The much-anticipated local horror satire film, Mlungi Wam, will be coming home this October. Fresh from its run at the Toronto International Film Festival. Mlungu will be screened in Cape Town from 20 October – Just in time for Halloween.
The film is an eerie psychological thriller about a single mother called Tsidi, who is forced to move in with her estranged mother Mavis, a live-in domestic worker caring obsessively for her catatonic white madam. And as Tsidi tries to heal her family, the sinister spectre of “Madam” begins to stir.
Director and Co-Producer Jenna Cato Bass said, “Watching a lot of horror movies, I was struck by how few films in the genre touch on the ordinary everyday horrors in our society. I’m referring to the horrors of poverty, disease, homelessness, landlessness, racism, disempowerment and oppression. The horror genre can be an immensely powerful tool for both social critique and thought-provoking entertainment.”
Co-Writer and Produce, Babalwa Baartman, said that the genre was chosen to highlight the ongoing inequality in South Africa and its impact on our family structures.
Baartman added, “The story follows Tsidi’s point of view and her conscious efforts at breaking cycles of generational traumas while carving a better future for her daughter, using the small amount of access that she has. Through all her efforts, Tsidi feels stuck, as though she is falling into the same cycle, despite her knowledge, consciousness and plan of action. Finding herself in a vulnerable situation, she is forced to tackle these issues head-on at the potential cost of her own mental health and survival.”
The film will be screened with a Cinewav viewing experience at various venues around Cape Town. The Cinewav app allows users to watch a film on a big screen while streaming the audio through their smartphones and headphones for the ultimate immersive sound. There will also be a night market, curated by Inxwala Slow Market and featuring small, black-owned businesses, before and after the screenings. Tickets are available on Webtickets.
Also Read:
WATCH: video of the Queen in Africa racks up millions of views
Picture: Supplied