- Music by Prudence
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Music by Prudence 
Directed by Roger Ross Williams Produced by Roger Ross Williams
Elinor Burkett
Patrick Wright (co-producer)Starring Prudence Mabhena
Tapiwa Nyengera
Energy Maburutse
Honest Mupatse
Marvelous Mbulo
Vusani Vuma
Goodwell Nzou
Farai MabhandeMusic by Music Producer/additional composition Ted Mason Cinematography Derek Wiesehahn (director of cinematography)
Errol Webber
Osato DixonEditing by Geeta Gandbhir (editor)
Patrick Wright (associate editor)Release date(s) April 2010 Running time 33 minutes Country United States Language English Music by Prudence is a 2010 short documentary film directed and produced by Roger Ross Williams. It tells the uplifting story of the now 24-year-old Zimbabwean singer-songwriter Prudence Mabhena, and follows her remarkable transcendence from a world of hatred and superstition into one of music, love, and possibilities.
Music by Prudence won the 2010 Academy Award for Best Documentary (Short Subject).
Music by Prudence premiered on HBO, on May 12, 2010.
Contents
Synopsis
Music by Prudence tells a self-empowering story of one young woman's struggle who, together with her band, overcomes seemingly insurmountable odds and, in her own voice conveys to the world that ‘disability does not mean inability.’
Zimbabwean singer-songwriter Prudence Mabhena was born severely disabled. The society she was born into considers disabilities to carry the taint of witchcraft.[1] Because of this, many disabled children are abandoned. But Prudence and the seven young members of the band she has formed called Liyana, all disabled, have managed to overcome stereotypes and inspire the same people that once saw them as a curse.
The main subjects of Music by Prudence, and members of the band "Liyana", are:
- Prudence Mabhena - singer and composer (suffers from arthrogryposis)
- Tapiwa Nyengera - back-up singer, keyboard, front man (has spina bifida)
- Energy Maburutse - first marimba player, back-up vocalist (suffers from osteogenesis imperfecta, brittle bone syndrome)
- Honest Mupatse - tenor marimba player (has hemophilia)
- Marvelous Mbulo - back-up singer (has muscular dystrophy)
- Vusani Vuma - bass marimba player (is hearing-impaired)
- Goodwell Nzou - traditional drums and percussion, back-up singer (leg amputated)
- Farai Mabhande - lead keyboardist (suffers from arthrogryposis)
Awards
On 7 March 2010, Music by Prudence won the 2009 Academy Award for Best Documentary (Short Subject).
Music by Prudence also won:
- the Audience Award for Best Documentary Short at the Florida Film Festival
- Best Short at the Africa World Documentary Film Festival
- Best Short at the DocuWest Film Festival.
See also
- Kanyegate
References
- ^ "Oscar nomination for ‘Music by Prudence’ about disabled Zimbabwean singer Prudence Mabhena". San Francisco BayView. 5 March 2010. http://www.sfbayview.com/2010/oscar-nomination-for-%E2%80%98music-by-prudence%E2%80%99-about-disabled-zimbabwean-singer-prudence-mabhena/. Retrieved 21 March 2010.
External links
- Music by Prudence at the Internet Movie Database
- Official website
- Official Liyana Website
- King George VI Centre and School for Children with Physical Disabilities
Academy Award for Documentary Short Subject (2001–2020) Thoth (2001) · Twin Towers (2002) · Chernobyl Heart (2003) · Mighty Times: The Children's March (2004) · A Note of Triumph: The Golden Age of Norman Corwin (2005) · The Blood of Yingzhou District (2006) · Freeheld (2007) · Smile Pinki (2008) · Music by Prudence (2009) · Strangers No More (2010)
Complete list · (1941–1960) · (1961–1980) · (1981–2000) · (2001–2020) Categories:- 2010 films
- American films
- English-language films
- Best Documentary Short Subject Academy Award winners
- Short documentary films
- American documentary films
- Films shot in Zimbabwe
- Documentary films about people with disabilities
- Documentary films about poverty
- 2010s documentary films
- Zimbabwean music
- Documentary films about singers
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