Private Project

FROM EXILE WITH LOVE

After an obscene break-up with her abusive partner, Bulelwa falls in love with Francis overnight, a political activist who deserts her for exile uninformed that she’s with child. She’s left with a lonely void, stuck with hope that her lover will return one day, only for him to return a dead man.

  • NDIYA NDIYA
    Director
    Letters of Hope, Surviving Gaza
  • NDIYATHEMBA MODIBEDI
    Writer
  • Boitumelo Modise
    Producer
    Matla
  • Ndiyathemba Modibedi
    Producer
    Letters of hope, Surviving Gaza
  • Tumelo Nkwanca
    Key Cast
    "Bulelwa"
    London Recruits, Congo Murders
  • Ndiyathemba Modibedi
    Key Cast
    "Francis"
    Judas Kiss
  • Menelisi Nkambule
    Key Cast
    "Winston"
    The Black Door
  • Sam Medupe
    Key Cast
    "Pastor Joseph"
    Ring of lies, Generations, London Recruits
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 10 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    November 1, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    26,511 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    South Africa
  • Country of Filming:
    South Africa
  • Language:
    Zulu
  • Shooting Format:
    HD
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - NDIYA NDIYA

NDIYA NDIYA, born Ndiyathemba Modibedi ka Tyombo, is an ingenious, vibrant filmmaker and seasoned actor. NDIYA was a finalist of the Netflix African Folktales Re-Imagined short film competition 2022. His professional film career kicks off in
2016 when he produced a short film called “Memeza” for Star Times channel, In the same year he was sent to Canada, Toronto by the NFVF to be an observing producer of the “Hot Docs” Canadian International Documentary Festival. Most recently in November 2021, a candidate representing South Africa at the 6th BRICS film festival in Goa, India through the NFVF. In 2017 he released his debut Directorial short film “SOL” which premiered at Rapid Lion International Film Festival and Cape Town International Film Festival & Market, including a selection for nomination at the SAFTAS and the Africa Movie Academy Awards in Nigeria (2018). He produced the award-winning feature film “Letters of Hope” for Trial by Media Films, available on Amazon prime (USA). A film that earned him a nomination for Best Producer at the 2020 Rapid Lion International Film Festival.

In 2021 he produced his 2nd feature film “Surviving Gaza” for eVOD. NDIYA is currently in post-production final stages of his 2nd directorial film “From exile with love” to premiere in festivals soon. His Filmography includes films like bioscope tv film"Hustlers"(2013), which he wrote, produced and Directed, as well as Directing a short Bio-documentary of legendary poet Mak Manaka titled "In time with Mak Manaka"(2016) available on Dogmative Network.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

From Exile with Love is nothing but a love story, set towards the end of Apartheid South Africa. In the film Love is being utilized as a symbol of hope, since hope was a mutual emotion at the time. Hope for a long awaited Freedom, hope for a better and happier nation. Films of this era in particular have always been biased to narratives of events that took place in the era if not about the struggle icons. However, I have chosen to tell a story of that era in this manner to give it a newer perspective. A perspective that looks into telling human stories with ordinary characters, with narratives that speak volumes. Stories that mainly focus on the human ordinary behaviour, consequences of choices taken and their ordinary challenges of the time. Sometimes not trying to be a struggle hero but to fall in love or be loved.

Love and hope are the common denominators of this visual narrative, carrying universal themes that make the film of relevance. South Africa needs such stories to be told to get a full perspective of who we are and how we’ve lived at the time and beyond. South Africa as a nation was very hopeful and agitated by the upcoming dawn that promised non-racial democratic elections, in the midst of that hope certain individuals were going through certain life threatening challenges as in this narrative. A fiction narrative that is influenced by the setting of the era seeks to tell a unique story of love forbidden but eventually reconciled.