Dumisani Mbebe( left) and Thapelo Mokoena
Nkanyiso in the film. Explaining what his character is like, he says:“ Nkanyiso is one of the two brothers in the story whose family runs the game reserve.
“ He is a complete gentleman, unlike his brother, Njabulo, who is very irresponsible. Nkanyiso is a young man who runs a publishing company who is also stuck with his gold-digging girlfriend at the beginning of the movie.
“ He’ s a people pleaser and has spent his entire life trying to please his father above all else. But he’ s a hardworking, sweet man and you will begin to see his dynamic relationship with everyone else as the movie unfolds.”
In terms of the shooting of the film, the actor says:“ It was shot in KZN and depicts a beautiful location in the province.
“ It’ s a combination of raw unused talent and good money thrown at this sector which gives it a nice unique feel and KZN touch.
“ And I would like it to be known that I’ m not just an actor, I’ m a film producer and I distribute films so I see a big potential in what KZN has to offer as a province and in terms of talent. My next step is to build a KZN film home that puts out local soapies, genres, programmes, sitcoms and so on. The first step is realising all that and seeing that it’ s possible.”
For Mokoena, it was great working with the cast and building relationships. He continues:“ I just finished working with the same director on a feature film and I literally had a break for a week until I began working on this project.
“ So he mentioned he had a film on the cards and he thought I would be good for it. It was a great journey of professional relationships. There’ s a lot of talented people on this production.
“ Also, we’ re making movies so it’ s great to see the actors step out of their TV and drama world and actually make movies. That’ s what it’ s all about.”
The film hits screens throughout Africa early next year and there is also talk about pushing it to be screened overseas.
So what can people expect from Ithala – The Reunion? According to Mokoena,“ There’ s a fresh cast ensemble and dynamic characters who you will be able to relate to with a lot of humour. It’ s a proudly South African film and you will also get to see young talented actors and actresses and film-makers making a film that can be compared to films in any other part of the world.”.
Bitter-sweet memories of Sophiatown revisited by ZOË MAHOPO source SOWETAN
Lovingly known as Sof’ town, Sophia or Kofifi, Sophiatown was the canvas on which the vibrant picture of jazz, gangsters and pin-up girls was to be painted.
As the Joburg suburb turns 100 this year, the Kofifi Theatre Company has revived the 1980s play Sophiatown that was originally devised by the Junction Avenue Theatre Company.
Cast member Kessington Moolman says the play has helped him to see beyond the romanticised smokescreen of Sophia as only the land of good times.
“ Sophiatown was not only about glamour. There were
60 | WGSA MAG June 2013