Mother City, the South African film directed by Pearlie Joubert and Miki Redelinghuys and produced alongside Khetiwe Ngcobo has been awarded the Ladima Foundation’s 7th Adiaha Award for Best Documentary by an African Woman.
Filmed over six years in Cape Town, the narrative documentary captures the Reclaim the City movement, as ordinary citizens fight for the right to public land in a city still marked by the brutal legacy of spatial apartheid.
The story starts in 2016 when the government decides to sell a school, earmarked for affordable housing, to a private developer. As an act of resistance, housing activists from Reclaim the City (RTC) occupy two government buildings on prime city land. RTC organizer and activist, Nkosikhona Swartbooi tells this story with ruthless honesty as they wage a defiant war against government officials and property developers in one of the world’s most unequal cities.
On winning the award, co-director Miki Redelinghuys said, “What an incredible honor to receive this award! Birthing a film can be long and painful labour – so when it reaches the hearts of minds of audiences and shifts the way in which they look at the world, we are deeply happy. We believe this award will further spotlight the issues of inequality at the core of Mother City. Thank you Ladima for recognizing African women in this way.”
Co-director Pearlie Joubert added, “This award is dedicated to all those girls, women, and grannies who never accepted to be silenced and cowed by politicians and property developers who never prioritise economically poor and disenfranchised people. Your bravery, guts sense of humour, and generosity of spirit was our privilege to document. Never cede your power! Miki, amandla, sister! (Boys, men, grandpa’s, I thank you another day.)”
The Adiaha Award jury made up of Zippy Kimundu (Kenya), Neo Kgola (South Africa) and Marouan Omara (Egypt), was unanimous in their decision and had this to say about the film, “Mother City ‘is a deeply human, often heart-breaking and, at times, disarmingly humorous exploration of one of the most urgent issues facing cities across the globe: who has the right to belong and to live in the heart of our urban landscapes.”
The award will be handed over to the filmmakers at a screening event taking place in August in honor of Women’s Day.
Watch the trailer for Mother City.