WHEN JACARANDAS BLOOM: Zambia and China Find Common Ground Through Cinema

National Association of Media Arts Celebrates a New Chapter in Zambia, China Cultural Collaboration

LUSAKA, ZAMBIA: A remarkable new chapter in Zambia’s growing creative and cultural relationship with China is taking shape through cinema, as multi award winning Zambian filmmaker Paul S. Wilo prepares to direct When Jacarandas Bloom, a feature film adaptation of the acclaimed Chinese novel The Lucky Man Bar, written by author Yuan Haiting.

The ambitious project brings together Chinese literature, Zambian filmmaking and a shared passion for storytelling, creating an exciting platform through which two cultures can meet, exchange ideas and discover common ground.

For the National Association of Media Arts, NAMA, the project represents exactly the kind of international creative collaboration that can strengthen Zambia’s position within the global film and television landscape.

At its heart, When Jacarandas Bloom is a story about people.

It explores human connection, friendship, love, cultural differences, personal struggles and loss, while demonstrating how storytelling can transcend borders, languages, nationalities and cultural backgrounds.

A Story That Connects Two Worlds

The film follows Urkha, a Chinese professional working in Kafue, Zambia, whose life takes an unexpected turn when he encounters Elena, a spirited young Zambian art student who helps her father at The Lucky Man Bar.

Their meeting begins an unlikely friendship that gradually draws them into each other’s worlds.

As Urkha becomes closer to Elena, he discovers that beneath her energetic and carefree personality lies a complicated world of relationships, personal struggles and painful secrets.

Their journey becomes an exploration of two people from very different backgrounds discovering that, despite their cultural differences, they may have far more in common than they initially imagined.

That universal message gives When Jacarandas Bloom the potential to resonate far beyond Zambia and China.

It is ultimately a story about humanity.

From Chinese Literature to a Zambian Screen

The origins of the project are equally remarkable.

Author Yuan Haiting, born in Henan Province, China, in 1986, has built a professional and creative life shaped by international experiences.

A graduate of Henan University of Technology, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, Yuan began his professional career in 2010 and has worked across Nepal, Zambia and Lesotho in various capacities, including translator, interpreter, Human Resource Manager and Deputy Project Manager.

His professional experiences have also informed his creative writing.

Yuan's literary work focuses strongly on transnational experiences, cross cultural observation, intercultural adaptation and cultural integration.

He has authored six solo works and one collaborative publication.

His debut novel, The Lucky Man Bar, is particularly significant because of its connection to Zambia and the wider China, Africa relationship.

Written in English by a Chinese author, the novel explores experiences connecting Nepal and Zambia. It was edited by Zambians, published by the University of Zambia Press, UNZA Press, and launched at the Confucius Institute of the University of Zambia.

The journey of the book itself demonstrates the power of cultural exchange.

Now, through When Jacarandas Bloom, that literary relationship is moving from the printed page to the screen.

A Film Led by Zambian Talent

At the centre of this cinematic journey is Paul S. Wilo, one of Zambia’s accomplished filmmakers and the 2025 Ngoma Award winner for Best Director of the Year.

Wilo brings extensive creative and international experience to the project.

His filmography includes acclaimed productions such as Maria Kristu: The Buumba Story, Service to Heart, The Special Patient and Spirit of Yambezi, among others.

His television credits include Mpali Season 7, while his current creative work can be seen on Milly Revealed, where he serves as both writer and director.

His experience extends beyond production.

Wilo has participated in and served as a juror at several international film platforms, establishing relationships with filmmakers, programmers and industry professionals across Africa and beyond.

His international engagements include the Luxor African Film Festival in Egypt, Lagos International Film Festival in Nigeria, Universal Awards in Uganda and the Zambia Short Film Festival, among others.

His films have also received recognition through prestigious international platforms, including FESPACO, the Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou, Durban International Film Festival, Carthage Film Festival, Mashariki International Film Festival, Vues d’Afrique in Canada, CaribbeanTales International Film Festival and the Silicon Valley African Film Festival in California.

That experience provides an important foundation for translating The Lucky Man Bar into a cinematic experience capable of reaching international audiences.

More Than a Film

When Jacarandas Bloom arrives at an important moment for Zambia’s creative industry.

The country is increasingly seeking opportunities to position its filmmakers, actors, writers, technicians, locations and stories within international markets.

International co productions such as this can create opportunities far beyond the film itself.

