Esteemed filmmaker and cultural producer Ntokozo Mlaba, whose artistic prowess has spanned the stage and screen, is set to ignite conversations with his latest cinematic offering, ‘The Passage’. The 12-minute social drama delves deep into the heart of township life, tackling issues of gender-based violence, toxic masculinity, and the choices that define young men growing up in environments fraught with danger and complexity.
Having collaborated with the creative minds behind the legendary South African series Yizo Yizo, including Angus Gibson, Mlaba’s work echoes the gritty, unfiltered lens that captured township realities in the late 1990s. But with The Passage, Mlaba dares to pose the question: What would Yizo Yizo look like today?
“The Passage is not just a film. It’s a mirror, a reckoning, and a call to action,” says Mlaba. “I wanted to confront the layered struggles of the hood, not from a voyeuristic perspective, but through the eyes of those who live it—particularly young men navigating the treacherous terrain of loyalty, survival, and morality.”
Set against the backdrop of a township brimming with both potential and peril, ‘The Passage’ tells the story of Bafana, a bright and ambitious 17-year-old, whose dreams of becoming a lawyer are overshadowed by his toxic loyalty to his best friend, Mrembula. When Mrembula, a street-smart manipulator with a dark agenda, rapes Bafana’s girlfriend, Dakalo, the plot takes a chilling turn. Mrembula blackmails Bafana into fabricating an alibi, forcing him to choose between his conscience and the oppressive code of brotherhood. This harrowing tale is the second installment in Mlaba’s trilogy exploring the harsh realities of township life. Drawing inspiration from films like Boyz N the Hood and Rashomon, Mlaba juxtaposes universal themes with deeply South African nuances, creating a narrative that is both culturally specific and globally resonant.
Ntokozo Mlaba is no stranger to storytelling. His 2022 film To Be Seen garnered accolades across the globe, including Best Narrative Short at the Blackboard International Film Festival and a Special Mention at the Eastern Europe FilmFestival. A graduate of the National School of the Arts, Mlaba’s career has taken him from acclaimed theatre stages to TV screens (Rhythm City, Generations: The Legacy), and now to the forefront of social impact filmmaking. Beyond the camera, Mlaba serves as the co-founder and managing director of Umphakathi Artists, a non-profit leveraging the arts to drive social change. His work as a “social artivist” positions him not only as a storyteller but as a change- maker committed to addressing societal challenges through his craft.
‘The Passage’ is set to premiere in December 2024 and promises to leave audiences grappling with its bold, unflinching portrayal of patriarchy and power dynamics. Performed in vernacular and tsotsi-taal, the film captures the raw authenticity of its world, speaking directly to both local audiences and a global community hungry for stories that matter.
In Mlaba’s words: “The township is a paradox—it breaks you down and builds you up. ‘Through The Passage,’ I hope to honour its complexity while shining a light on the issues we must confront to move forward as a society.”
Main Image: Supplied
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