Sugar Cane Boy: The Movie wraps in Tongaat
Sugar Cane Boy follows the story of two boys who grow up as friends in the sugar cane fields of Inanda in the early 1970s.
A thoroughly North Coast production, Sugar Cane Boy: The Movie, will finish shooting in Tongaat this week.
Based on the 2008 book of the same name by Rubendra Govender, the movie will also serve as his directorial debut.
Sugar Cane Boy follows the story of two boys, Soya Sivaramen and Boniwe Mkhize, who grow up as friends in the sugar cane fields of Inanda in the early 1970s.
Together they learn about racial tensions in apartheid South Africa before becoming powerful agents for change in their communities in the 1990s.
Of course they encounter first love, heartbreak, danger and joy along the way in a multi-generational story of friendship and the bonds formed in childhood.
The movie will feature that same detail with Govender at the helm, both in the director’s chair and through his production company, Rubendra Govender Films.
Over the past month, the team has been shooting across the North Coast, in Tongaat, Ballito and Esenembe.
Verulam Grade 8 pupil Ruhaan Singh plays young Soya, with Keval Maharaj in the adult version of the role.
They are supported by a cast drawn mostly from around KwaZulu-Natal and South Africa, ensuring authenticity while supporting local artists.
The Courier spoke to line producer Keveshan Govender about his time working on set.
“It has been a phenomenal experience, working with such a great team, including Rubendra and director of photography, Cherie Mbadu. It has been a dream come true to work on a production like this which is of international standards,” he said.
Govender, who comes from Tongaat, also recently worked on local productions Diwali Dhamaka, Messed Up and Red Light District.
With the film wrapping up this week, post-production crews will kick into action and it is expected that Sugar Cane Boy: The Movie will reach screens in 2023.
Keep an eye out and go and see it to support local artists.
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