A glimpse into Patricia de Lille, beyond politics
JOURNALIST turned documentarymaker, Yazeed Kamaldien, believes that while there will be a lot of news and news headlines concerning political parties and politicians, it’s the story behind the story that is more telling.
He recently launched his documentary Call Me Aunty Pat, featuring Patricia de Lille, which he hopes will be watched by many people as the May 29 election gets closer.
“I hope the numerous interviews in my documentary will provide a more in-depth perspective on politics.”
Kamaldien said he wanted to convey an engaging and interesting story while exploring De Lille’s strained relationship with the DA. It was critical to capture both sides of the story and present them to the audience, he said.
“I wanted to follow Patricia de Lille’s narrative since she has such a strong sense of determination. She conveys a captivating tale. There are numerous remarkable South Africans who have accomplished a wide range of feats.
“She is a politician who has really stood the test of time and has had such an interesting life. I wanted to know more about her and her career as a politician,” he said.
In his quest, Kamaldien dedicated significant time to shooting footage and conducting interviews with De Lille and individuals in her circle. In addition, to explore her rift with the DA, he reached out to Cape Town councillor and DA member JP Smith for an interview.
“My aim was to uncover the events leading to her departure from the party and track her journey to founding the GOOD Party. Attending several meetings of this new party provided insights into its internal workings,” he added.
Kamaldien wanted to give people some insight into De Lille the woman, beyond the politician.
“I also hope that they enjoy the film. There are some humorous moments and some serious talk. The main goal of a documentary film is to tell an interesting story, and I hope that’s what viewers get out of this film.
“Patricia is a very open person. What you see is usually what you get with her. But she is also a smart politician. A challenging aspect of making this film was trying to show who Patricia is beyond just being a politician. She spends a lot of her time devoted to her career as a politician, and that is what will come across in the film.”
The documentary also gives a glimpse into de Lille’s appeal to the ordinary person.
“Patricia really knows how to work with people. Everywhere she went, people would stop and greet her. Many people in Cape Town call her Aunty Pat. So that’s where I took the title of the film, Call Me Aunty Pat,” he said.
Kamaldien said it was amazing how De Lille had captured the public imagination. People wanted to greet her, and many were taking photos with her during the time they were filming. “She really is a people’s person. “But you have to be tough if you’re in politics. I’ve seen behind-the-scenes how in politics people can betray each other. I have also seen how for some people it’s just about a job, and for others, there is real passion to help make the country better.
“Making this film was so fascinating in that I could see what it looks like to work as a politician.
“I got to see what one of the country’s most popular politicians is like beyond the news headlines, and that was very interesting,” Kamaldien concluded.