A story written by three men reflecting on daily struggles of most women in SA is currently wowing international audience at different festivals in America.
Four Walls, which features Enhle Mbali Mlotshwa as lead, was developed during Covid-19 lockdown by creatives Kgosana Monchusi, Menzi Mzimela and Juvais Dunn. The film is among the local films and documentaries that have been selected to screen at Pan African Film Festival (PAFF) in Los Angeles, which runs until February 20.
The films and documentaries include Music is My Story, Iyeza Medicine Biopiracy, Lobola, A Bride’s True Price? and The Honeymoon. Four Walls is also showing at Winter Film Festival in New York. Two weeks ago, the film won an accolade at the Denton Black Film Festival in Texas, where it won the Best Episodic.
Director of the film Monchusi told Sowetan that the response to Four Walls has been incredible. The film was inspired by a childhood incident he witnessed as a kid and the daily realities that many women in SA live with.
“Wherever we screened, we got a standing ovation, especially from women. We are showing at PAFF and Winter Film Festival in New York. But for us it is not about awards. It is about being able to be there and represent SA and tell our stories. We just want to be seen as filmmakers who want to get their work out there.
“Four Walls might involve violence, but it’s not a gender-based violence story. With the film we wanted to stress out the activism but the message is so powerful. What makes it different is that the film is not shoving the gender-based violence narrative down your throat. It is an entertainment piece packaged differently. It is funny; the story was written by three guys and we had to do a lot of research.”
Monchusi further said when they were casting they looked for an actress who would resonate with the story and Mlotshwa turned out to be a perfect candidate. He said their plan was to take the film to different film festivals across the world.
Four Walls puts a spotlight on SA women’s daily realities
‘Film might involve violence, but it's not a GBV story’
Image: Supplied
A story written by three men reflecting on daily struggles of most women in SA is currently wowing international audience at different festivals in America.
Four Walls, which features Enhle Mbali Mlotshwa as lead, was developed during Covid-19 lockdown by creatives Kgosana Monchusi, Menzi Mzimela and Juvais Dunn. The film is among the local films and documentaries that have been selected to screen at Pan African Film Festival (PAFF) in Los Angeles, which runs until February 20.
The films and documentaries include Music is My Story, Iyeza Medicine Biopiracy, Lobola, A Bride’s True Price? and The Honeymoon. Four Walls is also showing at Winter Film Festival in New York. Two weeks ago, the film won an accolade at the Denton Black Film Festival in Texas, where it won the Best Episodic.
Director of the film Monchusi told Sowetan that the response to Four Walls has been incredible. The film was inspired by a childhood incident he witnessed as a kid and the daily realities that many women in SA live with.
“Wherever we screened, we got a standing ovation, especially from women. We are showing at PAFF and Winter Film Festival in New York. But for us it is not about awards. It is about being able to be there and represent SA and tell our stories. We just want to be seen as filmmakers who want to get their work out there.
“Four Walls might involve violence, but it’s not a gender-based violence story. With the film we wanted to stress out the activism but the message is so powerful. What makes it different is that the film is not shoving the gender-based violence narrative down your throat. It is an entertainment piece packaged differently. It is funny; the story was written by three guys and we had to do a lot of research.”
Monchusi further said when they were casting they looked for an actress who would resonate with the story and Mlotshwa turned out to be a perfect candidate. He said their plan was to take the film to different film festivals across the world.
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