UKZN Health Sciences Researchers Featured in Mental Health Documentary

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Mental illness is like any other illness. These were the words of audience members at a pre-screening of Journey to Recovery, a poignant documentary that explores the real-life journeys of Ms Fiona Pillay and Mr Christopher “Jomo” Mlambo.

Shot in Durban, Lindelani township, Ndwedwe and on UKZN’s Medical School campus, the documentary presents an intimate close-up of Pillay and Mlambo’s experiences as a snapshot of broader issues within South Africa’s mental healthcare system. The subjects and their families allowed themselves to be vulnerable after being approached by producer Mr Blessing Nemadziva who heard Pillay’s story at a wellness day event at the Durban University of Technology.

‘Her talk, though sad, was very fascinating for many reasons. First, I did not quite understand the bipolar condition. Then there was the issue of substance abuse among young people, and from the symptoms that Fiona had described, I felt it was extremely difficult to distinguish between someone suffering from the bipolar condition and someone under the influence of drugs,’ said Nemadziva.

‘Several weeks after the Wellness Fair, I found myself hunting for Fiona. I wanted answers. I wanted to know more about this sophisticated condition. Fiona was very kind to offer me an interview and I did a short video raising awareness about the condition among students.

‘At the height of the COVID-19 lockdowns, while aimlessly scanning through my computer files, I stumbled across that short video. Fiona’s journey was a story that just needed to be told. Six months into my research, I was amazed at what I had unearthed. It was no longer a story of Fiona’s journey. It became an extraordinary story at the intersections of science, culture, and spirituality. A truly African mental health story.’

And so, began his journey of documenting the struggles and triumphs of mental health conditions within South Africa’s complex sociocultural contexts. The production crew included Nemadziva (Producer/Director/Researcher), Mr Douglas Odoh (Director/Editor), Mr Thobani Maphumulo (Producer), Mr Thomas van der Spuy (Cinematographer/Camera), and Ms Linda Makhathini (Sound). UKZN’s Professor Bonga Chiliza (HoD Discipline of Psychiatry) made a significant contribution, providing expert commentary on a range of issues within South Africa’s mental healthcare system.

The production team paid tribute to other UKZN staff members who were key in the making of the film, including:

Dr Nondumiso Dlamini (HoD Discipline of Radiology)

Dr Zama Msibi (Discipline of Physiology)

Dr Avi Gobindlall (Discipline of Radiology)

Dr Lindokuhle Thela (Discipline of Psychiatry)

Mrs Yogavellie Govender (Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital (IALCH), Discipline of Radiology)

Ms Nuraan Mahomed (IALCH, Discipline of Radiology)

Ms Sthembile Jili (Discipline of Psychiatry)

Pillay said: ‘Given the stigma that surrounds mental health, especially bipolar mood disorder, I am hoping that this documentary is going to be one of hope for other sufferers. I want them to know that with lifestyle changes, the illness won’t be as bad.’

She advocated for identifying triggers, exercise, and healthy eating. ‘I realised that what I was putting into my brain was what I was going to get out during an episode,’ she said.

Neuroscientist in UKZN’s Department of Physiology Dr Zama Msibi commended the film as mental health often takes a backseat to other conditions. ‘We have made big strides with other conditions, but we are still lagging when it comes to mental health,’ she said.

Ms Hloniphiwe Mlambo (Jomo’s sister) implored government to be more active in addressing mental health challenges and expressed her appreciation to him and Pillay for sharing their stories and to the producers for giving them the opportunity to help overcome the stigma often associated with mental health illnesses.

Finishing touches including mastering of sound and colour correction are being added to the documentary which is expected to launch at some international film festivals later this year. The project was funded by the KZN Film Commission.

Words: Raylene Captain-Hasthibeer

Photographs: Supplied