Edenvale film makers take project to screens

Described as a challenger and pirate film, Verified, produced by Edenvale residents and filmmakers, took to the silver screens.

Written and directed by Waleed Majiet Al-Yaman and produced by Melissa Kahn, the feature film made its debut at Johannesburg Comic Con Africa last year.

On April 27 it hit the screens at The Bioscope under the auspices of Joburg Underground.

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Filmed in six days during the Covid-19 lockdown, the labour of love was created by a team of three Guerrilla filmmakers namely Waleed, Melissa and lead actor and North Riding resident Richard Gau.

It has garnered accolades at international festivals like MDIFF, Makizhmithran International Film Festival and the Lift Off Filmmaker Sessions 2024.

Filmed in Edenvale, Cape Town, Portugal and Dubai, the NEWS was told that access to filming locations and actors during lockdown posed a challenge.

However, since then the project expanded and grew into the film it is today.

Waleed said that because of the emotions involved, the film was demanding with several difficult scenes.

“We left a lot of the more emotionally intense scenes for the last days,” said Waleed.

“Richard had a lot of fun, there wasn’t a moment where we weren’t engaging and conversing about how to grow the film.”

He said at one point their camera broke and although nobody else knew it, Waleed and Richard were offered time to discuss the scene and figure out the direction they wanted to take it.

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Waleed said the film is about how society lives in a social media distorted matrix where users believe if strangers validate them, they are valuable.

It also touches on the past traumas of Waleed. He said when his father died he isolated himself similar to the behaviour of Dillon.

Waleed said in January 2020, shortly before filming started, his uncle died, dredging up past trauma and reminding him of past behaviours and lessons learned.

“I had always wanted to create a Black Mirror-inspired film but once we finished filming it was only then that I had written a movie about my grief,” said Waleed.

“Richard helped hold up that mirror to see my reflection.”

Richard, who has 14 films under his belt, plays the role of Dillon, who is the main character.

Dillion is set for a night of digital debauchery. For him, this includes gaming, doom scrolling and snacking on a care package from fellow digital denizens.

After palming off his sister Madison, played by Angela Sithole, Dillon does what he does best – mug for his followers.

However, Dillon’s plans are soon cut short by a power outage. There, in the darkness, he learns that his night comes with a warning label.

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“Alone and taunted by his online nemesis Dante, Dillon can only dream of reaching that coveted prize, getting Verified,” said Waleed.

With its trailer providing a retro and digital feel, Waleed said this is carried on throughout the film.

“We wanted to make Dillon feel and look like he is trapped. We wanted to trap him in a way that his past trauma has, which is being surrounded by nostalgic technology. We show how Dillon doesn’t interact with anyone.”

This is a reality that Waleed and Richard believe could become real for many if they let themselves become trapped.

As an experienced actor with his performances in Prime (Netflix), Nandi (Showmax) and Aya (Amazon Prime), he said he thoroughly enjoyed working together and collaborating with Waleed on Verified.

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”This was the first time in my career that I was trusted to help create something that I was working on. While filming I had access to Waleed, the source, I could create the character and put as much of him into Dillon.”

He said what made Verified particularly different for him was the trust he experienced.

“As a trio, we were the crew, we all played various roles and had to rely on each other,” said Waleed.

Looking to one of his next projects, Richard hopes to start work on one of his movies, 4 Life, Bro
The film, which will focus on life in Fourways, was written by Richard in 2014 and tells the story of two young men hoping to become internationally famous DJs.

Presented with an opportunity to open for Ultra South Africa, the film tells the story of the journey of the men as they partner with a singer as they battle trials and storms but ultimately achieve part of their goal.

“After playing the roles in Nandi and Aya, I feel that the country needs a comedy.”

Being a huge Will Farrell fan, Richard said he drew inspiration from Eurovision.
Watch the trailer for Verified here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgLFMBwZa4Y