Rights of Passage is an anthology of eight short films linked by a
thematic thread and African proverbs. Directed by first time filmmakers
Ntombizodwa Magagula, Mapula Sibanda, Lerato Moloi, Valencia Joshua, Zandile
Angeline Wardle, Tony Miyambo, Rethabile Mothobi and Yashvir Bagwandeen, the
film has been officially selected to participate in the international feature section of
the 36th edition of the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF).
Rights of Passage portrays the search for love, belonging and healing
amidst the rites and turmoil of everyday life. It offers a rare, honest, resilient and
creative insight into the concerns and experiences of black youth in contemporary
South Africa.
The film premieres at DIFF, which serves as a launchpad for an intensive youth
outreach programme across the country to raise awareness and promote film as a
major opportunity within the creative industries.
Under the subtheme ’Love and Loss in the Time of Mandela’, it is a fictional
feature-film made by first-time young black filmmakers who were born around the
time when Nelson Mandela became South Africa’s first democratically elected
president and who entered young adulthood during the last years of Mandela’s
remarkable life.
The initiative was developed by South African producers Natives at Large and
Jungleworks in partnership with the National Film and Video Foundation of South
Africa and the KZN Film Commission and was aimed at giving first time film
graduates an opportunity to develop their short scripts. The producers wanted to
create a platform for young filmmakers to produce quality films that meet both
national and international criteria and standards.
Initially, 15 projects were selected for development and after a five months script
development process, eight scripts were short listed for production.
Under the guidance and mentorship of Bhekizizwe Peterson, Neville Josie and
Ramadan Suleman, international partners Jacques Bidou and script consultant Franz
Rodenkirchen developed the scripts. Ramadan Suleman mentored the young
directors to shoot and edit their films while Vuyani Sondlo supervised the young
editors.
Rights of Passage will screen on 17 July at the Sun Coast Hotel at
20h15.
