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VANISHING ELEPHANT

HEAVEN REACHES DOWN TO EARTH

2020 | NARRATIVE | 10' | 4:3 / 2:35.1 | SESOTHO, ISIZULU & ENGLISH LANGUAGE | SUBTITLES: ENGLISH, FRENCH 

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LOGLINE

Tau, a Mountain. Tumelo, a Fire. They approach each other.

Narrated in vibrant, lyrical voiceover, the third film from director Tebogo Malebogo (Mthunzi, NYFF57) traces a transformative encounter between two friends, for whom a shared communion with the natural landscape catalyzes sensual and spiritual awakenings.

- New Directors/New Films


The LGBTQI+ community in all its forms stands tall in...Heaven Reaches Down to Earth by Tebogo Malebogo (South Africa) which takes a look at emerging queer currents on the African continent.

 - Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival


The film moves from contemplation to yearning to awakening. Fire isn’t meant to be put out, we hear. It spreads and claims more space, which is an important assertion for Black men in a country that often still doesn’t afford them just that.

 - Glasgow Short Film Festival

 Instead of defiance or confrontation with a heteronormative environment, we witness electrifying emotions wash over men that finally allow themselves to connect with each other and with themselves. We witness liberation.

- talking shorts

Beautiful and poetic, it's a wonderfully crafted tale, set in a glorious landscape against images of fire, friendship, and desire. The inner thoughts flow like water and sting like igniting sparks.

- Shelagh Rowan-Legg - Screen Anarchy

STATEMENT

We find HEAVEN REACHES DOWN TO EARTH at a crossroads of emerging stories: queerness in Africa, traditional expectations of men within those African cultures, and the isolation that many of us find ourselves currently dealing with. 

 

It is our hope that this film serves as a snapshot of a moment, in which Tau’s realization about their sexuality acts as an accelerant that sets Tumelo on his own journey. 

 

Reflection in isolation, concerning a space as highly contested as the black body. 

For screener requests, please reach out to Travelling Distribution (festival@travellingdistribution.com)

Screenings

2020

Reykjavik International Film Festival 17
Hamptons International Film Festival 28*
Festival du Nouveau Cinéma 49*
Chicago International Film Festival 56*
Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur 24*

2021

Flickerfest 30*
Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival 33*
Tampere Film Festival 51*
Glasgow Short Film Festival 14
Wicked Queer 37
OutShine Miami 23
New Directors New Films 50
La Fête Du Slip 9
Inside Out Festival 21
Frameline 45
Short Waves Festival 13
Provincetown Film Festival 23
Palm Springs ShortFest 27*
Damn These Heels 17

Film Fest Dresden 33
Pink Apple Film Festival 24
I+N FCQSFF 02
Galway Film Fleadh 33*
Durban International Film Festival 42
San Giò Verona Video Festival 27
BlackStar Film Festival 10*
São Paulo International Short Film Festival 32

Odense International Film Festival 46*
QueerX 6
Cinemancia Festival de Cine 7
Leiden Shorts 13
Cinema Queer in Sweden 2
DC Shorts 18
The Loudoun Arts Festival 2
Quibdó África Film Festival 4
Helsinki International Film Festival 34
Festival International du Court Métrage de Lille 21
Queer Lisboa 25

Oslo/Fusion 31
Tampa Bay Int’l Gay & Lesbian Film Festival 32




*Oscar Qualifying Festival



24 Sept - 04 Oct
09 - 14 Oct
07 - 31 Oct
14 - 25 Oct
3 - 8 Nov


 
22 - 31 Jan
29 Jan - 6 Feb
10 - 14 March
22 - 28 March
8 - 18 April
23 April - 2 May
28 April - 8 May
13 - 16 May
27 May - 6 June
10 - 27 June
14 - 20 June
16 - 25 June
22 - 28 June
9 - 18 July

13 - 18 July
14 July
15 - 18 July
20 - 25 July
22 July - 1 Aug
23 - 27 Aug
4 - 8 Aug
19 - 29 Aug

30 Aug - 5 Sept
1 Sept - 11 Oct
1 - 7 Sept
2 - 5 - Sept
4 - 10 Sept
9 - 19 Sept
10 - 19 Sept
14 - 18 Sept
16 - 29 Sept
17 - 26 Sept
17 - 25 Sept
1 - 10 Oct

1 - 10 Oct


 

Awards

CICLOPE Africa
           Best New Talent
Provincetown International Film Festival

            Best Queer Short Film
Leiden Shorts
            Best International Short Film

 

CREW

Executive Producers

Story

Director & Screenwriter

Producer

Cast

Narrator

1st AD

Production Assistant

Director of Photography

1st AC

2nd AC

3rd AC

Additional Camera

On-Set Sound

Art Direction

BTS Photographer

Editor

Sound Editing & Mixing

Scoring & Composition

Compositor

Colourist

Poster Design

Locations 

Ecologist

Casting

Zulu Translation

Gear

Insurance

Thanks

Petrus van Staden, Tebogo Malebogo

Tebogo Malebogo, Petrus Van Staden

Tebogo Malebogo

Petrus van Staden

Thapelo Maropefela

Sizo Mahlangu

Balindile ka Ngcobo

Nala Khumalo

Walter Mzengi

Hannah Innacio

Jason Prins

Mark Van Zyl

Emile van Straaten

Paul Wallington

Luis Trujillo Garrido, Caleb Willoughby

JD Degendaar

Ornella Steduto

Joshua La Grange

Petrus van Staden

Frank David

Elu Eboka, Evan Roth

Jean Redelinghuys

Fran Verveckken @ Priest Post

Aleksander Walijewski

Jackie Tranmere

Mark Wilmot

Disco Casting

Maqhawe Madonsela

Panavision

Panalux

Soundspeed

GIB Insurance

Van Staden Family

Moagi & Malebogo Family 

Cape Nature Reserve

Athi-Patra Ruga

Leila Walter

Christopher Lawrence

Pierre de Villiers

Nicholas and Phillip Doble

Wako Sefara

Holli Bennett

Ahmad Ksibi

Indra Crittin

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