Youth from Samora Machel informal settlement in Philippi joined hands to produce a movie aimed at addressing the scourge of gender violence while also showcasing talent from the disadvantaged communities.
The movie Umona the Aftermath will be released at the Inqwelo Cinema, also located in Samora Machel, next month and will be available on social media channels.
It is a sequel to a movie launched in 2019 titled Umona.
In the movie, a young woman called Asanda is rescued from the hands of her abusive uncle, police detective Xolani Siziba.
Top cop Captain King Sangqu becomes determined to clean up his police station, rooting out anyone associated with Xolani, and in so doing, he angers the leaders of a human trafficking syndicate.
Director, Andile Nodada, says the movie is suitable for all viewers because the issues it tackles affects everyone.
He says: “It has a heavy emphasis on gender-based violence and homophobia.
“It also tackles the issue of human trafficking, trying to expose the manner in which these cases are usually handled and the obstacles that the police officers are often faced with in solving these cases.”
He says they want to shine a light on these social ills while attempting to provide possible solutions.
“For as long as the news still reports girls going missing, women turning up dead and having fallen to abuse, such projects as Umona will always be of great significance.
“The message #SayNoToGBV and #MeToo can never be spread enough.
“We hope to continue through these projects to be the driver of change in our communities.
“Most importantly we hope to show to the young people of our country that with focus, hard work and dedication even the wildest of dreams are achievable,” says Andile.
They’re now looking for opportunities to enter festivals, both locally and internationally.
Take a look on youtu.be/mmYHTmv_ZLY for a sneak peak.