Bhamshela is a town with a unique story: everyone who lives there drives the same car. This film delves into the rolling, green hills of KwaZulu-Natal in an attempt to uncover the mystery of the Toyota Cressida and its connection with Bhamshela. Along the way, we meet a few charismatic Cressida owners who have esoteric opinions on what makes the car special and why it is the only car driven in Bhamshela.
Production by Tess Miles
Music video ‘Sho Ta’ is dedicated to the modern day gentleman. The man who goes out and gets things done In an age where the name of a man has been vilified, in the social sense.
The artist of the song, Langa aka Illy Jou Moer wanted to write a song about the man he aspires to be. To him the sky is the limit and anything is possible as long as he puts his mind to it. Here is a quote from the song, “you don’t have to like it, but at least admit I killed it”
Production by Abner Accom
Take a look at ‘Our Albertinia’, a short film about a coloured family in the South African Klein Karoo during the last years of apartheid. With a father away as part of the Struggle, Inge Abrahams and her mother have a struggle of their own back at the family farm. This interview with writer and director Chantel Clark goes into the historical context and inspiration of the film.
Production by Daniel Tucker
With the word Atelier meaning an “artist’s workshop”, this piece follows the journey of how the founders of the first black-owned MCC sparkling wine, Kamogelo Kgadima and Tebello ‘Tibz’ Motsoane, are breaking the mould and re-defining history as young black entrepreneurs.
Production by Thingo Mthombeni
Human” is a film about Jeff and Sarah who meet at a party which they both want to forget. Sarah works out to try to feel powerful, while Jeff tries to continue to be a dedicated student. The more they try to push the memories away the more the memories knock them back. They have very different recollections of what happened when the party ended.
The title of the film, Human is there to remind one of that the perpetrator is not a faceless monster, but a person. The film plays around with the notion of alternate realities to the extent that both the characters are the perpetrator and the victim.
Production by Catharina Andersen
Production by Thingo Mthombeni & Catharina Andersen
Young South Africans navigate a predominantly Western world that does not give much room for traditional African practices. We follow Thingo Mthombeni’s spiritual journey. In this film we see how she tries to discover who she is as young black woman in a predominantly colonised society. Thingo immerses herself in various spaces looking to see how she can reconcile her African and Western identity where the personal is political, and the spiritual is also political. Will she be brave enough to embrace and understand both, or will she accept the story that African practices are ‘demonic, inferior and savage’
Production by Collette Prince & Tess Miles
Collette Prince and Tess Miles attempt to confront a right wing Afrikaans group who are creating a whites only enclave called, Die Eden Projek. Leader Jaqui Gradwell started his project at Willowmore in the Eastern Cape. Grappling their fears of racism, and physical danger, Collette and Tess find unexpected truths about the leader and the project and the irony of living in a democratic South Africa where racism continues to thrive.
In the end, Collette and Tess don’t fulfill their intended mission to confront this group, but instead are left with more questions then they started with. The Eden exposes the rhetoric of manipulating people with their fears to get what you want in democratic South Africa.
Production by Abner Accom & Daniel Tucker
We embark with chokka (squid) fishermen from Port Elizabeth on their first fishing trip of the winter 2017 fishing season. Faced with serious environmental pressures and only working on commission they each have to catch enough of the elusive squid on this trip to support their families for the off-season. Each trip is a competitive gamble for their livelihoods. We meet Abel Goliath and Vakele Jams Maxwele and the crew of the Jamie Jay as they head out to sea with big hopes for the trip to encounter all kinds of trials and challenges.
ELSA Moot Court Competition is a simulation of the world trade organization (WTO) dispute settlement system. The European Law Students Association (ELSA), held a Moot Court competition in the African region at Rhodes University in March 2017. It is here that the winning teams of the African regional round had the opportunity to advance to Geneva, Switzerland to compete against other winning teams from around the world.
Report by : Abner Accom, Catharina Andersen, Tess Miles, Thingo Mthombeni, Collette Prince & Dan Tucker
A heartfelt film about a young learner from the Gadra Matric School who is trying to improve her marks. Shulamite Mswela tells how she moved from her hometown in Port Alfred to Grahamstown, in the hopes of being the first scientist in her family. With the guidance from distinguished professor Dr Shivani Mishra from the University of South Africa, Shulamite learns that the academic journey is not that easy. Dr Mishra allows the viewer to see how human she truly is, as she voices her failures and upheavals. Like Shulamite, Dr Mishra had to assimilate into a new environment and make sacrifices. She has achieved countless accolades, whilst learning from her failures and never giving up. Shulamite and Dr Mishra’s paths meet and they share their stories of overcoming failure and perseverance.
