Two South African icons will be remembered at this year’s Ugu Film Festival, which runs at the Margate Sands Hotel from Thursday to Saturday.
Menzi Ngubane, who was well known for his role on “Generations”, among others, will be honoured in a documentary on his life, which closes the festival, while a film on Joseph Shabalala of Ladysmith Black Mambazo will open it.
“The Life and Times of Menzi Ngubane” tells the story of the legend's life and brilliantly captures his stellar acting career. The film is directed by Ntokozo Mahlalela.
Ngubane’s death, following a stroke, in March 2021, sent shock waves through the entertainment industry. He was 56 years old. This film is said to be a legacy project by Menzi’s family aimed at honouring his contribution to the film industry.
Shabalala will be remembered in “Music Is My Life”. Directed by Mpumi Mbele, this film provides an engaging account of Shabalala and his rise to international fame with his isicathamiya singing male choral group Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
The founder of the multiple Grammy award-winning group Ladysmith Black Mambazo died in February 2020, at the age of 78.
Newly appointed festival director Zanele Nhlapo said the 10th festival is focused on honouring local artistic talent and heritage as well as setting the tone for the overall growth and transformation of the film industry.
“In curating the films for this year’s instalment, we were directed by the pressing need to reignite and revive the local film economy, and what better way to do that than to showcase inspiring local content which affirms our creative and production capabilities as South Africans.
“The opening and closing films are aimed at reigniting the flame within every local film-maker and film enthusiast who has been left disheartened by the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, and possibly attract investment to the local film industry.
“We want to inspire hope for a better and richer film industry, and we believe this year’s showcase is a step in that direction,” said Nhlapo.
The festival will go live at the Shelly Beach Ster Kinekor cinema on Thursday evening.
Jackie Motsepe, chief operating officer of the KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission, said the staging of the festival was critical for the development of the culture of watching locally made films.
“It gives filmmakers a platform to gauge the response of audiences to their story. This platform is also the first festival experience of the emerging filmmaker which, if done well, encourages them to see the need to advance to the DIFF (Durban International Film Festival) and DFM (Durban Film Mart).”