……Gives huge platform to Eswatini culture
BY DELISA THWALA
MBABANE– A liSwati-born SAFTA-winning filmmaker and a multi-degree earner, Sihle Hlophe found, herself on the top of the Twitter trending list after her much-anticipated documentary, ‘Lobola, A Bride’s True Price’ debuted yesterday on SABC 1.
The documentary is shot in Eswatini and most of it is filmed in the country where Hlophe takes people through her own lobola journey and the coming together of two families.
Some parts shot in South Africa show Hlophe embracing and learning other cultures when bringing two families together.
In an interview with SABC, Hlophe said ‘Lobola, A Bride’s True Price’ she was turning the camera on herself, and sharing her journey to becoming a married woman.
“I am a proclaimed feminist and someone who is both ‘Westernised’ yet deeply rooted in African identity. Through this unique perspective, I will be unpacking the notion of bride price in a way that can only be done by someone with extremely close proximity to the subject matter,” she had said.
The part one of the documentary that was screened yesterday was well received by locals and international viewers. A number of people took to their social media platforms to congratulate Hlophe on a well put piece of work.
The documentary has been praised for how it navigates numerous ethical and cultural landmines, challenging feminist beliefs about marriage as well as Hlophe’s identity as a South African woman of Bantu descent.
According to the internet, Hlophe finishing her Master’s Degree under very trying circumstances and writing and directing two SiSwati films made her an advocate of minority languages.
Hlophe was also one of the fellows chosen by The Institute for Creative Arts (ICA) for 2016.
The opportunity is awarded to creative thinkers and doers in diverse disciplines.
An ICA fellowship encourages collaborative dialogue around issues of urbanism, community, historical legacy and the postcolonial imaginary.
Sihle Hlophe is also a SAFTA-winning filmmaker and a multi-degree earner. Over the last 13 years, her work has been recognised with a number of accolades including an Africa Movie Academy Award nomination for the Best Documentary film.
Hlophe is an alumnus of the prestigious IDF Academy (the Netherlands), the North-South-South Student Exchange Program (Finland) and the Hot Docs Blue Ice Group Story Lab (Canada).
Hlophe’s latest documentary film, ‘Lindela Under Lockdown’ (2020), was the winner of the Best Documentary Award at the Cameroon International Film Festival 2021 and it was also nominated for the Best Documentary Award at the Africa Movie Academy Awards 2021.
She also directed a feature-length Showmax Original film titled ‘Pearls of Wisdom’.
Hlophe is also the director of ‘African Dreams’, a 13 part mock-series premiered on SABC 1 in October 2021 The film maker has also written and directed two award-winning narrative short films that have been screened at over 40 film festivals around the world.
