'Bandleng Season 1.0' Shown At Maitisong

Sasa Majuma
Correspondent | Monday August 23, 2010 00:00

 

It was a gala premier open to the general public for free. It was graced by the presence of the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture, Samuel Outlule, who gave the keynote address.

 Outlule congratulated Johnson Otalaadisa and Tumelo Chaba who have been the driving force behind Bandleng. He expected that the new series would continue beyond the first one and be shown on a national TV channel. He trusted that the film would help 'encourage good social values'.

The crowd at Maitisong was entertained, starting at 6:35 pm, to a series of eight events leading up to the showing of the short-feature after 8 pm.  These various entertainments included the opening singing of a gospel choir and a prayer. Outlule was followed by the interpretation of a series of traditional songs and dances by Mafitlhakosi, including the popular Tsutsube and Phathisi. The Amalmandos, to This is Africa, preceded the guest speaker Taolo Moshaga. 

He said he's proud of Johnson Otalaadisa, 'He's not a Nigerian'. Soga followed this with a dance-drama Wake Up Africa; There is no drama in my house. The itch was that everyone should support the arts: dance, drama, crafts, pottery, basket making, poetry, all of it. Gauta from Dreihoek then recited a Tswana rapping poem. And finally the film.

Bandleng Season 1.0 is 22 minutes long. It is in Setswana and Kalanga with English subtitles. The message is, 'Botswana we have it'. The cast are all volunteers from Lobatse and Molepolole.

The lead is from Rakhuna, but because he is wanted, keeps saying he is from Jozi. The short film is intended to be the first in a TV series for Botswana Television (Btv). Some of the drama of what has been captured is shown in these three stills from shooting in Woodhall, Lobatse.

The official synopsis for Bandleng says, 'A young man in love, having nothing much to boast of but a woman who loves him unconditionally, an adorable son and the only place he ever owned is about to lose it. The challenge really is that, this home was built in a squatter area the authorities want to clear up.

In his interaction with his younger brother, girlfriend and two best friends we are treated to a riveting comedy and an interesting array of personalities. Straight up, clean, cutting edge, family fun!'

The cast includes: Mosquito (played by Thato Kgosidintsi, twice BOTA/DAC Drama Competition Best Actor Award winner 2008 and 2009); Malagase (acted by the promising Thabo Mompati); Ezi (Godiraone Mhula, a natural comedienne, actor and director, who started off with Reetsanang  and now has over 13 years experience); and LMS (Tlholego Chaba from Practitioners of African Theatre). The female lead is Shirley Phillips who plays Sharon in Bandleng.

The co-directors who also wrote the script are Johnson Otalaadisa and Tumelo Chaba. Johnson has been involved in theatre for the last 14 years when he was a student at Pitikwe JSS and went on to win the National Junior Schools Competition English Category 2nd Position Award Winning Drama. Awards continued at Lobatse Secondary School.

Then in 2002 he was involved in the radio serial drama Makgabaneng on RB 1 and RB2, a BOTUSA HIV/AIDS Awareness Production. Since then he has acted, directed and written scripts such as Pelo Robala, a 12-episode radio serial drama on HIV and AIDS on RB2 in 2006.

More recently he has been involved in television advertising and done various spots both for Mascom and Orange and worked for Lapologa Magazine. Tumelo Chaba, the co-director and writer in the new Bandleng series, has been involved in drama in Botswana over the past decade.