They can facilitate knowledge exchange.

They can expose local creatives to international production practices.

They can create employment.

They can promote Zambian locations.

They can showcase Zambian culture.

They can strengthen professional networks.

And they can open doors for future collaborations.

For Zambia, the project also offers an opportunity to present the country's landscapes, communities and cultural richness to audiences who may otherwise have limited exposure to the country.

Cinema as a Cultural Bridge

One of the most exciting aspects of When Jacarandas Bloom is the philosophy behind the adaptation.

For Yuan Haiting, the project represents more than transforming his novel into a feature film.

It is an opportunity to demonstrate what can happen when people move beyond the barriers created by nationality, race and cultural differences.

The film's central message is therefore particularly timely.

Cinema has always possessed the ability to make distant cultures feel familiar.

A story can allow an audience in Lusaka to understand the emotions of someone living thousands of kilometres away.

It can allow an audience in Beijing, Shanghai or Henan to experience Zambia through the eyes of its people.

That is the extraordinary power of film.

A New Opportunity for Zambia's Creative Economy

The production could also contribute to the continued development of Zambia's creative economy.

A feature film of this nature requires actors, cinematographers, production designers, editors, sound professionals, costume designers, makeup artists, location managers, production assistants and numerous other specialists.

It creates an ecosystem of opportunities.

For emerging Zambian filmmakers, international collaborations can provide valuable exposure and professional development.

For established practitioners, they create opportunities to build relationships and participate in productions with international partners.

For the wider economy, film production can generate activity across accommodation, transport, catering, tourism, locations, equipment rental and other services.

This is why projects such as When Jacarandas Bloom should be viewed not only as artistic ventures, but also as potential contributors to Zambia's broader creative economy.

NAMA Welcomes the Collaboration

The National Association of Media Arts, NAMA, welcomes the collaboration between Yuan Haiting and Paul S. Wilo and celebrates the possibilities it represents for Zambia's creative sector.

NAMA believes that the future of African cinema will increasingly be shaped by partnerships that allow filmmakers to cross borders, share knowledge and develop stories that speak to audiences across different cultures.

When Jacarandas Bloom embodies that vision.

It brings together Chinese literature, Zambian creative talent and an international outlook while placing human connection at the centre of the story.

NAMA therefore encourages stakeholders across the creative, cultural, tourism and private sectors to recognise the potential of the project and consider ways of supporting its successful realisation.

An Invitation to Stakeholders

As the project moves towards production, the filmmakers are inviting partners to come on board.

These include arts institutions, the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts, the Ministry of Tourism, corporate organisations, location partners, private investors and other stakeholders who believe in the potential of using cinema to strengthen cultural and economic relationships.

Supporting the production is an investment not only in a film, but potentially in a wider cultural exchange between Zambia and China.

It is an opportunity to help tell a Zambian story through an international collaboration.

It is an opportunity to create work for Zambian creatives.

It is an opportunity to showcase Zambia.

And it is an opportunity to demonstrate that Zambia's creative industry is ready to participate meaningfully in international co production.

When Jacarandas Bloom

The title itself offers a beautiful metaphor for the project.

Jacarandas are deeply familiar within the Zambian landscape, particularly when their purple blooms transform streets and cities into spectacular scenes of colour.

In When Jacarandas Bloom, that image can become a symbol of connection, renewal and the meeting of different worlds.

A Chinese novel.

A Zambian director.

Zambian locations.

International collaboration.

Two cultures.

One story.

And a shared belief that humanity has more in common than what divides it.

The journey from The Lucky Man Bar to When Jacarandas Bloom is therefore much more than an adaptation from page to screen.

It is a journey from literature to cinema, from one culture to another, and from individual storytelling to international creative collaboration.

For Zambia, it is a moment worth celebrating.

For China, it represents another opportunity to engage with Africa through culture and creativity.

And for the creative industries of both countries, it could become the beginning of something much bigger.

When Jacarandas Bloom may ultimately be more than a film.

It could be a bridge.

A bridge between storytellers.

A bridge between cultures.

A bridge between creative industries.

And, most importantly, a bridge between people.

The National Association of Media Arts, NAMA, celebrates this new chapter between Zambia and China and looks forward to seeing cinema create new opportunities for collaboration, understanding and shared creative expression.

Sometimes, the most powerful diplomatic language is not spoken.

Sometimes, it is filmed.