This is the wickedly funny story of Frank September and his mates, who are desperate to leave Cape Town and get to Jo'burg. Unfortunately, they have no money, no transport and no contacts in The City of Gold. Undeterred by mere technicalities, the crew set out on the ride of their lives. 34 South is a heartwarming and thought-provoking road-movie about sex, drugs and ballroom dancing.
Starring Az Abrahams, Rasool Hendricks, Mara Bethela, Marguerita Freeks, Ricardo Marnewick, Stephan Roach, Leanne Sayster, Ricardo Marnewyk, it's a feature debut.
While Maganthrie is proud to be the first Black female director, she is also outraged. "With a hundred year history, we only have three other women, all of whom are White, who have made feature films. What does that say about South Africa? What does that say about our industry? To be the first Black woman simply highlights the fact that there are thousands of other stories that need to be made".
Maganthrie is wary of calling the industry sexist or racist, but says, "It hasn't been de-habilitating being a woman, but certainly it's been a challenge. It is true that men don't always hear women, so you just have to say things several times." She's not about to complain, however. "Even though it's challenging, it's so exciting to be doing what you love."
Maganthrie was drawn to film because she wanted to "tell my stories, which I couldn't find anywhere in the popular culture. The only way to see them was to tell them myself."
Maganthrie, the youngest of five children, grew up in a township in Chatsworth, Durban. Her father worked in a shoe-factory and her mother was a dressmaker. "Growing up as a working class girl was the perfect preparation for being an independent filmmaker," she says. She credits her parents for much of her success. "They've never dictated to me what I was supposed to be. They've always been very supportive of my independence." She admits that for them, however, "the possibility of making films is still unbelievable. It's still pretty confusing. They know I'm a director but they don't know what I actually do. The only time it means anything is when they see me on the screen."
After studying teaching at Westville University, Maganthrie went on to complete her Honours in Drama at The University of Cape Town. Before (and during) 34 South, Maganthrie directed documentaries and theatre productions. She's also part of WEAVE, a collective of Black women writers, and contributed several poems to their anthology, Ink @ boiling point.
The idea for 34 South originated around a dinner table in Jo'burg with a bunch of Capetownians. "We talked about how everyone wants to come to Jo'burg and about how people perceive themselves, which has always been an issue in South Africa, and decided that it would make a great movie."
It took eight years for the idea to become a reality, during which time she helped develop the script, scout cast and locations and find the necessary funding. "We were ready to shoot in 2000 and 2002, but the money kept falling through." During this time, Maganthrie also fell in love, marrying Dingi Ntuli, who wrote and produced 34 South.
"Chatsworth is still talking about it.'Oh my God, she married a Zulu.'" Growing up Hindu, Maganthrie had been groomed for an arranged marriage, but says she was corrupted by "all the Western influence, that you have to make your own choice." She is amused when people refer to her marriage as a cross-cultural relationship. "We have so much in common. It's not usual for people to have so many similar interests."
She enjoys mixing business and pleasure. "The great thing about working with someone you're involved with is that you never stop working. The thing about creativity is that it never stops flowing. It's not a 9-5 experience. We can be having a conversation about the film at 12 o'clock at night. When we're excited about an idea, it's always in process."
Maganthrie also gave birth to two children in the time it took for the film to be made. Dingi says, "Maganthrie and I joked that if we couldn't make movies, we could at least make babies." Surekha is six and Youvani is three. Since Maganthrie works from home, she'd often find herself cooking, minding the children and in a rehearsal all at the same time. "In the film industry, you fit your life into your work; it's not the other way round."
Once, one of the actresses couldn't make a rehearsal, so Surekha rehearsed the scene with them. She was so disappointed when they finally shot the scene and she couldn't be in it. "They've been an integral part of the process. They know all the lines of the movie".
34 South finally went into production in 2003. With a 50-member crew, 24-day shoot, seven principals, 19 locations, over 30 secondary characters and over 100 extras, the film was a "massive learning experience". For Maganthrie, that first day was the highlight. "I looked at Dingi and said,'We're here. We're actually doing it.'I felt like I needed to pinch myself."
Maganthrie is her own harshest critic. "All directors say,'I didn't get what I want'." Finishing the film is a relief, "but also nerve-wracking. The test is how people are going to receive it."
She sees 34 South as "a story that has not been told before. Hopefully, we have a movie that will entertain you, challenge you, make you laugh and maybe even shed a few tears."
While Maganthrie struggles to remember life before 34 South, she is excited about the future. She is lined up to direct two features - Sega, a romantic comedy which will be shot in Durban and Mauritius, and Tight, an action movie with a difference.
34 South opened in Cape Town at The Labia, The Jewel of the North and Cinemax on Friday, March 11, 2005, as part of a unique province by province distribution plan. Maganthrie, who is fluent in both English and Afrikaans, will be available for interviews in Cape Town to coincide with her films eagerly anticipated release.
Thierno DIA (with press release by Kevin Kriedemann, in 2005)
