MTHUNZI

2019 | NARRATIVE | 9' | 4:3 | ENGLISH LANGUAGE | SUBSTITLES: ENGLISH / FRANÇAIS / ESPAÑOL / 中文

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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- 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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- 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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"...with involving performances, an efficient script and crisp, suspenseful direction, this short thriller is a promising first sign of a confident and socially conscious young talent." 

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- Le Cinéma Club (lecinemaclub.com)

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"A simple story to tell an everyday, but deeply powerful event, full of reflections on how everyday racism can be very internalized, which still prevents many people around the world from reacting to preconceived stereotypes about black people .. It also shows us very skilfully the complex social fabric of South Africa that is still pierced by Apartheid's inheritance."

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- Jury Statement, Best International Short Film, Quibdó African Film Festival

Selections

2019

Locarno Film Festival 72 *
Festival Internacional de Cine Rengo 15
New York Film Festival 57
MikroFAF International Festival 10
Thess International Short Film Festival 13
Chicago International Film Festival 55 *
Uppsala International Short Film Festival 38 *
ACT Shorts in the Museum
San Jose International Short Film Festival 11
Carthage Film Festival 30
Lobo Fest: Part 1 11
AFI Fest 33 *
Hainan Island International Film Festival 2
Bogoshorts 17 *
Tapiales International Film Festival 16
Lobo Fest: Part 2 11

2020

Arthouse Asia 4
Flickerfest 29 *
Le Cinéma Club
Minimalen Short Film Festival 32
Yountville International Short Film Festival 3
Santander Independent Film Festival 3
Carta Blanca: Felipe Montoya at Tabakalera
Palencia International Film Festival 29
Tampere Film Festival 50 *
SXSW 32 *
ImagineIndia 19
Ramsgate International Film Festival 4
Palm Springs International ShortFest 26 *
Seattle Black Film Festival 17
Gimli Film Festival 20
International Festival Signs of the Night 18
San Francisco Black Film Festival 22
Bengaluru International Short Film Festival 9 *
Black Community Foundation Nuremberg
Afrika Film Festival Köln 27
Silwerskermfees Webinar
Quibdó África Film Festival 3
Encounters Film Festival 25 *
Arizona International Film Festival 29
Drunken Film Fest Oakland
Shnit Film Festival 18
El Paso Film Festival 3
Adelaide Film Festival 7
Hollyshorts Film Festival 17*
Interfilm Berlin 36*
Uruguay International Film Festival 38
Griot Film Festival 
Russian Indie Film Festival 3

2021

Vilnius International Short Film Festival 14
Mecal Pro 23
Film O'Clock International Film Festival 1
Black Diaspora Short Film Festival
Borrego Springs Film Festival 6
Humans of Film 2

* Oscar Qualifying Film Festivals

Awards

AFI Fest 

            Special Jury Prize: Live Action Short Film

Carthage Film Festival

            Bronze Award : Best Short Film

Gimli Film Festival

            Best International Short Film Jury Prize

Quibdó África Film Festival

             Best International Short Film

Drunken Film Fest Oakland

             Best World Narrative

Russian Indie Film Festival 

             Best Editing

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

Press

Filmmaker's tale of racial encounter in SA suburbia makes its debut on world stage. [CAPE TOWN]

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The Relationship [LOCARNO]

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NYFF57 Special Events, Shorts, and Talks Announced [NEW YORK]

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Experimentation in NYC: NYFF Shorts 2019 [NEW YORK]

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Cine-File: 55th Chicago International Film Festival [CHICAGO]

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NYFF 2019: Yorgos Lanthimos Leads A Strong Sampling Of Shorts [NEW YORK]

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ACT Shorts in the Museum pairs South African short film, art and conversation [FORT COLLINS]

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ACT shorts shed light on cross-cultural connections [FORT COLLINS]

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AFI FEST 2019 Announces Audience and Jury Awards [LOS ANGELES]

AFI Fest Winners 2019 [LOS ANGELES]

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How the SA film ‘Mthunzi’ is making waves at various international film festivals [CAPE TOWN]

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FOCOS (FC) FELIPE MONTOYA SELECTION: "Provence" + "Mthunzi" + "Purpleboy" + [...] [SAN SEBASTIAN]

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ÁFRICA DO SUL É UMA DAS MOSTRAS DO FESTIVAL GRIOT [BRAZIL]

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Vivências negras no Brasil e no mundo são destacadas no Griot [BRAZIL]

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Review: Mthunzi (2019) [Lithuania]