Produced by Siyabonga Zungu's Softvideo Productions company in collaboration with Mrs. Siki Ngubane, the widow of Menzi Ngubane, The Ngubs Documentary Film is what South Africans are looking forward to bracing their eyes on, as Ngubs was one of the most loved and talented actors on the screens in the 2000s.

Our team had a moment with one of the directors Ntokozo Mahlalela and tried to get to know his filmmaking background first before we got to the doccie. “Having studied filmmaking at the now defunct Newtown Film & TV school, and graduated with a short football-inspired drama film in 2004, all I thought I was going to be in the fiction filmmaking space however, the documentary filmmaking bug took center stage after realizing the importance of documenting our history and stories based on facts and evidence, as people of color that will be a mirror and reflections today and for tomorrow generation”.

Please share how the documentary came about: “The Ngubs film project came to me on November 06, 2021, when the producer that I briefly met in September for no more than 5 hours called one Saturday night to say 'Yo, we working on producing a pilot documentary film about the late Menzi Ngubane, are you up for it as a director and writer for it!!?'. After that call, I thought he was pranking me and just messing with my head. Most of all, I wasn't even aware that Menzi has passed on, he called again on Sunday the following day to cement the deal. Here we are now, in September 2022 that call is bearing fruits to be enjoyed by all the fans of Menzi Ngubane all over the world”.

So, tell us about the whole scripting to where we at now, including challenges you guys faced as you were trying to get the project off the ground: “So, there was a pilot film that was completed in November 2021, just after that I started scripting of the documentary film which we pitched to various funding houses in South Africa like the Gauteng Film Commission and others. To be precise, It took us almost 10 months from concept to final product which is the film on TAPE now”.

“Challenges we faced while making this film were always the common obstacles in starting any business, which is FUNDING, FUNDING, AND FUNDING. However, we overcame such a challenge when the producer partnered with Manzini media to provide equipment for the project. We came up with disruption and innovative approach to filming, and the editing of the film was done REMOTELY/VIRTUALLY. I must say, the 2016 #DataMustFall Movement bared fruits when making this film because the access to DATA in this country has become a bit affordable but still EXPENSIVE, but we managed to use technology throughout from December 2021 till August 2022 in making and finishing this movie, which has been a whole new WORLD revelation for me and the team in making films in the new normal. Technology and the mindset enabled the film to be produced both in Johannesburg in Gauteng province and Komatipoort in Mpumalanga province at the same time”

“Another challenge for me as a director and writer was that, there were past documentary film works about Menzi to use as reference and research material. I had to deep dive into that lake called Menzi Ngubane late to fish out what I could. It was one of those very deep and wider lakes to dive into and I believe that wherever Menzi is right now, he played a huge role in me to keep me digging and searching by providing me with his much-needed oxygen and his giving spirit to come out with this kind of his story, which I believe that the audience will benefit lots from by having a better understanding of the man”.

How important was it for you guys to tell a story of such a legend in the Mzansi film industry? “It was very much important because there were no documentary films about, or of Menzi before his passing - so this film is one of many to come about understanding Menzi, his work ethic, his upbringing, and his life on and off work for budding actors to use this film as an acting and living BLUEPRINT for their acting and living endeavors”.

Who is featured in the documentary and where was it shot? “There are about 25 individuals that are featured, like Mfundi Vundla, Angus Gibson, Menzi's widow Mrs. Siki Ngubane, and many others were filmed and interviewed for the film. This took about 7 months of filming all subjects, from different locations around the country such as Johannesburg, Soweto, Newcastle, and Haartebespoort. We featured nearly everyone because Menzi was the main driving force”.

Lastly, as one of the directors, what’s your highlight after working on the Menzi Ngubane Lifetime documentary? “Personally, my highlight is that now I have a deeper understanding of Menzi Ngubane as a person, professionally, as a family person, and philanthropist. What I took out from the subject matter is that Menzi Ngubane was a lamb but yet roaming around the screens, cinemas, and streets as a lion - while deep down Menzi was soft, very much loving, and a giving person”.

Click here to book a ticket: https://numetro.co.za/movie/6279/