Elelwani, the opening night film of the 2012 Durban International Film Festival (DIFF), is the first ever Venda feature film shot in the Tshivenda language. But for director Ntshavheni Wa Luruli, this historical undertaking was a journey of 10 years.
Ntshavheni Wa Luruli is quite possibly the most humble filmmaker you are likely to meet. When the organisers of DIFF phoned to tell him his film had been chosen to open this year’s festival, he was certain they’d made a mistake.
“Once it sank in I was excited of course but it added lots of pressure,’ says Luruli. “I arrived at the opening night event at Sun Coast CineCentre and was bewildered to see hundreds of people milling about. When I asked one of the DIFF organisers why there were so many people, he said that they were all there to see my film. I was astounded and dismayed as I’d assumed only a few people would turn up to see my mediocre film.’
The tumultuous applause and cheers at the end of the screening proved that the audience thought the film anything but mediocre.
“I slept easily after that and felt very relieved,’ admits Luruli.
Elelwani is the screen adaptation of the first ever Venda novel written in the Tshivenda language. Author TN Maumela wrote the book during South Africa’s apartheid era as a reaction to the notorious “Bantu education’ system, which enforced racially segregated educational facilities.
About a decade ago Luruli, who read Elelwani as a school set work in the 1970s, approached public broadcaster SABC to propose a TV series based on Maumela’s books.
“After years of unproductive haggling I decided to make a feature film instead. I met producer Florian Schattauer (Long Street) of Shadowy Meadows Productions at a conference in Cape Town and blurted out my frustrations about the difficulties of filmmaking, whereupon Florian said: “Let’s go ahead and make your film’.
“Florian was tenacious in raising money and over the years managed to secure funds from the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund, the Hubert Bals Fund, the National Film and Video Foundation and the Department of Trade & Industry. The film’s budget was about R3m,’ comments Luruli.
Misunderstood culture
Luruli, whose previous feature films include the award-winning The Wooden Camera and Chikin Biznis – The Whole Story! believes that the world is ready to see and experience South African stories.
He continues. “I felt it was important that Elewani create a window about a little known, misunderstood culture. Traditionally the Venda people have always been despised, because we are the smallest indigenous group in South Africa.
“As a Venda person myself I had to come up with a visual idiom for the film that could best articulate the subject matter with dignity, truthfulness and reality, without falling into the trap of romanticising the Venda culture. I wanted to make a human story that would touch everyone.’
The film tells of a progressive young woman, Elelwani, who is torn between the dictates of Venda traditions and modern aspirations.
Anyone who sees the film will notice that most of the shots are interior and sparsely decorated. This is because Luruli concentrates on Elewani’s internal journey.
Luruli explains: “Elewani is a complex film as it deals with Venda beliefs; for instance we don’t separate the African life from the cosmos. When someone dies we believe that the person has passed on but their spirit is with us in many forms, whether it be goats, lions or whatever. We don’t compartmentalise our life into politics and religion.
“When structuring the script I didn’t follow the classic three-act structure as I didn’t want to walk the same path that western or eastern filmmakers have gone before. There are no camera movements or dolly shots in my film. It’s a quiet and still story, all about the lead character’s inner journey.
“Venda people spend a lot of their time on the earth sitting and squatting so I deliberately used low camera angles. The minimalist wardrobe in the film and the sparseness of the hut interiors all reflect the Venda style.’
Rainy days
Elelwani was shot on location in the spectacularly beautiful Thohoyandou area of the Limpopo Province. Unfortunately the whole shoot was entirely rained out.
Says Luruli: “I slept about two hours a night, using the weather report to schedule scenes and do re-writes. The rain was so bad that bridges were washed away and our trucks got stuck in the mud. This is despite the fact that we planned the shoot for January when there is supposed to be no rain at all!
“Luckily I was sandwiched between two giants on set – director of photography Lance Gewer (Tsotsi, Otelo Burning) and production designer Robert Van der Coolwijk (Mr Bones, Wild at Heart).
“The people of Venda were also amazing and I couldn’t have made the film without them. Aifh Eli Tshivhase, the younger brother of reigning Venda king Kennedy Tshivhase, acted as our location manager.
“King Kennedy himself was so gracious and kind and allowed us to shoot in the palace – it is unheard of to have access to the palace.’
Luruli is effusive in his praise of lead actress Florence Maseba. “She was wonderful and carried the film from the beginning to the end. Florence did extensive research and was even allowed to stay in King Kennedy’s house.’
Elelwani will be released by Indigenous Films in 2013.
By Joanna Sterkowicz
screen africa magazine – october 2012
