VANISHING ELEPHANT

MTHUNZI

2019 | NARRATIVE | 9' | 4:3 | ENGLISH LANGUAGE | ENGLISH / FRENCH / SPANISH SUBTITLES

LOGLINE

LOGLINE

Mthunzi gets distracted on his way back from the store. 

Based on real facts and rooted in the current and past history of South Africa, Mthunzi is a movie under tension, both for the excellent performance of its actors and its impeccable image. Impressive by its strong subject matter − which resonates with our European reality − and important by its unstoppable effectiveness, Tebogo Malebogo’s first film undoubtedly reveals the talent of a promising filmmaker.

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- Charlotte Corchète, Head Shorts Programmer of Locarno Film Festival

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"While walking home from the store, a young man is prompted to help a seizing woman, and unknowingly demonstrates the danger of doing the right thing. Cape Town–based filmmaker Tebogo Malebogo’s briskly tense script and direction elevate Mthunzi from a simple morality tale into a nervous thriller about implicit biases in unfamiliar circumstances."

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- Tyler Williams, Head Shorts Programmer of New York Film Festival

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“Centered on a chance encounter, MTHUNZI gives an intimate and powerful glance into the intricacies of unconscious bias. Beautifully captured, grounded performances and daring choices on behalf of the filmmaker left the jury stirred by this gentle narrative.”

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- Jury Statement, Special Jury Award (Live Action) at the 33rd AFI Fest 

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Awards

2019

AFI Fest 

            Special Jury Prize: Live Action Short Film

Carthage Film Festival

            Bronze Award : Best Short Film

Queen Palms International Film Festival

Silver Award : Best Short Film - Social Awareness

Nominated    : Best Actor - Nala Khumalo

European Cinematography Awards

Best Short Cinematography (Sept '19): Pierre De Villiers

Crew

Executive Producers

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Writer & Director

Producer

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Cast

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Co-Producer

1st AD

Production Assistants

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Director of Photography

1st AC

2nd AC

3rd AC

Loader

Gaffer

Grip

DIT

Script Supervisors

On-Set Sound

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Art Director

Art Dept. Assistant

Make-up

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BTS Photographer

Poster Design

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Editor

Composer

Sound Editors/Mixers

Grade

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Special Thanks

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Tebogo Malebogo, Petrus van Staden

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Tebogo Malebogo

Petrus van Staden

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Nala Khumalo

Jamie-Lee Money

Inge Beckmann

Russell Crous

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Jamie Petersen

Walter Mzengi

Hannah Innacio, Suné Burger

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Pierre De Villiers

Fuad Casker

Alexandre Ortscheit

Nicolas Faure

Chantelle Potgieter

Warrick le Sueur

Justin Vallay

Emile van Straaten

Adam Hansen, Amy Stohrer

Ruan Pienaar, Juandré Viljoen

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Lara Hattingh

Danielle Erlank

Hiroshi Adaniya, Sune Burger, 

Hannah Inacio

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Gabriella Achadinha

Matthew Bradley

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Petrus van Staden

Elu Eboka

Edward King, Greg Albert, Alex Smillie

Franscesca Verveckken at Priest Post

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Panavision

Panalux

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