Reme 2 was a game changer: Mbeure

SHARON Mbeure, the lead actress in the climate advocacy film “Reme 2 (Climate Justice),” has described the project as a profound and humbling experience that reshaped her entire approach to acting.

The movie, penned and directed by Chimanimani-based filmmaker Steve Ephraem and produced by Inclusive Global Media (IGM), tells a powerful story of tragedy and resilience.

In the film, Sharon portrays Reme, a 17-year-old girl whose life is shattered when her parents are killed by Tropical Cyclone Idai. Placing her hopes in her younger sibling, Fani, Reme suffers a second devastating blow when Fani also succumbs to injuries from the disaster.

Consumed by grief and a thirst for justice, Reme channels her anger into action, mobilising other young people to form a climate action group. In a pivotal scene, she confronts a local authority, Cheyameni, urging her to support their cause by banning the destructive charcoal trade and promoting tree planting.

However, Cheyameni, who is complicit in the very trade destroying the environment, dispatches her secretary, Senda, who was Reme’s own uncle, to silence the activists. The situation escalates tragically when Senda kills his niece, an act that goes far beyond Cheyameni’s intentions.

Reme’s death, however, is not in vain. It becomes a catalyst for the movement, inspiring a former sceptic within the group, Richie, to take up her mantle and lead the young voices in their unwavering pursuit of climate justice.

Reflecting on her involvement, Sharon revealed that the film was a “game changer” in her life.

“I have been doing performing arts since primary school, especially acting and Ndau poetry,” she said.

She recalled the moment the director, Steve Ephraem, and his assistant, Gerald Mucheto, visited her home in Mbeure to hear her recite a Ndau language voiceover for the film’s opening which Steve had prepared for her.

“I was overconfident. I rushed to memorise the verses. In no time, I told them that I was ready to recite the poem. They let me do it my way. I was surprised when they didn’t clap for me as I was expecting.”

The director’s response was a turning point.

“Mr Ephraem gave me a bottle of mineral water to drink and asked me to be calm. He went further to ask me not to be overconfident. This surprised me because it was my first time hearing such a comment.”

She admits that this moment fundamentally changed her perspective on her craft.

“All the time, I thought that talking with speed and trying to make people laugh was the in-thing on stage, regardless of how sad the message I was giving was. They capacitated me on how to express myself according to the tempo of what I was saying,” she added.

This early training gave her a unique confidence when filming began.

“When we finally went for the filming camping and met other actors and actresses, I became a ‘junior director’ in my own right. I had already received some training in advance. The production was a game changer in my life,” she concluded.

With this transformative experience behind her, Sharon Mbeure is now preparing to step back into the spotlight as the lead actress in “Reme 3 (Charcoal Menace),” which is slated for production in December 2025. She will be supported by a returning cast from the second film, including Ashley Myambo, Clive Murindwa, Mildred Myambo, and Deluxe Ephraem.