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Cannes - As this year’s Cannes Film Festival in France shines a spotlight on women in the film industry, a trio of South African female film makers is looking to make a solid impression at the world’s most popular film fest.
Terry Pheto has gone behind the scenes in her first role as producer – for the film Ayanda, a coming-of-age story that will be screened at the market portion of Cannes. Directed by Sara Blecher, who made Otelo Burning and Bay of Plenty, it stars Fulu Mugovhani, who is making the leap from TV to film in her debut movie role.
Pheto was originally going to act in the film, which centres on a 20-something who comes to terms with a major loss in her life when she takes over a family business. She chuckled and said: “I can’t play a 21-year-old any more.”
There was another role in the production that was meant for the actress, but after various rewrites, it was taken out of the script.
“I just loved the story so much,” she said, after arriving in the south of France on Friday morning. “I love how inspiring the character of Ayanda is, and I wanted to still be a part of the production, even if I wasn’t acting in it. As a young woman who’s entrepreneurial, and trying to build my film business, I’m so inspired by the character of Ayanda.”
So instead of being a leading lady in front of the camera, Pheto became one behind it. In her first role as producer since launching her Leading Lady production company last year, Pheto helped with the film’s financing. Not only is it her first film as a producer, but it’s also her first time as a casting agent.
“It wasn’t planned from the start,” she said. “But because we were so close to the story, it was easy to say who would be good for the roles. I saw some amazing talent and, as an actress, I empathised with them.”
Pheto said they knew straight away from Mugovhani’s audition that the Scandal actress would be right for the part.
“This person carries the whole film,” Pheto said. “We needed an intelligent and strong actress.
“Most actresses in their twenties are affected by everything else around them. To find someone as raw as Fulu, who isn’t, is very rare.”
Pheto said Mugovhani came in after a long day of auditions. “When she walked in, we thought she would be auditioning for the part of the 12-year-old character. She looked so young.”
Pheto and Blecher knew they wanted her and even juggled the shooting schedule to accommodate her work on the popular e.tv soapie.
The film will screen at the market today, and Pheto hopes it will open doors not just for her career as a producer, but for Mugovhani’s film career too.
“It’s a universal story. It may be set in Yeoville, but it’s a universal story, and it can travel to the rest of the world.”
Setting the film in Yeoville was a tribute to the suburb’s melting pot of African identities. “It’s kind of like New York in Sex and the City,” said Pheto.
“We want people to see South Africa in a different way.
“There’s a lot of negativity at the moment, especially with the xenophobic violence that has taken place in our country.”
Check out Terry in Cannes!
