Queen of Calypso wins role in Xhosa love-tragedy movie

08 May 2016 - 02:00 By SUE DE GROOT
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now
Alison Hinds plays a mom in a Xhosa movie
Alison Hinds plays a mom in a Xhosa movie
Image: WIREIMAGE

Soul of Calypso, commonly known as Soca, might not be as big a musical genre as hip-hop in South Africa, but that could change when the first film co-produced between South Africa and Barbados hits local cinemas.

Ernest Nkosi, whose film Thina Sobabili was South Africa's entry for the foreign-film Oscar last year, has announced that Caribbean singer and actress Alison Hinds, also known as the Queen of Soca, will appear in his new film, Umthetho Ngumthetho: The Law is the Law.

This will be filmed partly in South Africa and partly in Barbados.

story_article_left1

Originally a cross-cultural love story between South Africans from different backgrounds, the idea for the co-production hatched when Nkosi, Thato Dhladla and Enos Manthata - partners in the independent Monarchy film group - were invited to show Thina Sobabili at the 2015 Barbados International Film Festival.

"The audience loved the film so much, and we met various people who said, 'Let's do a film together,'" said Nkosi. "The Barbados government got on board because they would like to build diplomatic ties with South Africa, plus it will create jobs and boost tourism to both countries, so we adapted the script to be the story of a young Xhosa man who has to marry his brother's widow but then falls in love with a girl from Barbados."

Nkosi, Dhladla and Manthata are still seeking funding for the South African side of the production, however. "We went to the National Film and Video Foundation and they told us to come back next year. But the Barbados side is set to go and we want to start filming in July."

Hinds, who will play the mother of the girl at the centre of the love story, met the three filmmakers at the Barbados Film and Video awards last year, where she won best supporting actress for her part in a film called Two Smart.

"I didn't know it at the time but the guys apparently were impressed by what they saw of me in the clip from the film that was shown at the awards," said Hinds, who has performed with Shaggy, Richie Spice and Jah Cure.

mini_story_image_hright1

"In February I received a call from Enos. He told me they had written another movie and had written a part for me and would I be interested ... of course my answer was yes!"

Soca is a fusion of Afro- and Indo-Caribbean musical influences that originated in Trinidad, and Hinds is its crowned monarch. She hopes to have the same impact in her new career as an actress.

She said she was impressed by the script. "It's a story to which anyone and everyone will be able to relate.

"I play the mother of the principal female character and I hope to bring believability to this role. I don't want the audience to see the 'Soca Queen' but the character ...

"This film is an opportunity for Barbados and South Africa to learn about each other culturally, musically, spiritually, even politically.

"I hope the audience will leave with some understanding of why people sometimes do the things they do ... I hope this movie makes people stop and think."

subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now