E Cape flying high in film industry
Bhisho actor in upcoming US blockbuster and Mdantsane director’s boxing thriller picked up by M-Net
Two Eastern Cape-born film creatives are advancing the province’s name as they set about conquering the national and global film industry.
Bhisho’s Sisanda Henna was successfully cast to feature in an upcoming Hollywood blockbuster called Rogue, while Mdantsaneborn Jahmil Qubeka’s boxing thriller, Knuckle City, will be included in M-Net’s Sunday night movies programme.
The announcement was made by Yolisa Phahle, CEO of general entertainment at the MultiChoice Group (MCG) and M-Net CEO Nkateko Mabaso at the second annual MCG media showcase held in Johannesburg this week.
Attended by media professionals from across the group’s 50 African markets, the showcase was an opportunity for the company to share highlights from the past year, and reveal details about the exciting content and tech developments on the cards for 2020.
Henna was featured on the original M-Net drama series Trackers, which is an adaptation of Deon Meyer’s 2011 crime novel of the same name.
Phahle said the drama series had been a milestone for MutliChoice and “the first of many co-productions ” .
Henna played the role of Nkunzi in the sixepisode series.
Now, Henna will feature in international film, Rogue, which is an action thriller directed by MJ Bassett.
The film follows the story of an extraction mission that opens up a Pandora’s Box of global politics and the underbelly of the illegal animal trade.
The film will also feature SA actor and producer Greg Kriek.
“Adding to our list of international partnerships, we have just finished shooting Rogue, the new thrilling, action-packed movie featuring our very own Sisanda Henna and Megan Fox. This represents a true co-production that combines the expertise and talent of Hollywood and our own local talent and crew, elevating our content production to the global scene.
“As much as we bring the best international content to Africa, we don’t underplay the importance of our investment in local content, which is our key differentiator,” Phahle said.
Mabaso announced that Qubeka’s boxing thriller would be included in the Sunday blockbuster M-Net movie programme in 2020.
The film also premiered at the Joburg Film Festival this week, which ran parallel to the MCG Media Showcase.
Qubeka’s film was screened at the SterKinekor Cinema at the Nelson Mandela Square.
The film explores the psychological journey of Dudu Nyakama, a down-and-out, ageing boxer from Mdantsane, who struggles to obtain the one fight he believes will uplift his fractured family.
The film features a local and national cast and producers said 80% of the cast was local.
Knuckle City was also selected to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September and is the official SA film submission for the Oscars in 2020.
“M-Net’s exciting movie line-up for next year includes local dramas such as Knuckle
City and Fiela se Kind.
“We at M-Net have the best jobs in the world because we get to travel the world, and buy the best international content from the biggest studios such as CBS, Warner, Sony and Disney, just to name a few.
“We also get to create about really compelling local content, working with the best creatives in the industry across the continent,” Mabaso said.
DStv viewers and Showmax subscribers can look forward to these films in 2020.
GUGU PHANDLE gugup@dispatch.co.za