NGQOBE RETURNS TO BOTSWANA FOR ANOTHER FILM

Award-winning South African actor Zenzo Ngqobe will feature in an upcoming UK-Botswana African film called MOITOBO. The film, produced by the UK’s CattlePost Films, will also star English actress Tamara Astor, Motswana actor Molibi Maphanyane and Swiss actress Jolanda Steiner. Filming has commenced in London, England.

MOITOBO is a concept feature film about an African man living in the UK and the family dynamics it creates for him back home in South Africa. It has not yet been divulged what role Ngqobe will be playing. Maphanyane will however be playing a brother to Ngqobe’s character.

MOITOBO was written and executive-produced by retired Broadway actor Donald Molosi. The technical crew is led by Polish cinematographer Lilia Strojec. The title of the film is a Tswana word for slough which is the dead skin of a snake.

The film is due for an early 2025 release. It marks the second film that Ngqobe has done with the UK studio CattlePost Films. Last year Ngqobe starred in “Partly Cloudy & Hot”, a film by the same studio – opposite Face of Africa winner Kaone Kario – and he won Best Actor at the TINFF (Canada) for his role in it as a husband struggling with his own infertility.

Zenzo Ngqobe rose to stardom in the Oscar-winning Tsotsi (2005). His role as KB in “Partly Cloudy & Hot” earned him two nominations in Canada last year, bagging one trophy. Since then, “Partly Cloudy & Hot” has been certified Oscar-Qualifying following its screening at the 2023 BronzeLens Film Festival in the US.

According to the writer and Executive Producer Donald Molosi, “Zenzo is a rare talent. I am thrilled that he is doing his second film with CattlePost, especially after the international success of the first one with the talented Kaone Kario.”

It is understood that Maphanyane may be the only Motswana in MOITOBO.  We are yet to find out the dates for the Botswana shoots. 

Speaking on his new role, Ngqobe says, “We are Africans and we are happy when our stories are on the screen. MOITOBO is an opportunity to show African excellence once again to the world.”

The Tsotsi actor adds that, “Obviously as a Motswana I love our Botswana films. I was born in South Africa but I am still a Motswana by blood.”