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Actress Leleti Khumalo, producer Anant Singh, and director-writer Darrell Roodt jointly won another award this week.
SA film Don’t Give Up won at the Monte-Carlo Television festival. Picture: Supplied
If it’s not broke, don’t fix it, they say.
And the film trio of actress Leleti Khumalo, producer Anant Singh, and film director and writer Darrell Roodt need not fix anything, as the three scooped another award last night at the Monte-Carlo Television Festival.
“I’d like to thank the Videovision team and the director, Darrell Roodt, who came up with this amazing project. And I thank Anant for always believing in me and for always having faith in me,” Khumalo said in her speech.
South Africa’s trio won the Golden Nymph Award in the ‘Special Creation’ category for the film Don’t Give Up.
Seen as the European equivalent of the television Oscars, the Monte-Carlo Television Festival honours exceptional storytelling from around the globe, including productions made for digital platforms. This year was the 64th edition of the festival.
“This is a film about homeless people who have no voice and has no dialogue. It is essentially a homage to the silent movie, and it represents homeless people all around the world,” said film producer Anant Singh in his acceptance speech.
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The trio’s winning streak
Roodt, Singh, and Khumalo have previously collaborated on other award-winning projects.
Roodt was the director of the Oscar-nominated movie Yesterday, in which Khumalo plays the role of a mother living with HIV/Aids. Singh wears the producers’ hat in that movie, too.
The trio also worked together in the creation of the iconic film, Sarafina! The classic 1992 musical drama returned to the prestigious Cannes Film Festival in France in 2023, under the Cannes Classics section. This is a first for a South African film.
Also in 2023, Sarafina! was honoured with a Special Screening at the 20th edition of the Marrakech International Film Festival at the prestigious 700-seater Cinéma le Colisee with lead star Khumalo in attendance.
The now 55-year-old Khumalo was the lead on Sarafina! as an 18-year-old.
Roodt, who wasn’t present at the Monte-Carlo Television Festival, has also worked with Singh on another award-winning film, Cry, the Beloved Country.
ALSO READ: Sarafina! wraps up a successful 2023 with honours at Marrakech Film Festival
The film
Titled Don’t Give Up, the film follows the life of Faith (portrayed by Khumalo), a beggar and single mother of two sons, Lucky and Siyabonga.
While washing her sons at a tap in a bus depot, Faith is assaulted by a security guard, portrayed by the late actor Sello Motloung.
In her bid to escape this battering, Faith and her sons try to run away, but Siyabonga gets caught in the wire fence and almost has his thumb ripped off.
Faith is unable to help him beyond wrapping it up in a torn piece of her skirt. She begs for money from uninterested commuters on her corner.
The film focuses on the life of a vagrant amidst the hustle and bustle of Johannesburg.
“We are delighted to have this little South African film about homeless people win this special prize,” said Singh.
The music of Philip Glass and Peter Gabriel gives a voice to the voiceless, homeless people. “The music of Philip Glass and Peter Gabriel gives it that special magic,” said Singh.
The film has not yet been released in South Africa, with screenings planned for later this year.
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