SA film The Wound (Inxeba) is one of the most talked about homegrown films Mzansi and while it has attracted both criticism and acclaim, actor Niza jay has urged people to flock to cinemas to watch it.
Speaking to TshisaLIVE just minutes after it was announced that Inxeba did not make the Oscar cut, the star said the movie was still worth watching because of the story it tells.
"It's a universal story. The idea of such a love. The idea of not fitting into what people expect you to be. A lot of people deal with similar issues on a daily basis in different spaces and the film also tackles various other issues that viewers will relate to."
The film is the most awarded film from South Africa with 19 awards collected around the globe.
However, despite the international love it has received, the film has also attracted negative feedback because the Xhosa initiation ceremony is considered sacred and should not be publicised.
Niza believed that most people would benefit from watching the film themselves instead of making conclusions.
"Despite the story in the film being so specifically set between two men, it has a global appeal because it tells a true story, one that people can't help but resonate with. It's a story of love at the end of the day that is why people form different backgrounds can relate."
Inxeba was most recently named best foreign film by the African-American Film Critics Association and best film at the International Queer and Migrant Film Festival in Amsterdam.
The producers Elias Ribeiro and Cait Pansegrouw echoed Niza's sentiments and also encouraged people to watch the film.
"This film has achieved more than we can ever hope for. We sat in discussions with high profile people and chiefs. The dialogue that has been sparked around blackness and queerness, as well as, talking about what it means to be a man today, these are some of the things this film has made people discuss and we are proud of that."
The Wound (Inxeba) will be release in cinemas across the country from February 2.
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