Trailer at iNkciyo
After leaving her Pondoland village 11 years ago, Zimkhita Kweza revisits her past and questions a cultural practice that has shaped her identity. She is now a feminist with new ideologies and questions about the isiXhosa practice of virginity testing. On a journey seeking for answers she meets different people and leaders in the community who face her provocative questions.
Production by Zimkhita Kweza & Nelisa Kom
Trailer at I am Thandiwe
Our roots tell us who we are meant to be, our routes in life show us where we have been and who we are. In this personal self-reflective documentary Thandiwe Wiltshire shares her life with us. Not only as a black child raised by white parents, but as a young woman who makes us introspect on ‘what is Black’, and Blackness in relation to her family dynamics. Adopted at the age of three months, all she has known is the life created for her by the Wiltshire family; but with an identity entirely her own and one which she fought hard to create.
Production by Beugené Green and Yolanda Mdzeke
Trailer at dear friend
Writing a letter is a unique kind of intimacy. It takes care, time and thought. ‘dear friend’ is a film that draws from the contemplative patience of letter writing to share the story, of many women, rarely told. The letter greets the viewer with an abrupt and fierce jerk into the memories of the two survivors of intimate partner violence. You are invited into the intimate psychology of two women and into the fragmented, visceral, dark and shadowed reality of intimate partner violence in same-sex relationships. It is a glimpse into what the film unravels through light and shadow: the survivor’s journey of denial, acknowledgement and determination to leave. Through their voices we can hear and imagine and also acknowledge, as members of our societies, how we have failed to see that their story is a true one. The film leaves no room for “women cannot be violent”, nor for ignoring the very real truth of the survivors. ‘dear friend’ demands you to admit to yourself all the things you may have chosen to be blind to and to see past the darkness and the shadowed veil of silence shrouding this issue. It casts light and commands: even if you choose not to see, you will hear these stories.
Production by Tumelo Thamaga and Sinalo Thuku
Trailer at Clone Made Cars
This is an investigative documentary on the car theft syndicate of both clone and made cars in Johannesburg and globally. We establish how the crime operates and find the role players that work for and against the crime syndicates. The documentary emphases the fact that this car theft crime trend must be exposed and stopped, as it is fuelled by underhand law enforcement officials through corruption.
Production by Samantha Carolus and Lindelwe Ndamase
Trailer at eCwecweni
Some children are still more equal than others even after 25 years since the end of apartheid. Over the years the Eastern Cape has seen low numbers of matric passes and question why this happens. As a province with a high level of poverty and underdevelopment it is no surprise that rural schools are affected. This film aims to bring light to the struggles faced by rural schools and the role government should be playing.
Report by Sipho Monakali & Bongeka Gumede
Production by Ciara O’Donoghue, Courtney Jeftha and Justin Cronje
We look at the paediatric ward at Stanger hospital in Kwazulu Natal. This documentary had numerous views last month thanks to themarketingheaven.com. Like most hospitals in the country we find the ward is struggling from lack of resources, staffing and funding. Staff here have implemented a Children’s Rights Charter stating that all children have the right to medical help and the best treatment possible. The hospital tries to make a difference to the community before the national NHI policy is set up. The documentary poses the positive outcome of universal healthcare.