Local horror film “Mlungu Wam” will send chills down audiences' spines when it makes its debut in Cape Town and Joburg soon.
Still basking from its recent successful run at the Toronto International Film Festival 2022, “Mlungu Wam” will be screened in Mzansi from October 20.
This post-apartheid eerie psychological thriller follows Tsidi (Chumisa Cosa), a single mother who is forced to move in with her estranged mother Mavis (Nosipho Mtebe), a live-in domestic worker caring obsessively for her “catatonic white Madam”.
Still mourning the loss of her grandmother, Tsidi leaves her home in Gugulethu after an irreconcilable feud with her relatives.
With nowhere else to stay, Tsidi and her nine-year-old daughter Winnie (Kamvalethu Jonas Raziya) have no choice but to contact her estranged mother.
With Tsidi’s already fragile bond with Mavis on the brink of tearing, she looks to her grandmother’s spirit to help her uncover the dark truth about Madam’s horrifying heritage.
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.
Echoing Bass’ sentiments, film co-writer and producer Babalwa Baartman added that the team chose to use the genre to highlight the ongoing inequality in South Africa and the impact it has on our family structures.
“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,” says Baartman.
“Mlungu Wam“ will be screened at several venues around Cape Town from October 20.
This will run concurrently with the Joburg screening at The Bioscope Independent Cinema, Milpark Johannesburg.
The Joburg screenings are available for a limited period only. Dates and times are yet to be confirmed.