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Gugu naGogo now streaming on ABC iview

When a lunar eclipse stops her late-night letter exchanges, 12-year-old astronomer Gugu must find a way to reconnect with her beloved Gogo (grandmother) who lives far away in Zimbabwe.

Gugu naGogo is a film by Taku Mbudzi, steaming now on ABC iview.

Cast: Bernadette Whata, Rufaro Ruvimbo Ndoro, Emily Chifadza, Annie Jones

Gugu naGogo Finalist: Production of the Year, 2023 Screen Well Awards

26 September 2023

Gugu naGogo Official Selection: 2023 Mill Valley Film Festival

12 September 2023

Vote for Gugu naGogo Main Cast and Composer in 2023 Zimbabwe Achiever Awards

11 September 2023

Tsvaga is a Screen and Audio Production Company

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What we’re passionate about

delivering uniquely-crafted story experiences to our communities and networks.

OWNERSHIP & AGENCY

We champion our storytellers having ownership of their stories, talents and cultures.

We encourage our creative collaborators to lead with agency within their respective fields and art forms.

CAPACITY-BUILDING & INNOVATION

We delight in helping our storytellers grow capacity to produce their best work. We are always discovering new ways to develop and harness our skills.

We encourage our creative collaborators to be as innovative as possible with their talents and gifts.

JOY-FILLED LEGACIES

We create and learn with a spirit of joy and hope, taking pride in what we create for ourselves and our communities.

We invite our storytellers and collaborators to re-imagine the creative legacies they plant within their respective industries and communities.

Current projects

GUGU NAGOGO
short film for ABC ME

Selected for The Kaleidoscope Project by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Screen Australia. Released November 2022 on ABC ME and ABC iview.
TWO WORDS WITH TAKU
podcast and events

In development based on the VANAMAI podcast, which celebrates the stories of African mothers in Australia.
TANAKA’S MIX
live action teen drama series

In development with support from The Australian Children’s Television Foundation.

Meet our Team

Taku Mbudzi

Company Director

Taku Mbudzi is a Zimbabwe-born writer, filmmaker, and podcaster who wields humour as a tool to amplify voices and foster self-expression, especially among children. With an impactful 17-year journey, Taku has shared her stories across schools, libraries, and youth organisations like Halogen Foundation Australia, Youthworx, Red Cross and the Youth Affairs Council of Western Australia.

In 2021, Taku was selected as one of four filmmakers across Australia for The Kaleidoscope Project, a joint Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and Screen Australia initiative, spotlighting the stories of children from communities underrepresented in mainstream media.

Taku’s debut film Gugu naGogo, available on ABC iview, explores intergenerational and cultural relationships and the struggles between daughter, mother, and grandmother, through the eyes of Gugu, a 12-year-old budding astronomer living in a small Australian town, far removed from Zimbabwe, where her Gogo lives.

Taku’s film earned her an Audience Award at the 2023 New York International Children’s Film Festival (NYICFF) and its profound impact led to its inclusion in NYICFF’s National North American Tour and Education Program, reaching young audiences across the United States of America. Gugu naGogo has also been selected for other film festivals including 2023 Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival, 2023 Mill Valley Film Festival and the Chicago International Children’s Film Festival.

Taku’s commitment to professional growth and screen industry enrichment is evident through her membership in organisations such as the Australian Writers Guild, Australian Directors Guild, and the Screen Producers Association. She actively serves as a Natalie Miller Fellowship Board Member, helping to advocate for women within the Australian film and screen sector.

Taku is also an experienced audio storyteller, producing four podcasts, with over 150 episodes, 50 guests and 60 hours of audio content. The popularity of her 2017 radio play JoYOLO led to a book publishing deal with Allen & Unwin, with her book forthcoming in 2024.

Beyond screen and audio platforms, Taku’s stories have earned her recognition on stage as a two-time State Finalist in the RAW Stand-up Comedy Competition at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, in both Western Australia (2015) and Victoria (2023). She is also an active participant in The Moth StorySLAM live events in Melbourne, based on New York’s global storytelling sensation, The Moth Radio Hour podcast. She recently performed at The National Theatre in St Kilda as a 2023 Finalist in The Moth’s Melbourne GrandSLAM Storytelling Championship.

When Taku’s not performing, writing or teaching, she discusses TV-making and storytelling on her award-winning podcast Two Words with Taku.

Connect with Taku on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/takumbudzi/

Tariro Mukando

Community Manager

Tariro Lisa Mukando is a Zimbabwean-Australian writer, journalist and social media consultant based in Sydney, Australia.

She has a passion for social justice, art and football. When she’s not learning French or devouring reality TV shows, she’s writing articles or giving clients social media advice.

Get in touch

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TSVAGA PTY LTD
ABN: 55 625 466 266

PO BOX 753
COBURG NORTH, VICTORIA 3084
AUSTRALIA

@tsvagaproductions