Ndumiso Mlilo.
The film directed by a South African based Zimbabwean has been selected to be premiered in New York’s Socially Relevant Film Festival and Singapore World International Film Festival.
Johannesburg. (News Of The South) – The documentary will be premiered in New York in March 14-21, 2016 as a ‘surprise’ film. The film is directed by a Zimbabwean, Davison Mudzingwa, producers Francis Yanniqc Hweshe and MeSun Barnett and a cinematographer Themba Vilakazi. Mudzingwa told News of the South that he is on cloud nine to see that their film is getting recognition.
He said, “It’s an honour and we are humbled that for our film has been singled out among many great films and the festival organisers saw it fit that it deserves such attention. I am glad to have had this opportunity to work on a film that contributes to a body of knowledge in the world.”
“The documentary titled Lost Tongue highlights the Khomani San language in the Kalahari Desert which is facing extinction. It is about a young Khomani San lady, Helena Steenkamp who is battling to preserve her N!uu language. Mudzingwa stated that they hope the film will go places because of its theme. He also said, “We are aiming that the film should travel to other territories, festivals and platforms across the world.
“The film holds a universal theme of identity and culture that any person can identify and relate to. N!uu facing extinction. Only three elders who can speak this language are left. The issue transcends above language. It is about identity and culture. In that regard I think they saw the relevance of this film to be showcased at such a prestigious festival.”
The film will also be beamed at the Singapore World International Film Festival. As part of this, the documentary will be shown in Los Angeles in April 2016. Mudzingwa stated that there is an urgent need to attend to the San language in the Kalahari Desert with only three elders left with the youngest aged 80 years. The Zimbabwean who calls himself a global citizen said, “We were selected from many applicants and we are happy about this. It’s like a vote of confidence for us.
What’s more significant about these festivals is that the film will convey the urgent problem the Khomani San are facing and the world will rally together to assist through a Lost Tongue legacy project that we initiated.”
He has also done some films in Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland and South Africa. The journalist cum filmmaker also said he would want to work with many people in the world and tell stories of different people. Mudzingwa said his aim is to make the world a better place for humanity and his films attempts to do that.
Mudzingwa stated that, UNESCO has projected that of the more than 60 000 languages spoken across the world now, half of them would have disappeared, in the next 100 years. He stated that the world should act against this chilling reality to save the dying cultures and languages.
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