A magical tale of love, faith, hope

This month sees the international première of Angeliena on streaming service Netflix. Produced, written and directed by multi-award winning director Uga Carlini (Alison).

Angeliena, a formerly homeless car guard, runs her own parking lot at a local Cape Town hospital, where she is adored by patients and staff alike.

Over time she has brought her own special touch to the parking lot, planting shrubs and flowers to create a beautiful space beside the hospital.

Despite her humble station in life, Angeliena dreams of being able to travel the world. When she is diagnosed with a fatal disease, her closest friends and supporters rally around her and help her to put her lifelong dream into motion.

“I think that often we get too caught up in our own troubles and woes to see the bigger picture, to recognise what is really important in life,” says writer and director Uga Carlini.

“What makes Angeliena such a special character is that, despite having all the odds stacked against her, she is still able to spread love to those around her and even to believe that she can achieve the impossible. She is an inspiration to us all.”

The film’s theme song, Beauty of Africa, is performed by Refentse, our own Justin Bieber, who was discovered singing and playing the guitar on a Cape Town sidewalk. He is a multi-lingual artist, who woos audiences across musical genres – rock, boeremusiek, mbaqanga, reggae, techno, alternative, rock ‘n roll, and a good dose of rap in Afrikaans, English, Sesotho and Zulu.

“Refentse is one of the most exciting discoveries in South African music,” says Carlini.

“A massive talent who, in a very short time, has won a staunch and loyal following across cultures in South Africa. There was never a question in my mind about who I wanted to perform the theme song for the film.”