The adventure that was Supermama
NORTH RIDING – The Adventures of Supermama premier is a manifestation of fifteen years of hard work.
On 12 June, the culmination of over a decade of hard work was celebrated at the premier for locally produced movie, The Adventures of Supermama.
The event took place at the Century Cinemax at Northgate, where cast and crew were able to come together, mingle and witness the fruits of their labour.
The attitude of gratitude exuded was felt in the air as crew and cast members were able to see the movie come to life after fifteen years in production. Food and drink circulated through an animated sea of faces before the film screening. The idea for the inception of the film was born from a bronze sculpture in Simonstown in the Western Cape seen by director Karen van Schalkwyk. The sculpture depicted a woman in a superman costume, and she liked the idea of a superwoman with a local twist.
Lead protagonist Nomsa Buthelezi, who plays ‘Doris Ratabane’, auditioned for the role of Supermama three times before landing the role. She said, “Every time when I went, I did a short prayer. I was like, Jesus give me the kick, give me the kick that I want… This movie is for me, and shows that every girl can do this.”
Century Cinemax general manager Sanjay Rugbeer remarked that he wished to host more premiers at the cinema, as he explained that most people did not expect the event to take place at the relatively new location. Century Cinemax replaced the Ster-Kinekor branch which previously occupied the space as the resident movie theatre.
Buthelezi took the opportunity to share the platform with her fellow co-stars Michael Mabizela (who plays Doris’s husband ‘Jabulani’ in the film), Siyabonga Mtshali (who plays Buthelezi’s child companion ‘Tiny’), Leo Ming (the martial arts teacher who mentors Doris to become Supermama) and her daughter, who played a young Buthelezi in the first few minutes of the film.
The Adventures of Supermama premiered nationwide on 14 June.
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