South
African university reunion movie “Between Friends”, in the tradition of
“The Best Man Holiday” and “Madea’s Family Reunion”, opens in cinemas
on 15 August. The film features a well-known male cast that will be familiar to local audiences.
It
tells the story of a group of five university friends who reunite at an
upmarket game lodge in KwaZulu Natal, seven years after graduation.
Their reunion is coloured by the secret of a wild night they spent
together at the very same lodge while at varsity. Long buried secrets
shared by the old friends are eventually exposed, and the tension in
their current relationships becomes palpable.
“The
cast made the movie,” says director Zuko Nodada. “They understood what
was expected of them and they did not disappoint. Working with actors
that respect their craft made it very easy for me to work with them.
As
Nkanyiso, Thapelo Mokoena is charming, smooth and very appealing to the
ladies. Nkanyiso is a suave, successful entrepreneur who is reluctantly
attending the reunion with his gorgeous trophy girlfriend, Nisha. He is
one of South Africa’s most recognisable faces, having starred in 2013’s
“Nothing for Mahala” and “Long Walk to Freedom”. He also appears in the
“Hunters Dry” advertising campaign.
Siyabonga
Radebe plays Njabulo the older, more laid back brother of Nkanyiso who
recently took over the management of the family-owned game lodge they
are visiting. He’s the guy the audience loves to hate. Radebe, an actor,
singer, writer, director and stand-up comedian is known for his role as
Cassius in the SABC1 drama series “A Place Called Home”, which aired
from 2006 to 2009. Other television series he has acted in include the
SABC1 drama “Intersexions”, the SABC1 mini-series “uGugu no Andile”, the
ITV drama “Wild at Heart” and the SABC1 legal drama “Sokhulu &
Partners”. In 2009 he played the role of a lieutenant in the
award-winning science fiction film “District 9”.
Dumisani
Mbebe, known for his role as Dumisani Shabani in “Generations”, in
which he appeared from 2008 to 2011, takes on the role of Winston, who
is constantly at loggerheads with his wife Portia. “Dumisani was the big
surprise,” says Nodada. “He plays totally against type and manages to
turn Winston into a totally lovable guy. I think more than a few ladies
will expect their men to carry their handbags after seeing this film.
The
role of the hapless Justin, the Canadian fiancé to Linda, who is
tortured by her feelings for a man who belongs to another woman, is
played by Morné du Toit, who appeared “Andre Metstrepie” (2007),
“Spaarwiel” (2007) and “Hoofmeisie” (2011).
“The
whole team worked like a well-oiled machine and everyone gave their all
in making my vision come to life,” says Nodada. “It was exciting to
shoot a film of this genre – one that we seemed to have neglected for a
long time. We wanted to show how far South Africa has come in the last
20 years by telling the story of a group of attractive, sexy,
middle-class South Africans.”
Nodada
says the film’s target market is those who enjoy a good romantic
comedy, particularly those who love films like "Think like a Man" and
the Tyler Perry "Why Did I Get Married" films.
The film is being distributed nationwide by Indigenous Film Distribution.
The
film was made possible with funding from the National Lottery
Distribution Trust Fund and the Department of Trade and Industry Film
Rebate.
View the trailer here
IFD Official Site: www.indigenousfilm.co.za
GoXtra News - Catch us on Facebook | Tweet us Twitter | See our Live Interviews GoTv Channel
GoXtra News - Catch us on Facebook | Tweet us Twitter | See our Live Interviews GoTv Channel
No comments:
Post a Comment