Two SA movies wrap up production in city
TWO MAJOR South African films have recently wrapped up production in Durban with support from eThekwini Municipality’s Durban Film Office and the KZN Film Commission.
The comedy, Keeping up With the Kandasamys, is directed by Jayan Moodley ( White Gold), produced by Durban film-maker Junaid Ahmed and Helena Spring (hot on the heels of their latest success Happiness is a Four Letter Word), and is described as a “love letter to Chatsworth”.
Filmed on location, it stars Jailoshini Naidoo and Maeshni Naicker as the matriarchal rivals of neighbouring families, whose young adult children become romantically involved. Despite efforts to keep them apart, with hilarious results, they are forced to acknowledge that in the end “love will always prevail”.
“It has been amazing working in the heart of Chatsworth with all its quirks and idiosyncrasies and fascinating people,” says Ahmed. “We are really grateful for the support from the Film Office and the Film Commission to ensure this film gets made in its true-to-life location.”
“It’s like coming home,” says Moodley, also Durban-based. “Within the very serious job of making a movie, I have fallen in love all over again with this vibrant, lively, spirited place. We have had great fun working with a mostly Durban/KZNbased cast and crew.
“We look forward to seeing our end product capturing the imagination of this entire community, and all those beyond who understand the humour that exists within a quirky world like Chatsworth.”
Keeping up with the Kandasamys is set for nationwide cinema release in March.
The other film, 28 is a gritty exposé of life inside a South African prison, by award-winning director Khalo Matabane ( State of Violence, Conversations on a Sunday Afternoon and Nelson Mandela: The Myth and Me) and produced by Carolyn Carew and Tsholo Mashile ( Sobukwe: A Great Soul, When We Were Black), with executive producers VideoVision Entertainment.
The film, inspired by Jonny Steinberg’s award-winning non-fiction novel, The Number, with big screen adaptation by Paul Ian Johnson, reveals the origins of the fearsome numbers gangs that operate in prisons throughout the country. It features Mothusi Magano and is supported by Warren Masemola, Sihle Xaba, Presley Chwenegyagae, Lemogang Tsipa, Kevin Smith, Deon Lotz and Gcina Mhlophe.
“It was a great experience to work in Durban, a city I have wanted to make a film in for a long time. The potential to create Durban as the next big production centre is enormous: it has wonderful locations, actors and crew,” says Carew.
Inmates
“We were particularly pleased to have Magadien Wentzel, the protagonist in the book, act as a consultant, and to work with 35 former inmates from Durban who were cast as extras. Their input was integral to the film in terms of it’s authenticity and messaging. They were ably supported by a great crew from the city, KZN, and other parts of South Africa.”
“Making a film about prison life in South Africa was always going to be a challenge, so we were really thrilled to have the support of the Film Office and the Film Commission in making it happen,” says Matabane.
“It has been a truly stimulating and highly creative process for me as the director, all made possible by having a solid foundation from a production perspective providing us the artistic space in which to make the film.”
“We were pleased to provide support for both of these films to be produced in the city. They have enormous potential within different markets, so will cast their nets wide in terms of distribution. These films have provided invaluable experience for cast and crew in the city, as we continue to grow the possibilities for the film industry here.” says Toni Monty, head of the Durban Film Office.
Chief executive of the KZN Film Commission, Carol Coetzee says: “We have unbelievable locations in this province that are under-utilised by the film industry, and this is largely due to the focus on other centres as film hubs. So we are delighted that through the support of these two films, we were able to bring productions into the fold to demonstrate the ever-evolving potential the province has for the creation of film.” – Staff Reporter