HOUSE ARREST

‘House Arrest Film Production’

THE BACKGRAOUND
According to World Health Organisation (WHO), almost 1 billion people worldwide are suffering from mental disorders right now. 1 in 4 people will be affected by a mental illness in their lifetime. Depression and anxiety went up by 25% after Covid-19 pandemic. 14.3% of deaths or approximately 8 million deaths are attributable to mental disorders. Apparently with such heinous statistics, mental health challenge has now become a calamitous pandemic.
Mental health challenge is indeed a global epidemic which is so mysterious to many people. The challenge has also been definitely exacerbated by the covid-19 pandemic which has incapacitated billions of people world over; especially vulnerable people’s livelihoods and ultimately their mental health has been badly affected. Hence the need to trigger a dialogue on such a difficult yet vital topic often referred or seen by numerous societies as a taboo or stigma.
In response, the Zimbabwean diasporan community based in Botswana who have also been directly or indirectly affected by some mental health challenges came together under the directorship of Bongani Moyo and Peter Mutanda to produce ‘House Arrest Film Production’. The cast members of the production are all untrained, so as the crew members are mostly untrained except of a few who are semi-skilled.

THE SYNOPSIS
House Arrest is a story set on the backdrop of Ganda family. Mr. Edmond Ganda is a recovering alcoholic, Soneni was Mr. Ganda’s wife, she committed suicide at the hands of Edmond’s abuse due to alcohol misuse. Chiedza is their daughter; she witnessed all her mother’s monstruous abuse and eventually her suicide at first hand. Now she bares all the burden of living with this trauma as it constantly replays in her psyche.
Chiedza’s mental health has deteriorated and she has been secretly living with some mental disorders for a very long time. Rosemary, Edmond’s new wife and Chiedza’s step mum has become the family’s pillar of endurance. Theresa is Edmond’s beloved sister; she is very handy, always available for resources and emotional support.
Chiedza has become reclusive; spending most of her time in her tiny secluded, messy and disorderly room. She has physically become a jail bird in her own place, a prisoner to herself taken hostage by her own brain. She is afraid of leaving her room so she devotes her time laying on her dirty old mattress conversing with the voices that she keeps hearing. Sometimes she spends her time writing and reciting poetry.
Chiedza sees everyone as a dangerous suspect; no-one is allowed to enter her space.
House Arrest is a film about the realities of mental health challenges that many people try to cope with in their daily lives. The mysteriousness of these disorders often goes unspoken of, being perceived as inexplicable taboo in most societies.
This is a story of perseverance and resilience; breaking down of bondages, unchaining of shackles to overcome overwhelming multifaceted maladies. The production is reinforced by complementary sequential and juxtaposing metaphorical audiovisual effects. Its main objective is to raise awareness about alcohol misuse and the increasing dangers of mental health challenges. On the other hand, it is about spreading hope to those who might be suffering from these challenges to seek professional help.

Written and Directed by Peter Mutanda

Running time: 52 minutes and 43 seconds