society

March 15, 2023

'MAKERESEMESE LETUKA

3 min read

Home-made film wins best accolade

Home-made film wins best accolade

Top Lesotho filmmaker, Silas Monyatsi

Story highlights

    The Curse is a local horror film about a young man who catches a spell that was cast upon a lawyer
    The film was written and directed by Khauhelo Lephema, and produced by Palesa Motšoeneng

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LOCALLY-made film - The Curse, won the best accolade in the Lesotho films category during the launch of the King Moshoeshoe Film Festival in Maseru last Saturday.

The Curse was among 39 films submitted from across Africa, seven of which were made in Lesotho.

The film competed against others like Blood over Riches and Nthatisi in categories of best actress, best actor, best picture/cinematographer, best director, best feature film, best Lesotho film, and best screenplay.

The Curse is a local horror film about a young man who catches a spell that was cast upon a lawyer who previously inhabited his apartment.

The lawyer’s demon haunts the young man until he finds himself in a spiritual war to reclaim his normal life.

The film was written and directed by Khauhelo Lephema, and produced by Palesa Motšoeneng.

Some of the main characters in the film include top local actors such as Ntsiki Mahanetsa, Khetsi Rapita, and Selikane Taole.

“The main reason I made this film was to do something that has never been done in Lesotho by Basotho, something completely new,” says Lephema.

“I wanted to become living proof that Basotho filmmakers are capable of making films of more complicated genres as opposed to stereotypically making “drama” and “comedy” all the time. So I chose a blend of horror for a change and decided to do The Curse.”

Lephema further says:  “Honestly speaking, I expected to win something, not necessarily with The Curse. I submitted three short films, and so I was betting on three.”

Lephema says his accolade has set a bar higher on his status as a filmmaker.

“The victory has set a bar higher on my status as a filmmaker because I got the privilege of sharing the platform with legendary international filmmakers and actors that I was celebrated alongside.

“They got to witness the existence of a young enthusiastic filmmaker, myself winning the best film award, and this means an upgrade on my status as a filmmaker internationally.”

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Lephema says he felt honoured to be celebrated alongside renowned filmmakers like Silas Monyatsi.

“I am most grateful to be celebrated alongside Silas Monyatsi, one of a few Basotho filmmakers who came into the game before my generation and showed us that it is possible for Basotho to make international and good quality films here in Lesotho,” he says.

The long-awaited Moshoeshoe Film Festival was launched on Moshoeshoe’s Day, commemorated on March 11, and was grazed with the presence of one of South Africa’s top black actors, Jerry Mofokeng wa Makhetha.

The Curse was released in 2019 and won the Best Film Award during the same year at the Lesotho Film Festival.

The film is available on YouTube on the Mountain Range Motpics channel.

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