Last week my weekend started pretty early and I got the opportunity to paint the Jozi pink, as I found myself event hopping.
WEDNESDAY I honoured the invite for the screening of Otelo Burning at The Zone in Rosebank. We got there just before the 8pm screening and were surprised to find that there was no warm welcome. I’m talking about the absence of drinks, finger foods or even popcorn. It was dry, very dry.
But we rose to the occasion and spent a good 20 minutes waiting in the popcorn queue, only to get into the packed cinema when the movie had already started. It gets worse… we ended up sitting on the floor, in our “outfits” and stilettos, because there were no seats available. It’s tough being a luver of things, hey …
The movie made it all worthwhile. The star-studded lineup features: **Jafta Mamabolo as Otelo, a former taxi driver turned pro surfer.
**Thomas Gumede as New Year (yep, that’s his name) . He’s the narrator of the film, a surfer and the guy who’s just discovered the camera
**Sihle Xaba as Mandla Modise. Pro surfer from his school days and he’s the very same guy who’ll cause the biggest stir in the film
**Nolwazi Shange as Dezi. She’s Otelo’s girlfriend and she’s also flirting with Mandla, but it costs her in the end.
**Kenneth Nkosi as Otelo’s ruthless father. This is the first time I see Kenny play a serious role and he pulls it off.
**Hamilton Dhlamini as Skumbuso, the spineless swimming instructor.
**Motlatsi Mafatshe as Blade and New Year’s older brother. He’s a political activist/gang leader who would ruthlessly kill anyone.
The first word of the movie title, Otelo is actually taken from Shakespeare’s book titled Othello, as the movie symbolizes the love and betrayals documented in the book and in the movie it’s “Zulurized,”.
The Burning, portrays the political events that transpired in 1988 that led townships of KZN, like Lamontville, to be up in flames. This was just before Nelson Mandela’s release from jail.
Otelo Burning is based on a true story and depicts the events witnessed by Sihle (the guy who plays the character of Mandla) who is a reality is a lifeguard and surfer.
In a time when Inkatha Freedom party was terrorising people in the townships and the opposing activists torching anyone who was suspected to be a spy; Otelo, New Year and Mandla escaped their sordid reality by joining the sport of surfing.
Whilst their community was fighting the political struggle in a quest for freedom; the 3 boys keep it a secret that surfing has given them that freedom.
Not to give too much away, the story focuses on how jealousy led a friend to destroy his best friend’s budding career, get his BFF’s brother killed and eventually rape the BFF’s girlfriend.
All this, because the friend felt he was meant to be the best surfer and never his BFF. The jealousy was also sparked by the fact that this was happening for the second time, since the friend was overlooked during his school days, when his white friend came out tops.
I think Jafta didn’t do a brilliant job with this role. He had that “Generations expression” a lot throughout the movie. The crying scene was the worst. This needed the Jafta from Jerusalema.
On the other hand, I give Sihle a 10 brownie points. He pulled off that role and I hope we see more of him on our screens.
It’s a definite must watch and will be in movie theatres on the 11th of May, in partnership with e.tv. The movie has won the Golden Owl Award for Best Movie held in Brazil and was nominated 13 times at the 2012 Africa Movie Academy Awards.
Yep, it’s that good and I give it an
8/10. THURSDAY I put on my formal wear and made my way to the SABC K1 Auditorium for the book launch of Busisiwe Yvonne Kgame’s book Infinite Grace.
The event attracted big names such as the SABC CEO Lulama Mokhobo, Minister Angie Motshekga was on the program but couldn’t attend, Criselda Kananda and Lilian Dube, who should replace all comedians. That woman is beyond funny, yoh.
The Program Director was Nomonde Gonxeka. You may remember her from Yizo Yizo 1 as the original Hazel. She was also on Soul City and various other dramas. She now occupies a senior position at the SABC after working her way up the career ladder and doesn’t look a day over 21years. She must be in her late 30s/early 40s by now.
Yvonne Kgame has been the Head of the SABC Educational Broadcasting which brought programs such as Takalani Sesame, Kideo, etc. She was also the Head of SABC’s Content Enterprise Business, overseeing, children’s programmes, factual programmes and religion amongst other genres.
The book aims to give hope and motivate those who believe they can never get through a tough time, as Yvonne Kgame Relates her experience of suffering a double stroke and later discovering she had an incurable brain tumour. She has shocked doctors and her friends since she’s made an almost full recovery.
She attributes it all to God. Speaker after speaker mentioned God’s importance in their lives and how He has helped them overcome a lot in their life. The SABC choir even performed songs solely selected by Yvonne Kgame.
Lillian Dube brightened the room with her sense of humour, yet getting the message across. As a breast cancer survivor, she asked all women to do breast checks after their periods, but she was specific … She said only the single girls must check themselves and all those with partners must make their men check them whilst the lady’s check the men’s balls. The auditorium went wild with laughter, embarrassment and oohs and aahs…
Then she took it further and said every woman should own a hand mirror. After taking a bath, ladies need to open their legs and hold it down there to check if everything is still as it should be. Most people were on the floor from laughter…
Shame, the couple sitting in front of us, that looked like they just walked out of a 1618 painting, didn’t find it amusing at all. They were so uncomfortable and stuck up, my friend and I ended up laughing at them more than Lilian Dube’s jokes.
I haven’t read the book yet, but from what I heard from the speakers, it’s a must read. Check out the website
www.infinitegrace.co.za.
Tomorrow, I’ll be giving you an update on how the MTN Radio Awards Played out… As well as a write up on the Barcadi birthday party I attended with Tazteeq and what happened here… 
@PruMathebula