Joza born filmmaker Ntombozuko "Twiggy" Matiwane has put Grahamstown on the global map after her short film Waterless Flower made it to the final stages of a Spanish film festival.
Joza born filmmaker Ntombozuko "Twiggy" Matiwane has put Grahamstown on the global map after her short film Waterless Flower made it to the final stages of a Spanish film festival.
Matiwane – who directed, produced and wrote the documentary – was born and raised in Extension 4 in Joza, attending school at NV Cewu and Nstika Secondary.
Now based in Mafikeng in the North West, Matiwane and a group of other young filmakers produced a powerful South African story that caught the attention of international film experts, making it into the final of a world-wide competition.
The documentary, Waterless Flower, the only South African movie to reach the final stage, is competing against works from countries like India, United States and Canada in the “We Art Water Festival”.
The 3-minute documentary is a story of orphaned children living with their elder sister in a small one-room shack in Borolatuku Village in Mafikeng, with no facilities such as water, proper sanitation and electricity. The family is headed by a 22-year-old, living with her four-year-old son, 11-year-old sister and 15-year-old brother.
Matiwana said she came across the children at the village and noticed that the young boy was not attending school. Upon inquiry, she was told that he was mentally-challenged and lived with his siblings.
"When we received the brief from the Spanish Festival and Unicef, focusing on water and sanitation, I immediately thought of the family,” said Matiwana. "Recently we received an email informing us that the film has been selected as a finalist – chosen among entries from across the world.”
Asked about the title of the film, Matiwana said it was inspired by the fact that the orphans had been asking for help for a long time, but no one seemed willing to help them.
After matriculating in 2003 Matiwane left Grahamstown to pursue studies at Port Elizabeth College, Russel Campus, working towards a Marketing and Management Diploma.
After two years of studies she dropped out becuase she was more interested in filmmaking.
This news didn't impress her family at the time.
Speaking to Grocotts on Wednesday, Matiwane's father Zolile Makile said " I didn't approve at all but I had always known that she had a keen interest in film making from an early age. I believe that parents shouldn't choose careers for their children. Those career changes are part of the child's development".
Makile said his daughter showed early signs of becoming a film-maker.
At home she didn't watch TV " blindly like the rest of us but would critique and analyse the programmes, their scripts, storylines and set".
Makile said he is not suprised by his daughter's achievement. Makile said Matiwane was a very inquisitive book worm who liked reading newspapers and books. "She would even remind me to buy a copy of Grocott's Mail when it slipped my mind."
Matiwane's mother, Nancy Makile, said her daughter is a true ambassador of Grahamstown and was proud of her.
Mbuyiseli Bojo, Matiwane's English teacher at Ntsika Secondary said she was a go-getter who showed enthusiam and deligence in every task she performed.
"I met [up with]her three or four years ago during the Arts Festival and she told me that she was based in Johannesburg and was involved in film-making. I thought it was a long shot for her in such an industry marked by cut-throat competition especially internationally".
Bojo said he is not surprised that Matiwane has made a name for herself and her country in the film industry. "As the school, we are very proud of her and I think she deserves an Oscar," Bojo said.
Former history teacher Lungile Ralo said Matiwane was a quiet but brilliant leaner.
After studying Media Broadcasting at Port Elizabeth College she then relocated to Johannesburg to pursue her film career. She started in the industry after landing a place in a Film Skills programme sponsored by Multichoice in 2005.
She worked as a 2nd Assistant director for three years at Penguin Films, and then moved to the Enews channel and local ETV soap Scandal as an Assistant Director.
After spending 5 years as a freelance Assistant Director she decided to go back to school. She enrolled at Big Fish School of Digital Filmmaking to advance her film skills.
Her film about violence against women, See, Speak and Hear no Evil was screened at the Encounters Documentary Film Festival 2013.
Recently she directed two short documentaries on Maternal Health and the NHI District Clinical Specialist Team for the Department of Health.
Waterless Flower can be viewed on the Festival website, weartwaterfestival.org.
