CEO of Gravel Road Entertainment, Benjamin Cowley, and Producer/Director Tonie van der Merwe sat down with Expresso presenter Katlego Maboe to talk about the Mayibuye Film Festival currently running on SABC1. For more information on the festival and the films, read this article and join the conversation with us on Facebook here.
Benjamin Cowley and Tonie vd Merwe on the Expresso Show on SABC
Benjamin Cowley, Katlego Maboe and Tonie vd Merwe on the Expresso Show on SABC
Starring Sipho Menyeni, Martin Potgieter, John Mtsali and Sithembiso Fusa, this 70 minute action film was shot in 1989. It was produced by Oubaas Olivier and directed by Tonie vd Merwe.
TAGLINE
A game ranger and his chief ranger set out on a daring rescue mission when his two nephews are kidnapped by dangerous poachers deep in the African bush.
SYNOPSIS
Two young brothers travel out to the countryside to visit with their game ranger uncle during their school holidays.
It is here on the ranch, under their uncle’s teachings, that they learn about the beauties of the African bush and the wildlife living there.
One morning the two boys head out alone into the wilderness to go explore and accidentally stumble across a group of poachers. The boys are kidnapped and it is left to the uncle and the Chief Ranger to set out on a daring and dangerous rescue mission to save the children and apprehend the poachers.
A screengrab from the first film of the fest – “Ambushed”
Screen grab from “Bonamanzi”
Produced in 1987, this 70 minute drama was directed by Tonie vd Merwe and produced by Oubaas Olivier. The cast includes Sizwe Dlamini, Popo Gumede & Gugu Mhlanga. Be sure to watch it this Sunday night on SABC1!
TAGLINE
A moving tale involving two orphans, a widower and a beautiful social worker, and how their lives all come together at the end.
SYNOPSIS
A touching story of two families – one poor, and the other rich. A young boy and his sister, raised by their cruel and vicious stepmother, live poor and difficult lives. Beaten and starved by their stepmom, the two children only have one another for comfort
and support. Meanwhile a prominent business man, and single father, has brought his mother to stay with him to help care for his ailing daughter. A beautiful Social Worker enters the scene and befriends the two abused children, and when the wealthy business man’s daughter sadly passes away, a series of events begin to unfold, entwining these people’s fates and bringing all them all together at the end.
The Mayibuye Film Festival launches on SABC 1 in South Africa this weekend on Sunday! Running for 3 weeks from April 13-27, watch two never-before-seen South African films every Sunday night on SABC1. Films that were lost for 20 years have now been restored by Gravel Road Entertainment in Cape Town. Working out of the Waterfront Film Studios, we are digitally restoring these magical films from the 70’s & 80’s. In partnership with Wabona, one of Africa’s premiere video streaming services, the public will also be able to stream the films through Wabona’s online website (http://wabona.com/) or through their cellphones via applications such as Mxit, thanks to Cinemo (Wabona’s mobile service). The films will also be running on TV screens in mini bus taxis via “Commuter TV”.
Retro Afrika Bioscope 