On Tuesday, 12 September 2017 at 4.14pm Beautiful News will reveal the short film of filmmaker Ntsikelelo Mavata from the Eastern Cape.
Mavata followed his dream to the big city, but in the end it brought him back home to spread the joy of film in his community. “Film is the perfect medium to archive who we are as a people,” he says.
It cost Mavata 50 cents to watch his first motion picture at a neighbour’s house – the only person who owned a TV in his neighbourhood. He was just six at the time, but he enjoyed the combat classics like Rambo and the Jackie Chan movies. He later moved to Port Elizabeth’s Motherwell township to live with his father, who took him to the cinema for the first time. The moment convinced him of his calling to film, and his desire to do good in his community through it.
Telling stories
His dream took him to the big city, but not to chase the limelight. After matriculating, he left the Eastern Cape to study at Big Fish School of Digital Filmmaking in Johannesburg. Instead of staying in Gauteng or moving to media-centric Cape Town upon graduating, he returned to Rhamnyiba village on the outskirts of King William’s Town to tell the stories of ordinary people in rural communities.
Experiencing life in a metropolitan city made Mavata aware of just how little support there is for aspiring film professionals in these areas. Driven to deliver mentorship that could inspire the growth of film in the Eastern Cape, he started a production company with three friends. Making use of local actors and crew, Kwanontsomi Enterprise has so far produced three short films, two documentaries and a feature film, giving Mavata’s community the opportunity to showcase its talent.
About Beautiful News
Beautiful News unfolds the untold stories and generates positive conversations about South Africa, showcasing the extra-ordinary yet ordinary South Africans, their humanity, their ideas and their stories while celebrating the spirit and community of the South African people in an authentic way. The multimedia platform is founded by photographer and filmmaker Adrian Steirn who was the visionary of the 21 Icons project that profiled the extraordinary men and women who led South Africa’s journey to democracy and helped to unite its communities. The experience of creating that project made it clear that South Africa has an abundance of people whose untold stories are worthy of celebration.
What: Beautiful News: Capturing South African Stories
Where, when: Released on 12 September at 4.14pm on various platforms including the V&A Amphitheatre until December 2017
Visit: www.beautifulnews.co.za
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