Terry Pheto's movie wins an LA Film Festival Award

Johannesburg - Terry Pheto's latest film, Ayanda and the Mechanic, has won big at the LA Film Festival this week.

Terry and her team, which includes her bestie Mampho Brescia, have spent the last week in America at the LA Film Festival. And besides having loads of fun and making an impact with audiences (including famous director Alesia Weston), it seems like the film is doing super well with the festival's critics.

Terry took to social media on Friday morning to announce that the film, which she produced, has been honoured by the festival with The Special Jury Prize. 

Message from the #LAFilmFest2015 jury "Jury Prize goes to a film that is? ?entertaining, ambitious and poignant?. Andannounces a fresh and original voice in World Fiction ?Cinema. The director deftly uses animation and reportage to move through a very human and socially significant story. ?The array of contemporary issues; multiculturalism, xenophobia and gender? - are? all dealt with subtly, allowing ?the audienceto take things in at our own pace. This film also offers insight to a part of South Africa rarely seen ?by the western world. A middle class family trying to make sense of secrets, love, pain and life, without making apologies for the characters and their situations. ?Through this honest story of a woman, her mission and the people in her life, ?we're left with a healing quality ?of the film's authenticity. The performances are very strong, led by the wonderful Fulu Moguvhani in the ?title ?role. Vibrant and full of energy, the film springs off the screen as the use of color and the streets of South Africa become an integral character of this story.? The Special Jury Prize goes to "Ayanda and the Mechanic" by Sara Blecher.? #AyandaMovie #LeadingLadyProductions

A photo posted by Terry Pheto (@terrypheto) on Jun 18, 2015 at 11:51am PDT

The news was greeted by messages of congratulations from friends and fans across the world, who paid tribute to Terry and her team.

Congrats, guys! Way to fly the SA flag high.

Bonus: Terry and the team take LA in 4 pics

Me and the ladies in LA. Mama I made it, I'm on a trip with 5 beautiful, talented and hard working ladies! #AyandaMovie #LAFilmFest2015 #Hollywoodproblems #thugthespian

A photo posted by Thomas Gumede (@thomasgumede) on Jun 14, 2015 at 3:09am PDT

Taking stories from our streets to the World! #AyandaMovie #NFVF #LeadingLadyProductions #TerryInLA #FuluInLA #LAFilmFest2015

A photo posted by Terry Pheto (@terrypheto) on Jun 12, 2015 at 4:33pm PDT

LA Nights. Dress by @gertjohancoetzee and hair by @indiquesa styled by @lajawihair ?????? #TerryInLA #AyandaMovie #LAFF #LAFilmFest2015 #LeadingLadyProductions

A photo posted by Terry Pheto (@terrypheto) on Jun 17, 2015 at 8:18pm PDT

Because we can. #mamphoinLa #ayandamovie #fuluinLa #bellainLA #terryinLa #leadingladyproductions

A photo posted by MamphoBrescia Art-Beauty-Life (@mamphob) on Jun 17, 2015 at 10:05am PDT