Maona is an organisation founded by Tatenda Jamera, a filmmaker and curator, in response to the lack of authentic stories being exhibited on the big screen. The name "Maona," meaning "you have seen" in the Shona language from Zimbabwe, reflects the organization's passion for allowing others to see and experience stories through film and art. Over the last 4 years, we have worked with cinemas like Hyde Park Picture House in Leeds, The Garden Cinema in London, Sheffield Showroom in Sheffield, Ultimate Picture Palace in Oxford and Midlands Arts Centre in Birmingham.
Tatenda is a board member of the Ultimate Picture Palace based in Oxford and part of the steering group which is currently in the process of developing plans to enhance the experience of the 100-year-old single screen cinema. He is also a trustee of Cinema For All, which focuses on enhancing and creating community screenings in regions across the UK through making films and equipment accessible for communities. He has also participated in the Barbican emerging curators programme and the BFI innovation lab for curators. Most recently he has completed the prestigious Art House Cinema Training 2024 by CICAE in Berlin, Germany. As an active member of the Cinema Theatre Association, he also has a passion of saving cinemas within communities and making sure that they thrive for more generations to come providing that cultural experience that is pivotal and significant within communities.
For two years, Maona Art had been working with Kinokulture which was the only cinema in Oswestry town before its closure in 2024. Preceding this Maona Art has stepped in with a vision to continue to offer the community of Oswestry a wide selection of films on a regular basis. With no other cinema close by, this is an important step for Maona to continue to be able to serve the community of Oswestry and its surroundings, giving that much needed cinema experience that the town longs for.
