Filmmaker Nhlanhla Mthethwa's new documentary, Sam Nzima: A Journey Through His Lens, is a compelling look into the life of the legendary photojournalist.
Almost 50 years ago, Nzima captured one of the most impactful apartheid photographs of 12-year-old Hector Pieterson during the June 16 1976 Soweto Uprising.
Mthethwa's work is rooted in preserving the SA heritage and shaping future generations through history. The documentarian's resumé includes Thabo Mbeki's Renaissance Man, and The Royal Revolutionary, based on the life of SA's first black president Nelson Mandela. Then there is Imbabazane, about deceased IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi, and Plot for Peace, about Jean-Yves Ollivier – the Swiss-French citizen and businessman who played a very important role in the release of Mandela and the end of apartheid.
“My teenage daughter was working on a project about ancient civilisations, and that was my opportunity to show her the work we had done on the Mapungubwe people. I had already printed a booklet in a simplistic way. I gave it to her and she was so proud. Suddenly, her teachers were interested in teaching that content,” Mthethwa shares.
“That’s the change I want to make. Especially for people who are my daughter's generation, so that they can know and can be proud of who they are.”
The Nzima documentary took 10 years to complete due to lack of funds. “I wanted to show two sides of his story and the event that led to the capture of that iconic image. In the film, we try to tell his stories, the personal story, in parallel with the events that took place on the 16th of June 1976,” Mthethwa says.
“Most people we have filmed have passed on, but we were able to capture their stories. Sam has since passed on and didn't get to see the final product, which is unfortunate. But I'm one of the few people who sat down with him and got to ask him who Sam Nzima is before he became the photojournalist who took that iconic image.
“I have this archival work for anybody who wants to do a story, research or a thesis about the story of June 16. They can go back and make a reference to it.”
Sam Nzima: A Journey Through His Lens forms part of the documentaries from over 40 countries on the line-up for this year's Encounters South African International Documentary Festival in select cinemas in Johannesburg and Cape Town from June 19 to 29.
Mthethwa was born in Thokoza on the East Rand. His earliest memory of films was at age 10 when his father converted their garage into an impromptu cinema and screened films for the community.
“During that time, black people were not allowed to go to cinemas. My father used to hire a projector,” Mthethwa says.
“Even when my dad tried to discourage me from a career in filmmaking and focused on academia, he showed films in the community halls, schools and at home by turning one of our garages into a cinema for 50 cents.
“I will be part of the people who operate the film and people would curse at me if there was a glitch.”
Even though the flame of filmmaking was ignited, Mthethwa honoured his father's wishes to pursue a career in academia. “I studied chemistry and only worked in the lab for three months,” says Mthethwa.
“I incidentally met Dali Tambo and told him I was looking for a job in the industry and that I went back to school to study media. Two weeks later, his PA called me and said, 'Do you have a licence?' I said, 'yes. I just got my licence', and I was hired as their crew driver.”
Mthethwa worked his way up from camera assistant to become the producer on Tambo’s local talk show, People of the South. He worked with Tambo for six years.
“I loved telling stories... more especially old stories, and People of the South would profile all these amazing people from SA and around the globe. It became my teaching ground and base on what I know now,” he says.
Mthethwa has been making films for more than 20 years and owns production company Full Circle Productions.
Filmmaker Nhlanhla Mthethwa details the making of Sam Nzima doccie
'I wanted to show two sides of his story and the event that led to the capture of that iconic image'
Image: Full Circle Productions
Filmmaker Nhlanhla Mthethwa's new documentary, Sam Nzima: A Journey Through His Lens, is a compelling look into the life of the legendary photojournalist.
Almost 50 years ago, Nzima captured one of the most impactful apartheid photographs of 12-year-old Hector Pieterson during the June 16 1976 Soweto Uprising.
Mthethwa's work is rooted in preserving the SA heritage and shaping future generations through history. The documentarian's resumé includes Thabo Mbeki's Renaissance Man, and The Royal Revolutionary, based on the life of SA's first black president Nelson Mandela. Then there is Imbabazane, about deceased IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi, and Plot for Peace, about Jean-Yves Ollivier – the Swiss-French citizen and businessman who played a very important role in the release of Mandela and the end of apartheid.
“My teenage daughter was working on a project about ancient civilisations, and that was my opportunity to show her the work we had done on the Mapungubwe people. I had already printed a booklet in a simplistic way. I gave it to her and she was so proud. Suddenly, her teachers were interested in teaching that content,” Mthethwa shares.
“That’s the change I want to make. Especially for people who are my daughter's generation, so that they can know and can be proud of who they are.”
The Nzima documentary took 10 years to complete due to lack of funds. “I wanted to show two sides of his story and the event that led to the capture of that iconic image. In the film, we try to tell his stories, the personal story, in parallel with the events that took place on the 16th of June 1976,” Mthethwa says.
“Most people we have filmed have passed on, but we were able to capture their stories. Sam has since passed on and didn't get to see the final product, which is unfortunate. But I'm one of the few people who sat down with him and got to ask him who Sam Nzima is before he became the photojournalist who took that iconic image.
“I have this archival work for anybody who wants to do a story, research or a thesis about the story of June 16. They can go back and make a reference to it.”
Sam Nzima: A Journey Through His Lens forms part of the documentaries from over 40 countries on the line-up for this year's Encounters South African International Documentary Festival in select cinemas in Johannesburg and Cape Town from June 19 to 29.
Mthethwa was born in Thokoza on the East Rand. His earliest memory of films was at age 10 when his father converted their garage into an impromptu cinema and screened films for the community.
“During that time, black people were not allowed to go to cinemas. My father used to hire a projector,” Mthethwa says.
“Even when my dad tried to discourage me from a career in filmmaking and focused on academia, he showed films in the community halls, schools and at home by turning one of our garages into a cinema for 50 cents.
“I will be part of the people who operate the film and people would curse at me if there was a glitch.”
Even though the flame of filmmaking was ignited, Mthethwa honoured his father's wishes to pursue a career in academia. “I studied chemistry and only worked in the lab for three months,” says Mthethwa.
“I incidentally met Dali Tambo and told him I was looking for a job in the industry and that I went back to school to study media. Two weeks later, his PA called me and said, 'Do you have a licence?' I said, 'yes. I just got my licence', and I was hired as their crew driver.”
Mthethwa worked his way up from camera assistant to become the producer on Tambo’s local talk show, People of the South. He worked with Tambo for six years.
“I loved telling stories... more especially old stories, and People of the South would profile all these amazing people from SA and around the globe. It became my teaching ground and base on what I know now,” he says.
Mthethwa has been making films for more than 20 years and owns production company Full Circle Productions.
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