This August there are three local releases making their way to the big screen.
The golden thread running through all three films is hope. Hope for love, hope for salvation and hope for freedom.
The first is a powerful prison drama, 'Asinamali (Music Set Them Free)', which will release on 03 August 2018.
' Asinamali (Music Set Them Free) ', is a musical drama film produced by Darrell Roodt and directed by world-renowned playwright, producer, and theatre master, Mbongeni Ngema.
The film is based on one of South Africa’s greatest classic theatre productions, 'Asinamali'. The film takes place 10 years after freedom fighter Msizi Dube led residents of Lamontville Township that were protesting proposed rent increases. The crowds led with the cry of 'Asinamali '– “we have no money”. Dube was later gunned down.
The story revolves around a group of inmates that are asked to create and perform a stage play for the governor and his associates for a celebration at the prison. Ngema plays Comrade Washington, who returns to South Africa in 1986 to create a prison theatre project.
Washington believes in the power of music and theatre to transform the lives of people. He guides the inmates, silenced by the brutal prison authorities.
The film features an all-South African cast performing a 60% Zulu language script.
This is followed by the release of ' Stroomop' on 09 August 2018.
This adventure drama releases on Women’s Day, which is perfect timing to celebrate the strength of the women in South Africa.
The film tells the story of five women on a journey of self-discovery, forgiveness, acceptance, healing and friendship.
Donnalee Roberts stars as Dr Lana Marais, who faces a challenge in her career.
Roberts is known for her roles in Road to your Heart (2014) and Vir Altyd (2016). All the women are struggling with different problems and must find a way to overcome their obstacles. They decide to take part in a white-water trip down the Orange River.
But tragedy strikes, and they lose their guide while traversing the raging river. They must fend for themselves, face their fears and find the strength to carry on in the face of doom. As the time goes on, they find commonality in their struggles and realise that they are more alike than they had thought.
The film also stars Simoné Nortmann; Chanelle de Jager; Ilse Klink; Carla Classen and Armand Aucamp
Closing off the month of August, movie-goers can look forward to the hilarious film, Looking For Love, which releases on 31 August 2018.
So, if you love comedy, 'Looking for Love' will deliver funny moments with local flavour.
The film follows the adventures of a 38-year-old single, Zulu woman, Buyi, whose family thinks she has no direction in life and is wasting her life away in meaningless jobs.
To prove that her existence isn’t meaningless, she goes on a desperate search to find Mr Right in Johannesburg.
Buyi must find Mr Right before she turns 40 and she meets the good, the bad and the weird on her quest.
The film’s heavyweight cast including Celeste Ntuli, Phindile Gwala and Trevor Gumbi.