Just like the warm reception the movie Barakat received internationally, so too, did a local audience rave about it at its South African premiere on Tuesday April 6.
Barakat will be released at cinemas nationwide on Wednesday May 13 and Thursday May 14. It has already received multiple international awards, including one for Best Narrative at the 23rd Reel Sisters of the Diaspora Festival in America. It also bagged the Best International Feature Film, Best Ensemble Cast, Best Supporting Actor, Mary Austin Award for Excellence in Directing, and runner up for Best Original Score at the Idyllwild Film Festival in Los Angeles, America.
Vangate Mall hosted the premiere at Atlantic Studios in Montague Gardens on Tuesday, in the form of a drive-in event.
The film tells the story of an ageing matriarch, who aims to bring together her dysfunctional family at Eid-al-Fitr, as well as to break the news to her four sons about her new love – two years after her husband’s death. Barakat is written by Amy Jephta and Ephraim Gordon. Ms Jephta also directed the film and Mr Gordon produced it.
Said Mr Gordon: “We wanted a different perspective of how people of colour are usually portrayed in movies. We wanted to create a movie which focuses on family and we also wanted to make people laugh a little bit.”
Veteran actress Vinette Ebrahim, who plays the main character, Aisha, said the core message of the film, is that family is everything.
The four sons are played by Joey Rasdien, Mortimer Williams, Keeno-Lee Hector and Danny Ross. Other cast members include Quanita Adams, Bonnie Mbuli, Leslie Fong and June van Merch.