A MOVIE inspired by the homeless in eThekwini, debuting at the 46th Durban International Film Festival, will be screened for free at the Denis Hurley Centre (DHC) today, at 13:00, and at Watercrest Ster-Kinekor on Sunday, July 27, at 17:00.

The film is already receiving rave reviews. An audience member at the SA premiere on Sunday at Suncoast confirmed the impact that God’s Work elicits. “It makes me feel incredibly uncomfortable … in all the right ways,” said the viewer.

God’s Work, billed as “a portrait of resilience, a meditation on memory, and an unflinching gaze into the unseen lives of those discarded by the world”, is directed by Durban-based award-winning director and writer, Michael James, and produced by Sithabile Mkhize alongside co-producer Marco Orsin.

James was inspired to make God’s Work while volunteering at DHC during the lockdown. The DHC, working with the eThekwini Municipality and other NGOs and faith communities, organised emergency shelters for 1500 people across Durban during the pandemic. The centre itself hosted 100 sick and disabled homeless men whom James spent time chatting to, and it inspired him to tell their stories on film.

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“The film should make audiences feel discomfort,” said Dr Raymond Perrier, director of the DHC. “And yes, something must be done. Leaders need to speak out, and the politicians and religious leaders need to listen, and respond, and support all of us endeavouring to make a difference.”

The film is set in the heart of Durban. A derelict building offers a fragile sanctuary to a group of homeless men surviving on society’s margins. Blurring the line between reality and fiction, the film follows Simphiwe, played by SAFTA award-winning actor Thobani Nzuza (eHostela, Uzalo, DiepCity), and his crew as they navigate addiction, poverty, performative politics, and the lure of fleeting fame.

With Simphiwe fighting demons only he can see, and moving performances by a strong supporting cast, including Mbulelo Radebe, Omega Mncube, Siya Xaba, Zenzo Msomi and Nduduzo Khowa, the film is a raw exploration of survival, brotherhood, and the human desire to be seen before disappearing.

“This is not just a film about homelessness, it’s a story about power, loss, resistance — and what it costs to stay human in a world that’s abandoned its soul,” said Mkhize.

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