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Malawi premiere of Lazarus documentary

After a successful premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City, the documentary of Malawian musician, Lazarus Chigwandali will be screened in Lilongwe.

On June 14 fans will experience the astonishing life of Chigwandali, a person with albinism, who is using his music and his story to stop the murder and mutilation of persons with albinism.

Lazarus captured performing at Times Square in New York

The short documentary is being screened to raise funds for the Lazarus Project which seeks to provide safe housing for the artist and his family, according to one of the organisers, Adam Gaskins.

He said: “The screening is meant to achieve several goals, but the main objective is to continue to raise awareness to put a stop to the murder and mutilation of persons with albinism.

“The short documentary is being screened to raise funds to provide safe housing for Lazarus and his family, as well as a nationwide screening tour of the film to raise awareness for people with albinism.”

Standing Voice is an international NGO working in Malawi that creates programmes for the disempowered to speak back to their societies and reassert their presence and equality. Proceeds for Standing Voice Malawi will be directly used for health-related protection for persons with albinism—sunglasses, umbrellas, and hats. 

Gaskins added: “At Tribeca film festival last month, Lazarus was given the Disruptive Innovation Award for his work as an albinism activist, and the film will now look to compete at the Oscars. We are planning several other screening events; one in Blantyre, another at Cape Maclear, and hopefully a tour of screenings/performances that go throughout the entire country.”

The evening at the Orchid Restaurant will feature live performances from Lazarus, Blasto, Kuyenda Band, and Ishan.

“There will be additional performances by a host of talented artists on the date. It’s incredible that we were able to have so many high-level performers come out for the event, united in the cause,” he said.

Chigwandali on the other hand is excited that his documentary has come home.

“I would like many people to watch it so that in the end, people’s mindsets should change and start looking at us; people with albinism as equals. We all deserve to be alive and living freely in our own country,” he said.

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