Themba

Themba is a young boy who dreams of playing soccer for Bafana Bafana, but his chances of success are slim. He is from the rural Eastern Cape, suffers abuse and has no one to parent him. He has his own personal Kilimanjaro to climb.

It’s the story of so many of our people but not necessarily one we want to face willingly or watch a movie about, which is why I’m not sure this film will be overly successful. If however you give it a chance and can endure some seriously heartbreaking scenes, you might just find yourself feeling uplifted. The film is well made and stars some of the freshest SA talent around. The incredibly talented songstress Simphiwe Dana makes a surprising debut, and her young co-star seems set to conquer the big screen in the future. I’m always for supporting local stories if simply to remind us that success can emerge from the most unexpected places.

Rating: 3.5 outta 5.