I was having breakfast at Fournos when guys sitting at the table next to mine asked to chat to me for a moment. As it turns out, they were not random shellingtons but the brains, money and talent behind Thina Sobabili. Over the weekend, I caught the movie. It is beautiful and moving – a thoughtful take on the themes of abandonment and abuse but also a brother’s helpless love for a sister ensnared by the temptations of the world. A must-watch movie set in Alexandra with Sandton in the background. It’s also quite impressive that the movie was self-financed.
According to Thato Dhladla of the Monarchy Group: “The film was independently funded by our company The Monarchy Group…no backing from any state agency etc, over a 4 year period. It was shot in 7 days set in Alexandra and has gone to win awards at the Pan African Film Festival, Los Angeles during Black History month and the Jozi Film Festival.” The movie open on Friday July 31st at Ster-Kinekor and Nu-Metro cinemas.
Thato also informs me that the film has been selected to screen in festivals in Montreal, Vancouver, Toronto, Berlin, New York, Kigali and Barbados.
Links:
– The Star: 1) http://www.iol.co.za/tonight/movies/rat-out-kasi-fat-cats-1.1892877 ; 2) http://www.iol.co.za/tonight/movies/kasi-film-s-realism-hits-hard-1.1893714
– Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Thina-Sobabili/1406662602925269?fref=nf