9 May, 2019 - 08:02
A documentary celebrating 60 years since the founding of Gugulethu has received a thumbs up at this years Focal International Awards. Nominated for the best use of footage in a short film, the 17-minute documentary, Gugulethu 60, will know if it has won at a ceremony to be held next month at Troxy in Stepney, London. By MTHUTHUZELI NTSEKU
Project director, Phumzile Nteyi, said: This is remarkable as it simply says that the story of Gugulethu township will be mentioned on an international stage.
This in return will change the negative perceptions about townships as places for crime and many other social ills that are always portrayed by the media in general. It is time that Gugulethu reclaim its pride as it is the second oldest township in Cape Town.
Commissioned by the Museum Service of the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport to celebrate Gugulethus 60th anniversary, Plexus Films director and producer, Lauren Groenewald said the brief of the film was to portray the Struggle history of the township as well as current-day perspectives.
The documentary juxtaposes archive with contemporary material to show how the past and the present are inseparable, she said.
The documentary follows a linear journey and starts in 1958 when the first two families from Windermere were forcefully moved to Gugulethu, then known as Nyanga West.
It tracks a political timeline with major events of forced removals in 1958, students uprising in 1976 and political consciousness in the Black Consciousness Movement, 1980s political unrest and brutal police action, Gugulethu 7 and other political events, 1990s dawn of democracy and the killing of Amy Biehl, 1994 democracy and development in Gugulethu.
It features the story of Dr Sindiwe Magona, who grew up in Gugulethu, Geoffrey Mamputa, a social activist, Peter Motale, a businessman, Patrick Duze, a former Umkhonto we Sizwe veteran, Thembele Dick, a film-maker, Malusi Malefane, a designer and Thuleka Duze, a businesswoman.
When people think of Gugulethu, they think about the killing of the Gugulethu Seven in the 80s or they think about the murder of Amy Biehl. Gugulethus history holds much more than these two tragedies, said Geoff Mamputa, a Gugulethu resident and social activist.
One of the most exciting parts of the research was the archive and we ceremoniously acknowledge the archive agencies for their support.
The African News Agency (ANA) and the Independent Media Library at UCT, The Community Video Education Trust and the University of the Western Cape, Robben Island Museum, Mayibuye Archives as well as UCT Libraries Special Collections and the Black Sash Cape Western Archive, played a crucial role in the production of this doccie, she said.
To Groenewald winning this coveted award would mean that new voices are being heard and celebrated.
www.iol.co.za
Documentaries
Africa South Africa
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
05/06/2026
MRI-Simmons and S&P Global Mobility are expanding advanced audience capabilities...
05/06/2026
New Nielsen data shows insurance ad spend grew 11%, while consumers remain highl...
05/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/06/2026
ASG Promotes Joe Marchitto to Western Regional CTO
Brie Clayton June 5, 2026
0 Comments
Appointment to Support Engineering Alignment and Client Experi...
05/06/2026
Stargate Studios Colombia Uses DaVinci Resolve Studio for Vertical Microdramas
Brie Clayton June 5, 2026
0 Comments
End to end post in one platform al...
05/06/2026
People Need to Come First When We Use AI
Andy Marken June 5, 2026
0 Comments
It's just surviving. Life's very existence requires destruction....
05/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/06/2026
Frequency, the engine powering many of the world's leading streaming television channels, today announced the launch of In-Scene Advertising, a new monetiza...
05/06/2026
Berklee Study Reveals Video Has Become Essential to Music Careers Survey findings show social platforms have become the primary source of music for video cont...
05/06/2026
RT Radio 1 Folk Awards to take place on Tuesday 10th November 2026, Vicar Street, Dublin
Moya Brennan, D nal Lunny, Mary Black and Christy Moore among previou...
04/06/2026
Sony Electronics is introducing the SRG-AS10, a 4K 60p-compatible PTZ auto-frami...
04/06/2026
This recent grad from Spring, TX, led creative-video output for the Aggies' men's basketball team last season and has been producing video and creating ...
04/06/2026
For the first time at a women's golf major, every player in the field will r...
04/06/2026
Three Panasonic PT-RQ45 40,000-lumen 3-Chip DLP projectors made their first live...
04/06/2026
Bitmovin and Akamai have announced a collaboration with NRJ Group, a French mult...
04/06/2026
Telestream will exhibit at InfoComm 2026 (Booth N7952), demonstrating media work...
04/06/2026
Sony has announced the development of RIALTO 65, a 65mm format image sensor block for the VENICE 2 digital cinema camera, targeting release in the first half of...
04/06/2026
KOKUSAI DENKI Electric America will exhibit at InfoComm 2026 (Booth N8025, June ...
04/06/2026
Bell Media's TSN and RDS are the exclusive Canadian broadcasters of FIFA Wor...
04/06/2026
The Challenge: Receiving Heavy Media Files From Road Games Quickly and ReliablyT...
04/06/2026
MASV, a managed file transfer platform used in broadcast and live sports product...
04/06/2026
NESN has announced the appointment of Fahad Haider as Vice President of Operations and Engineering. Haider returns to NESN, where he previously served as Vice P...
04/06/2026
David J. Halberstam, who spent almost 50 years in sports as a broadcaster and an executive, died June 2 after a years-long battle with brain cancer.
Over his l...
04/06/2026
Although collegiate production programs are tasked with delivering high-quality ...
04/06/2026
California studio, two production trucks, global distribution system are combine...
04/06/2026
New global program empowers and supports storytellers through scriptwriting course and access to industry experts
TikTok and Sundance Institute today announce...
04/06/2026
Steinberg DAWs now boast in-depth Tonalic integration
Celemony's innovative virtual session musician plug-in has just received an update that brings ARA...
04/06/2026
Get Hands-On With Over 20 Mic Brands
GearExpo UK is fast approaching, and if you've been looking for a chance to check out some new mics, then you'r...
04/06/2026
Combos feature new Amplifier Intelligence engine
Positive Grid's latest release sees the company introduce two new combo amplifiers that promise to offe...
04/06/2026
Is Your Job Making You Work this June?
4 June, 2026
Media releases
SBS Launches the World Cup Watchers' Rights Association to Stand Up For Australians&...
04/06/2026
Statement regarding unauthorised use of SBS logos on third party social content
4 June, 2026
Media releases
SBS has become aware of social media posts in c...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Bitmovin, a leading provider of video streaming infrastructure, and Akamai, the cybersecurity and cloud computing company that powers and protects business onli...
04/06/2026
American Underground (AU), the Startup Hub of the South and a community of mor...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
9 May, 2019 - 08:02 
