Kung Fu, Comedy & Cultural Connection

ZimNow Lifestyle Desk

The magic of the Kungfu movies returns this coming week with the China Film Festival in Zimbabwe, offering an immersive taste of modern Chinese culture with movies and food—and the best part? It's free, by invitation, and crafted for a local audience eager for stories beyond the Hollywood beat.

Set for 5 August 2025 at Westgate Movies, the festival forms part of the celebrations of 45 years of diplomatic relations between Zimbabwe and China and brings together food, film, and friendship in a one-day cultural showcase.

From Kung Fu pandas to hot-blooded heroines, the selected films are more than entertainment—they’re a window into China’s booming film industry and evolving society.

What’s Playing?

1. Panda Plan (1530 hrs)
Genre: Action/Comedy
Running Time: 99 mins | Language: English & Chinese | Box Office: $42 million
Directed by Zhang Luan and featuring Jackie Chan, this family-friendly flick is a light-hearted Kung Fu adventure centered around China’s national treasure—the panda. Expect action, laughter, and heart.

Jackie Chan’s new mission is to protect the treasured pandas with kung fu and laughter.

2. You Only Live Once – YOLO (1720 hrs)
Genre: Drama/Comedy
Running Time: 129 mins | Language: English & Chinese | Box Office: $480 million
A surprise blockbuster in China, YOLO is the story of a woman who punches her way out of hopelessness—literally—and into a life of self-love. Featuring breakout performances by Jia Ling and Lei Jiayin, this is China’s answer to the "eat, pray, punch" genre.

Watch YOLO and be inspired to live a hot-blooded life.

China’s Global Movie Machine

China’s film industry has rapidly transformed from a local enterprise to the world’s second-largest movie market after the US. According to Statista, China recorded over USD 6.5 billion in box office revenue in 2023, with over 80,000 cinema screens—the most in the world.

Top hits like The Battle at Lake Changjin, Wolf Warrior, and Ne Zha have proven that Chinese cinema can lead both at home and abroad.

China’s rise in cinema is not just about numbers—it’s about telling stories that resonate globally while remaining uniquely Chinese.

A Kung Fu Legacy in Zimbabwe

Zimbabweans fell in love with Chinese martial arts films in the 1980s and '90s, when Liberty Cinema in downtown Harare was the place to go while dubbed VHS copies of Bruce Lee, Jet Li, and Jackie Chan classics were neighborhood staples.

From “Drunken Master” to “Once Upon a Time in China,” kung fu movies were not just entertainment—they shaped pop culture, influenced local slang, and even inspired backyard acrobatics.

Even today, Zimbabwean elders fondly recall the names Shaolin Temple, Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow, and Fist of Fury.

“Before Netflix, there was Shaolin. Before Marvel, there was Jackie.”

China–Zim Cultural Exchanges: More Than Trade

The film festival is organized by the China Film Administration, China Film Archive, Embassy of China in Zimbabwe, and the Ministry of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture—highlighting deepening people-to-people ties.

These engagements complement broader cultural projects, including Mandarin language classes, scholarships, Confucius Institutes, and art exhibitions—all part of Beijing’s soft power charm offensive in Africa.

“We want Zimbabweans to see the real China, not just in products and policies, but in our stories, values, and everyday joys,” said an official source at the Chinese Embassy.

Why “Ne Zha” Isn’t Here (Yet)

Film buffs hoping for a screening of Ne Zha or Ne Zha 2, China’s record-shattering animated fantasy hits, will have to wait.

“We’re still pushing to bring them to Zimbabwe,” a source at the embassy revealed. “Hopefully, very soon.”

With the Ne Zha duo grossing $740 million worldwide, its absence is felt—but the festival’s current lineup still packs punch, purpose, and personality.

Festival Highlights

Programme Overview – 5 Aug 2025, Westgate Movies

14:30 Light Buffet
14:45 Introduction
15:00 Opening Remarks
15:30 Panda Plan Screening
17:20 YOLO Screening

Entry: Free, by invitation—but the embassy assured us that efforts are being made to accommodate as many as possible.

Did You Know?

China built the world’s first 8K ultra-HD cinema in 2021.
Jackie Chan is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, known for his animal protection work.
The word “kung fu” is actually a Chinese term for “mastery through effort”—not ”just martial arts.
China’s box office is forecast to overtake Hollywood by 2027.

What’s Next for Chinese Cinema in Africa?

With growing collaboration between African and Chinese filmmakers, film festivals like this could be just the beginning.

Zimbabwean creatives have much to offer—and gain—through co-productions, training exchanges, and stories that connect cultures. Imagine a Zimbabwean highland tale told in Kung Fu style. Or a Harare romance with Mandarin twists?

It has been said that culture bridges where politics stops. And film is one of our most powerful bridges.