of society. They add necessary colour to a place,” Edelman said
Over the intensive programme, Edelman expressed the discipline required in documentary work sharing his own creative challenges and emphasising that awards do not insulate artists from the universal struggle of making meaningful work. “Luck,” he said is a residue of design.
His visit ended with a public conversation at Moto Republik alongside acclaimed producer Rumbi Katedza where the director reflected on his time in Zimbabwe and the potential he sees in its film community.
The masterclass caps a transformative year for Almasi Arts under the banner “From Training to Showcase.”
Recent highlights include the Africa Voices Now! Festival, which premiered three new Zimbabwean plays: Can We Talk? by Batsirai Chigama, These Humans Are Sick by Tatenda Mutyambizi and The Return by Rudo Mutangadura.
That momentum continues this month with the eighth Almasi African Playwrights Conference, running from 8 to 20 December.
Led by Tony Award-winning producer Mara Isaacs and celebrated playwright Ngozi Anyanwu, the two-week laboratory will culminate in free public staged readings on 18, 19 and 20 December at Friendship Bench in Mount Pleasant.
Plays developed at the conference enter a year-long development cycle, often leading to full productions showcased at the Africa Voices Now! festival.
For 13 years, Almasi has worked to build a globally competitive Zimbabwean arts sector through training, mentorship and international collaboration — and this latest partnership with Edelman signals its boldest step yet.
