Grassroots to Greatness
Female Rights | Gender Equality | Sports
Set in rural Malawi, Grassroots to Greatness captures how politics and women's football intertwine at a critical crossroads of change.
The film follows a local politician and three young female footballers as they pursue pathways out of poverty. It examines what it takes to challenge traditions and transform deeply rooted beliefs and behaviours.
DETAILS
Filming Location
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Malawi
Production status
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In development
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Exp. Completion: Dec 2026
Co-Producer
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Kwacha Creative Studios (MW)
Team
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Director: Dirk Zekveld
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Producer: Evelyn Masasa
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Camera: Tavwana Chirwa & Stanley Chinganyama
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Sound: Jonathan Tembo
Director & Producer Statement
Grassroots to Greatness
Festival Calender
Grassroots to Greatness Development Reel is touring three continents
Film Festival Malawi
18 December, 2025
Lilongwe, Malawi
Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival
5 - 18 March, 2026
Thessaloniki, Greece
Ghent Viewpoint Documentary Film Festival
14 - 20 April, 2026
Gent, Belgium
Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF)
31 May - 3 June, 2026
Seattle, USA
Durban International Film Festival (DIFF)
14 - 21 July, 2026
Durban, South Africa
Accra Indie Filmfest (AiF)
3 August, 2026
Accra, Ghana
All African Independent Film Festival (AAIFF)
9 - 11 October, 2026
Kigali, Rwanda
Africa International Film Festival
& Content Market (AFRIFF)
2 - 8 November, 2026
Lagos, Nigeria
Film Festival Malawi
15 - 8 March, 2026
Columbia, Missouri, USA
Africa Human Rights Film Festival
12 April, 2026
Pretoria & Johannesburg, South Africa
Zomba City Festival
1 - 3 May, 2026
Zomba, Malawi
Encounters South African International Documentary Festival
4 - 14 June, 2026
Cape Town & Johannesburg, South Africa
Mpumalanga International Film Festival
31 July - 3 August, 2026
Mbombela (Nelspruit), South Africa
Locarno Film Festival & Industry
5 - 15 August, 2026
Locarno, Switzerland
YORA International Film Awards
12 - 18 October, 2026
Kilifi, Kenya
Updates
February 2025
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Research phase kicks off
April 2025
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Principal photography starts
October 2025
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Milestone: 10th shooting day completed
November 2025
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Edit of Development Reel completed
December 2025
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First public screening of Development Reel
January 2026
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Co-Production Agreement Signed
