Rights of Passage

Rights of Passage is an anthology of 8 short films linked by a thematic thread and African proverbs. Directed by first time filmmakers Ntombizodwa Magagula, Mapula Sibanda, Lerato Moloi, Valencia Joshua, Zandile Angeline Wardle, Tony  Miyambo, Rethabile Mothobi, Yashvir Bagwandeen, By way of information, Rights Of Passage, the Youth Filmmaker Projects 2014 film had a successful screening at the Durban International Film Festival where it was won the Production Merit Award..

Under the subtheme Love and Loss in the Time of Mandela, it is a fictional feature-film made by first-time young black filmmakers who were born around the time when Nelson Mandela became South Africa’s first democratically elected President and who entered young adulthood during the last years of Mandela’s remarkable life.

South African producers Natives at Large in association with Jungleworks partnered with the National Film and Video Foundation of South Africa  and the KZN Film Commission to give first time film graduates an opportunity to develop their short scripts. The producers wanted to create a platform for young filmmakers to produce quality films that meet both national and international criteria and standards.

Initially, fifteen (15) projects were selected for development, ranging from stories of sexuality, gender, domestic violence, a search for a missing father to freedom of expression. After a five months script development process, eight (8) scripts were short listed for production.

Under the guidance and mentorship of Bhekizizwe Peterson, Neville Josie and Ramadan Suleman, international partners (Jacques Bidou) and script consultant (Franz Rodenkirchen)developed the scripts which were then produced by Natives At Large and Jungle Work. Ramadan Suleman mentored the young directors to shoot and edit their films while the skilled Vuyani Sondlo supervised the young editors.

Rights of Passage portrays the search for love, belonging and healing amidst the rites and turmoil of everyday life. It offers a rare, honest, resilient and creative insight into the concerns and experiences of black youth in contemporary South Africa.