By Palesa Mofoti
It took filmmaker Mercia Wechoemang seven years to realize her dream as a cinematographer. During Heritage Month celebrations, she illuminated the life of struggle heroine Francis Baard.
Mercia Wechoemang (33), in conjunction with the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), hosted the Northern Cape public film screening at the Sol Plaatje University’s south campus on 25 September.
The event celebrated women making strides in the film industry from small towns such as rural Ga-Modjaji in Limpopo province. A documentary produced by Molatelo Manetje Bossman, “When Babies Don’t Come,” was featured.
And a first-time documentary screening in the province of ‘The Spirit’, detailing the life and times of Mma Francis Baard, who was born and raised in Kimberley. Baard was an activist for women’s rights, an educator, a militant trade unionist, and one of the members who drafted the Freedom Charter in 1955.
The documentary was executive produced by Mercia Wechoemang, also born and bred in the Kimberley.
Last Monday’s screening consisted of a panel of guests making significant strides in the entertainment industry. These included the likes of Thapelo Mokoena, a South African actor, producer, and presenter popularly known for his recent role as Leonard on the Netflix series “Fatal Seduction.”
Among the panelists were Thabo Motlhabi, writer and producer of the famous local movie “Okapi,” Mogale Sedibe, a spoken word performer known for the book “Moshe le Sefofane,” Molatelo Manetje Bossman, and Nkululeko Legend Manqele, executive producer of “Being Bonang” a reality show that follows the life of celebrity Bonang Matheba.
Wechoemang’s documentary, “The Spirit,” won an award in the category for “Best Women’s Film” and was a finalist for the “Best Short Documentary” from Bright International Film Festival in London.
Thabo Kubu, a learner from Tshireletso High School, attended the film’s screening and commended Wechoemang for the informative documentary on the life of Francis Baard. He stated how much he felt the presence of Francis Baard in the hall.
During the question and answer session, Wechoemang spoke from the heart, “This was not an easy journey. Seven years of working on this one project, from having doors shut in my face to having budget difficulties and being selective with the information around the Francis Baard documentary out of fear of not wanting to shoot myself in the foot.”
She further expressed the hope that starting a Northern Cape film commission is what she dreams of, to help aspiring filmmakers regardless of the genre.
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