BY NATHAN GUMA
THE United States Embassy in Zimbabwe screened the action-adventure mystery film National Treasure, starring veteran actor Nicolas Cage, in celebration of the country’s 250th anniversary.
This comes at a time when the country is celebrating its semiquincentennial since its founding on July 4, 1776.
In Harare, the celebrations, which have been ongoing through the Freedom 250 campaign, were also marked by the screening of the film, which, although fictional, incorporates real historical figures, documents, events and landmarks from American history.
In the film, historian and treasure hunter Benjamin Gates, played by Cage, embarks on a high-stakes search for a legendary treasure believed to have been hidden by America’s Founding Fathers.
The story follows Gates, whose family has spent generations pursuing clues connected to a vast fortune said to have originated from ancient civilisations and later safeguarded by influential figures in American history.
While investigating a colonial-era mystery, Gates discovers evidence suggesting that the next clue is concealed within the United States’ most treasured historical document, the Declaration of Independence.
Faced with the threat of the document falling into the wrong hands, Gates takes the controversial step of stealing the Declaration before rival treasure seeker Ian Howe and his associates can gain access to it.
The move places Gates at the centre of a nationwide manhunt led by federal authorities, who view him as a criminal despite his claims that he is trying to protect the document.
Assisted by archivist Abigail Chase, played by Diane Kruger and technology expert Riley Poole, played by Justin Bartha, Gates follows a complex trail of coded messages, hidden symbols and historical references scattered across landmarks and artefacts.
The team races against time to decipher the clues while evading law enforcement and competing treasure hunters determined to reach the prize first.
Their investigation ultimately leads them beneath historic sites, where they uncover the long-lost treasure, consisting of gold and other valuables, confirming centuries-old legends while securing Gates’ reputation.
While the movie presents a fictional quest for a hidden fortune, much of the plot revolves around the Declaration of Independence, the document that proclaimed the American colonies’ separation from British rule in 1776.
US Ambassador to Zimbabwe Pamela Tremont said that while the movie itself is fictional, its theme is based on the Declaration of Independence being a treasure.
“As a result of this movie, in 2019, the U.S. National Archives, which houses the original Declaration of Independence, released a statement to clarify, no, there is not a treasure map on the back of the Declaration of Independence,” she said.
“But to Americans, the Declaration itself is a treasure. It set a course for an American experiment, championed self-determination for individuals and for our new nation, and it affirmed the inalienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
She said the movie reminds audiences that the United States was built on a bold idea: that people can govern themselves, truth matters, and documents such as the Declaration of Independence and, later, the Constitution can help shape the destiny of a nation.
“As we celebrate freedom to think, we are also celebrating freedom of speech, enshrined in our founding documents, which remain cornerstones of innovation, creativity, and economic growth. Open debate fuels new ideas. Transparency builds trust.”
She also said that societies that protect expression are better positioned to attract investment, empower entrepreneurs and unlock the potential of their citizens.
“Zimbabweans understand this well,” she said. “In the conversations we have with emerging and established voices in business, civil society, and the government, they reflect a shared commitment to building communities where ideas can flourish and where opportunity is within reach of everyone.”
