A Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese-produced film that was shot in Lesotho titled ‘This Is Not a Burial, It’s a Resurrection’ which is a masterful tale of grief, belonging and defiance, will grace the South African cinemas from next month.
According to a statement released by the Mad moth communication about a week ago, the production will premier on the neighbouring country’s big screens from May 21.
“This Is Not A Burial, It’s A Resurrection, starring the late South African screen legend Mary Twala Mhlongo, opens in Cinemas across South Africa on May 21. It is the first film from Lesotho, made by a Mosotho filmmaker, to screen at an international festival.
“Directed by Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese, the film was viewed by critics as one of the best at this year’s Sundace Film Festival, where it premiered in January. It was also Lesotho’s first-ever submission to the Oscars and the Golden Globes,†the statement reads.
The film is centered on the life of an 80-year-old Mosotho matriarch ‘Mantoa, portrayed by the late South African legendary actress Mary Twala Mhlongo in a towering performance.
This is Mosese’s sixth film having produced Tears of Blood in 2007 which was a feature film. In 2008 he released Loss of Innocense which was a short film, as well as Mosonngoa, The Mocked One in 2014. He then produced another short film in 2016 titled Behemoth: Or the Game of God and he also delivered Mother, I Am Suffocating. This Is My Last Film About You is a 2019 production which depicts the scenario of personal experiences of the filmmaker after his departure from Lesotho and now residing in Germany.
Of all his films, it is safe to say that “This Is Not A Burial, It’s a Resurrection†is by far his most successful film.
The multi-award-winning film was released in 2019 and rose to fame when it premiered in Sundance Film Festival. It has won a number of international awards and so have some of its lead and supporting actors.
It won the Best Interpretation Award for Mary Twala Mhlongo at the Festival du Nouveau Cinema, Montreal, Canada and the Firebird Award for Best Actress.
The film also brought home the Firebird Award for Best Film and FIPRESCI Prize for Young Talent at the Hong Kong International Film Festival, Carmel Competition.
The acting in the film is exceptional with supporting roles of firebrand actors such as Makhaola Ndebele, Tseko Monaheng and Siphiwe Nzima-Ntšekhe giving their hearts out, which shows just how much talent there is in the Mountain Kingdom of Lesotho. It will be distributed in South Africa by the Indigenous Film Distribution.