Movie-maker whose hopes and dreams lie in Verulam

Director Judy Naidoo is reliving her childhood, writes

THERE is a very good reason why award-winning international film director Judy Naidoo chose the colourful back streets of Verulam in Kwazulu-natal’s sugar cane country for her latest film, Kings of Mulberry Street. She was born there and knows the area and its mainly Indian community like the back of her hand.

“For me, making this film has been like reliving my own childhood,” says Naidoo, who is back in South Africa to put the final tweaks in place. “The movies were my passion, even though my family could only afford to go a few times a year.”

The film is due for general release in South Africa in June next year.

“On that day I will be pinching myself,” Naidoo says. “When you have held a dream in your heart for so long, it’s difficult to imagine that one day it will become a reality.”

Set in the early 1980s, the film tells the story of two young Indian boys who have to find a way to overcome their differences and unite to defeat the bullying local crime lord who is threatening their families.

“I suppose you could describe it as the universal story of good over bad,” she explains. The things that inspired me to write this story in the first place haven’t changed one bit. There are still chickens running around the potholed streets, washing is still hanging in the sun, old, broken-down cars are still there. The air is filled with the tangy aromas of spice and curry and everywhere are the sounds of Bollywood. There’s good folk and gangsters living side by side. There’s gossip and intrigue. As a film-maker, what more could you ask for?”

However, there is quite a lot more to her mission than simply capturing a unique slice of South African life.

“Film directing takes me all over the world, so I’m never in one place for very long, but KZN has many wonderful and rich stories to tell, and a great climate, which makes film-makers’ lives a lot easier. This is definitely a country for a new breed of film-makers. The potential is huge.”

Taking that debate a step further, Naidoo believes it could be a time to explore the idea of tourism based on the emerging local film industry. “With more and more films being set in the province and the awareness of what KZN has to offer, numbers of visitors will also grow. I’ll certainly be doing my bit to promote the film tourism idea.”

With the admin side nearly complete, Naidoo offered a short sneak preview of Kings of Mulberry Street, billed as “a little film with big heart” set in the fictional sugar canegrowing area called Sugarhill.

The footage showed a battered yellow jalopy bumping its way down the street, filled with suspiciouslooking characters. Two small children watch the car’s progress from a nearby rooftop. Thereafter things happen quickly…

The child actors starring in the main roles are 12-year-old Aaqil Hoosen, a Grade 6 learner from Dianthus Primary, and 8-year-old Shaan Naidoo from Crawford College, who happily fitted the required 9-year-old look.

“We were looking for children who were confident, but not pushy, had a natural acting ability and were able to dance. They also needed to be able to read fluently, learn their lines and keep up with school work. I agree, not an easy ask, but I think we found the perfect pair.”

In the film, Aaqil plays Ticky, a wiry rascal who gets up to mischief at the drop of a hat. His buddy across the road in Mulberry Street is the more serious bookworm Baboo, played by Shaan.

Naidoo explains the origins of the film.

“It’s based on something I wrote while a Master’s degree student at the National Film and Television School in the UK. The subject of a close-knit community with all its ups and downs was very close to my heart, but getting companies to support my idea was a different story. Female film directors historically have a tough time in this field. It is something we would like to see change.”

Naidoo’s debut feature, Hatchet Hour (2016), won several awards, including Best Director and Best Picture at the New Hope Film Festival in Pennsylvania, as well as the Best Foreign Film Award at the LA Femme International Film Festival. The film was also nominated for a Golden Horn Award for Best Achievement in Cinematography.

But the cameras don’t stop rolling there. “I have many ideas up my sleeve,” she says with a quick smile. “But more of that later…”

Film directing takes me all over the world… but KZN has many wonderful and rich stories to tell

Judy Naidoo