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Sawubona

Mbali, a charming and adventurous 7 year-old South African, defies the norm by making a new friend; thus sparking a journey of transformation.

  • Lungelo Kuzwayo
    Director
  • Lungelo Kuzwayo
    Writer
  • Miklas Manneke
    Writer
  • Wanda Sondiyazi
    Producer
  • McKenzie Franklin
    Key Cast
  • Cole Kariazakos
    Key Cast
  • Susan Myburgh
    Key Cast
  • Joette Waters
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Coming of Age/Social Issue Drama
  • Runtime:
    10 minutes 18 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    August 1, 2015
  • Production Budget:
    7,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    South Africa
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    Afrikaans, English
  • Shooting Format:
    Red
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes
  • Kleinkaap Short Film Festival
    Pretoria
    South Africa
    July 28, 2017
    World Premiere
  • AFC (Asian Film Center) Global Fest
    Kolkata
    India
    November 10, 2017
    Best International Short Film
  • SVAFF (Silicon Valley African Film Festival)
    San Jose
    United States
    September 29, 2017
    North American Premiere
    Honorable Mention for "Best Short Film"
  • BAICFF (Bay Area International Children's Film Festival)
    Berkeley
    United States
    February 23, 2018
  • AFRIFF (African International Film Festival)
    Lagos
    Nigeria
    October 29, 2017
    Semi-finalist for "Best Short Film"
  • Popoli e Religioni - Terni Film Festival
    Terni
    Italy
    November 11, 2017
  • Roma Cinema DOC
    Rome
    Italy
    November 5, 2017
  • Kasi Vibe Film Festival
    Johannesburg
    South Africa
    December 1, 2017
    Best Short Film
  • MedFF
    Siracusa
    Italy
    October 31, 2017
    Italian Premiere
  • Joziwood - Perth South African Film Festival
    Perth
    Australia
    November 17, 2017
    Australian Premiere
  • Brattleboro Film Festival
    Brattleboro
    United States
    November 3, 2017
  • Marano Ragazzi Spot Festival
    Naples
    Italy
    November 27, 2017
  • Los Angeles CineFest
    Los Angeles
    United States
    Semi-Finalist for screening (On-line film festival)
Director Biography - Lungelo Kuzwayo

Lungelo currently resides in Johannesburg, South Africa where he is a freelance writer/director who also teaches directing in South Africa's leading film school: AFDA. He has directed 8 short narrative films, 2 short documentary films and a multi-camera TV music program. Lungelo won the "Best Director" award at the Johannesburg 48-hour Film Festival in 2016. He has also worked as a production assistant for an Emmy Award Winning documentary about Chicago called "Dusable to Obama: Chicago's Black Metropolis" and a National Geographic documentary about New Orleans’ greatest flood called “Inside Hurricane Katrina.”

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Director Statement

Lungelo is a South African writer/director who believes nothing moves people more than a good story. Lungelo wants to share stories that contextualize and challenge simplistic narratives of a complex world. As the gifted Nigerian author Chimamanda Adichie said: "Stories matter, many stories matter. Stories have been used to dispossess and to malign, but stories can also be used to empower and to humanize."