Production by Daniel Tucker & Collette Prince
A short film about integrating indigenous knowledge alongside classroom science in Grahamstown, South Africa. It focuses on a research project started by Maren Seehawer and 5 local teachers aiming to discover how indigenous knowledge can inspire better learning, improve student contribution and make science more relatable. Through the experience of a school learner at Tantyi Primary School this film shows that indigenous knowledge has made a positive impact on his life and future career endeavors. It is an exploration of bringing two worlds, home and science, together.
The film begins with an avid learner, Lithe-tha, who was first introduced to indigenous knowledge in the classroom at Tantyi Primary school in 2015. His teacher, Mr Nuntsu demonstrates to us how he builds the bridges between knowledge at home and knowledge at school. A fundamental role in this knowledge project is encouraging students to bring back knowledge from their elders, parents and siblings on indigenous knowledge. Furthermore, we meet Nomzi who offers insight on indigenous practices and cultural values and why they are important. Later we meet Maren, PHD student, a member of the research project. She speaks on how indigenous knowledges can serve as a tool which not only offers alternatives to western science but also allow for a practical and relatable take on education. Lastly, Lithe-tha reveals the potential in integrating indigenous knowledge alongside classroom science. He inspires a hope in bringing about a change in the South African science curriculum.
Report by Tess Miles, Thingo Mthombeni
This story is about hydrogen and whether or not it is a reliable renewable energy source. It is a film that creates awareness about the importance of renewable energy. The film features two scientists, Dr Henrietta Langmi who specializes in hydrogen and Dr Garth Cambray who specializes in biotechnology. On the one hand Dr Langmi speaks positively about hydrogen as a renewable source of enrgy and on the other hand, Dr Cambray counter argues this view. However, they both agree that in order for hydrogen to be a good renewable source of energy a lot of work still needs to be done.
Report by Abner Accom and Catharina Andersen
Meet Zulu surfer girl, Samukelisiwe Cele who is heading to go far in the surfing world. She grapples with her circumstances, family pressures and the need to be a typical teenager.
As the South African Championship surfing competition in Cape Town looms, Samukelisiwe knows she needs to train for the competition, but the outcome is uncertain as she tries to balance her love for her friends, her future education and her desire to be a world champion.
As the first and only black female competing in South Africa at the moment, her struggles are far from over and her story illuminates the difficulties of being one of a kind in a competitive and sometimes alienating sporting world.
Production by Kayleigh Tuck, Aphile-Aphile Sololo & Sebastian Burger
iNtombi Nto is a story about family bonds and heritage in South Africa. We enter the world of Nompilo Ngubane as she prepares for a traditional Zulu coming-of-age ceremony, uMemulo. Outspoken and university-educated, Nompilo must live a life of balance between Western ‘modernity’ and African tradition while maintaining her quirky and cheerful demeanour. This film is a must-see for anyone curious about other cultures, and anyone who knows that, at the end of the day, life is full of nuance and compromise.
Production by Nontobeko Gumede, Sarah Knight & Kellan Botha
Eina! is about a Rhodes University television student who sets out to make a film about the effects of corporal punishment as he has experienced them first hand. He takes us on a journey with three other students who have experienced a similar ordeal.
The film by Michael Dorfling is based on a personal experience he went through in high school. The beating he took in class emotionally scarred him and he finally decided to come out and talk about his story. Along with his television crew he finds three other intriguing survivors of corporal punishment and together they begin a cathartic process of healing.
Production by Michael Dorfling, Stephanie Shumba, Smangaliso Ngwenya & Zizipho Majavu
In a time when technology rules and everything is digital; kids choose to break out and crash into a physical world of soap boxes and fun. Instead of smartphones and consoles, a box car race lets kids get their hands dirty and having fun the old fashion way.
Teams of Grahamstown learners with some adults have a day to design, build and race basic soap box cars through the crowds at Scifest Africa. Great fun.
Production by Sebastian Burger & Sarah Knight