Soweto’s first mega shopping mall was the scene where local actors, producers and film pundits met for the premier of
Jerusalema, an award winning movie that hits the circuit this weekend.
"If you're going to steal...Steal big, and hope like hell you get away with it!"
The story of a self-made Sowetan entrepreneur Jerusalema speaks to the failure of South Africa to deliver on the promise of a rainbow nation. Directed by Ralph Ziman, the movie recently opened the Durban International Film Festival to win Best Actor Award for lead Rapulana Seiphemo and claim Audience Choice Best Film Award.
An uncompromising film that looks at the stark reality of crime, corruption, and the violence that is a part of South African life, Jerusalema doesn’t moralise but holds up a mirror of local life. The cinematic style is bold and fresh, and compliments the grittiness of the story which is compelling. This isn’t a movie you have to force yourself to sit through because you’re patriotic, it’s a highly entertaining, action-filled film that doesn’t pull any punches.
There are strong moments of humour and watching the movie I had a strong feeling of being genuinely at home. The film makers understand and lived their context resulting in an interesting audience experience where you’re engrossed in an exceptionally well made movie and strongly with everything on the screen. I think this is largely due to the fact that there is such a drought of great local movies that it almost comes as a shock to the system to see something this good made that speaks directly to your culture.
The acting was a tour de force - I have never seen such superb acting in a local movie or television production. It was astounding - it completely and absolutely blew me away.
This is a significant movie that deserves to do exceptionally well.
It made me feel immensely proud to be South African - that experience of sitting in a theatre where the people around me relished a movie that was made by South Africans, for South Africans.
The film stars Rapulana Seiphemo (Tsotsi, Muvangho, and Generations) with Jeffrey Sekele, Ronnie Nyakale, Shelly Meskin, Malusi Skenjana, Robert Hobbs, Kenneth Nkosi and newcomers Jafta Mamabolo and Motlatsi Mahloko.
