SA & US filmmakers bridge cultural divide — in a romcom soon to hit our screens

'Love by Chance'‚ a romantic comedy‚ combines South African and American talent.

Altovise Lawrence‚ winner of the first season of Top Actor South Africa‚ stars as leading lady‚ Bailey. Starring alongside Lawrence is Atandwa Kani‚ son of renowned actor‚ director and playwright John Kani‚ working with television producer and director Samad Davis.

Others in the cast is Altovise’s co-competitor Nicholas Nkuna‚ and Denise Zimba‚ known for her role as Mary Gumede in Generations: The Legacy.

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Love By Chance‚ shot in Atlanta‚ Georgia‚ USA‚ is about two aspiring actors from South Africa who are independently in America‚ trying to crack into an extremely difficult and over saturated Hollywood industry. They meet by chance‚ but between the everyday struggle of auditioning‚ dealing with daily rejection‚ self-doubt‚ financial hardship‚ and crazy friends who has time for love?

US co-stars include funny man Carl Anthony Payne II‚ famed for his role in the iconic television series Martin; Clifton Powell of Ray‚ Rush Hour and Grand Theft Auto; Terri J. Vaughn‚ known for her roles in Girlfriends Getaway‚ Greenleaf and The Steve Harvey show; E. Roger Mitchell who co-starred alongside Denzel Washington in Flight and Equalizer; and Lil Zane‚ former rapper and actor.

Having just wrapped on the international series Blood Drive‚ shot in Cape Town‚ Altovise says‚ “I've been fortunate to play complex characters this year‚ from Scandal  to Blood Drive and now Love By Chance. I am nervous and thrilled‚ but more than anything‚ I am grateful to land this role. Bailey is a complex character and I see a lot of myself in her. Having South Africans at the centre of this narrative is an important step in taking our talent to the world.”

On her leading man Atandwa‚ Altovise says‚ “I got to play alongside someone who is no stranger to our screens and stages. We both studied drama at the University of the Witwatersrand and I trust his work and talent. We brought out the best in each other through our performances.”

The film’s local producers are Dumi Gumbi and Cati Weinek of the Ergo Company. They produced the recent hit Mrs Right Guy and winner of best film at the Jozi Film Festival‚ Dora’s Peace.

 “We are excited to be collaborating with director / producer Samad Davis on this romcom‚” says Gumbi. “It’s great to see South Africans sharing a platform with top American talent. Production on the film started October 2016 in Atlanta Georgia with all post production of the film taking place in South Africa making it a truly collaborative production between the producers and countries.”

“As an African-American‚ I am fueled by my vision of bridging cultural gaps between Africa and the United States through the power of film and television‚” says director Samad Davis.

 “The Top Actor Africa brand was built on this premise and the film Love By Chance embodies that mantra. Being able to work with the right South African and international talent‚ both in front of and behind the camera‚ is priceless. Teamwork truly makes the dream work.”

Love By Chance is set to release locally and internationally in the first quarter of 2017. In South Africa‚ it will be distributed by Indigenous Film Distribution.

Top Actor Season 3 goes into production early 2017 and will air in September.