06 July 2016 Volume :4 Issue :30

DIFF Features Kalushi

Kalushi stars (from left) Thabo Rametsi as Kalushi; Gcina Mhlope as his mother, Martha Mahlangu; and Pearl Sithole, who played the role of Kalushi’s girlfriend, Brenda.

Forty years after the Soweto uprising in June 1976, Kalushi - the story of freedom fighter Solomon Kalushi Mahlangu - featured at the 37^th Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) hosted by the Centre for Creative Arts in UKZN’s College of Humanities.

Directed by Mandla Dube, the film chronicles the life of Mahlangu, convincingly played by Thabo Rametsi, giving theatre-goers a glimpse into the life of one of South Africa’s renowned fallen heroes.

The film is beautifully shot and deals with the political development of Kalushi, from his school days to being a fruit and vegetable hawker to a member of Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), the military wing of the African National Congress.

After undergoing training in Angola and Mozambique, Kalushi was sentenced by an apartheid Law Court to death by hanging under the “sharing the common purpose” law after one of his comrades shot and killed two people in Johannesburg’s CBD area 35 years ago.

A plaque marks his burial site, inscribed with the last words he spoke: ‘My blood will nourish the tree that will bear the fruits of freedom. Tell my people that I love them. They must continue the fight.’

The film depicts not only Kalushi’s role in the country’s liberation, but his romantic relationship with Brenda, played by model, radio and TV personality, and soap opera actress, Pearl Thusi.

Script writers included light-hearted moments interspersed with the brutality of the apartheid government, highlighting the hardships endured by those in exile and during the struggle for freedom.

The biopic, which took an epic nine years to complete, was written and produced by award-winning Cinematographer and Director, Mandla Dube, with Leon Otto. The cast includes Gcina Mhlope, Thabo Malema, Welile Nzuza, Luw Venter and Marcel van Heerden.

Said Dube: ‘We see an ordinary young man who somehow becomes a political icon transforming from an average hawker to a human rights legend.’

Kalushi opens in South African cinemas on 16 September, 2016. See it if you have an interest in the history of our country, or if you just enjoy good cinematography.

For more information go to www.durbanfilmfestival.co.za. #DIFF2016  @DIFFest

Raylene Captain-Hasthibeer

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