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Lira breaks into big screen

LOADED with talent, singer Lira has not only conquered the local music scene and waltzed away with major awards, but she has also managed to squeeze in some acting - in a full-length international feature film.

For those of you who were wondering what Lira, real name Lerato Molapo, was up to in Cape Town "twittering" about the glorious weather,Sowetancan reveal that she was starring in Italian Consul, a collaboration between Italian and South African producers.

"Thedirector,Antonio Falduto spotted my picture on the cover of a magazine and said 'I want her to portray a particular character in my movie', which just happened to be the supporting lead role," Lira said.

"I was really attracted to the story when I read the script - it is beautiful. The Italian Consul, in which I feature with Italian actress Giulianna De Sio, follows the dramatic journey of two women and briefly touches on the subject of human trafficking.

"My character gets lured into human trafficking through modelling. That is one of the ways that they do it - they find destitute girls who have a certain look and trap them into the lives of sex slaves and domestic workers. My character becomes a prostitute.

"We don't explore the fullness of what the problem is in the film, but I am hoping it will help raise awareness of human trafficking."

"It really opened my eyes to this problem. It could happen to anyone's child, daughter or mother.

"To me the movie has a Cinema Nouveau feel - it will not be a huge box office hit. It has a very serious and dramatic tone - so I am guessing that the film will do the rounds on the European movie circuit and hit Cannes, before it is released here in South Africa."

Local fans will have to wait until 2011 before we get to see Lira on the big screen.

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