Local documentary receives international acclaim
The local documentary Mother City premiered internationally in England, focusing on the politics of urbanism.
Mother City, the South African documentary that delves into the politics of urbanism, premiered internationally at the Sheffield International Documentary Festival in England.
Local and international acclaim
The local documentary premiered at the Encounters 2024 South African International Documentary Film Festival in June. Since then, it has attracted a lot of interest from viewers and film festivals. This is from South Africans and also people around the world.
According to capetownetc, impact filmmaker Miki Redelinghuys and veteran investigative journalist Pearlie Joubert directed and produced the film with feature-producer Kethiwe Ngcobo.
The London Renters Union, a campaigning organisation with branches throughout the UK, requested a special screening of the film at the end of August. This is another indication of the documentary’s success overseas.
What is this local documentary about?
The film explores problems related to housing and land. It aims to spark conversations about these topics in the hope that these will be addressed. Markedly, many people who have seen Mother City praise it for its emotional and relatable depiction of city politics.
The film chronicles six years of efforts by the Reclaim the City movement. It shows the movement’s efforts to convert two abandoned state-owned buildings in Cape Town into homes for over 1 000 people.
The two buildings featured are the Woodstock Hospital and Helen Bowden Nurses Home. The abandoned Helen Bowden Nurses Home is located directly across from Cape Town’s Waterfront.
According to Mpho Raboeane, the acting director of Ndifuna Ukwazi, they have been trying to address the situation of individuals occupying the Helen Bowden Nurses Home since 2017. Ndifuna Ukwazi is a non-profit activist organisation in Cape Town that advocates for access to well-located land. It also advocates for affordable housing for poor and working class families, communities, and social movements.
“This is a classic David versus Goliath struggle, where activists challenge the powerful forces of politics and property.”
Pearlie Joubert
Joubert added that ‘it has touched a nerve wherever we have screened the film and resonates deeply with audiences worldwide. This is not just a South African problem’.
Where can you watch Mother City?
The Labia Theatre in Cape Town will show the local documentary from Friday 13 September to Thursday 19 September 2024.
Additionally, the documentary will be screened internationally in Sheffield, London, Namibia, Köln in Germany, Switzerland, and the USA over the next four months.