Eastern Cape films make the cut after successful premiere

Selling her King William’s Town guesthouse to start a film production company has paid off for Linda Hlongwane, whose two films have been nominated for the prestigious SA Independent Film & Television Awards.

Ubukhosi and Thuthula, by LG Films, were nominated for the awards after a successful premiere at the National Arts Festival in Makhanda earlier in 2019.

Hlongwane said she was inspired to start a production company that would focus on youth development in the Eastern Cape film industry.

She said she was tired of seeing talented young people head to big cities only to be disappointed by the industry after having worked hard.

She wanted to create a homegrown platform to give artists the confidence to pursue and succeed in their craft in their home province, she said.

Since LG Films’ inception in 2016, Hlongwane said she had conducted auditions for each film, spotting talent around the province and educating the cast on the background story of each film before production.

“Our main focus is to educate on the rich Xhosa heritage and culture, and help the youth nurture their talents.

“After my sister, who is a talented creative, was arrested in Brazil for drug trafficking, knowing well it was an act out of character, I knew she had acted out of desperation.

“I don’t want young people to have to resort to such [actions] to gain access to money.

“That was also a driving force in starting LG Films.

“We hope to create a longlasting, sustainable platform for our youth to flourish in the creative industry,” Hlongwane said.

Hlongwane works alongside historian and writer Zanemali Bani, the key contributor in assuring the accuracy of Xhosa history in the films.

Bani also has a history of drama and acting.

She said one of the production house’s biggest challenges was sourcing camera equipment in the province.

“LG Films is relatively new to the industry and with that comes a few challenges.

“We are able to train our actors and directors and take them on location tours to gain insight into the stories they are going to relay.

“However, we have seen a challenge in getting camera equipment.

“Most of the time we have to hire the equipment, which can be costly,” she said.

On December 16, the production house will venture into a new documentary project in Peddie.

Hlongwane said: “We have been fortunate enough to keep our hands busy this year.

“This shows the growth of our students and the production house as a whole.

“Our aim is to make sure our homegrown talent remains in the province.”