After screening at more than 30 international festivals, including Sundance, filmmaker Milisuthando Bongela is bringing her debut documentary, Milisuthando, back home.
The film, which examines identity, history and belonging will be shown at community screenings, book clubs and online. Bongela said this approach reflects how African filmmakers are finding new ways to reach their audiences, while exploring what independent distribution could mean for the continent’s creative industry.
Sowetan: What has it been like seeing audiences respond to such a personal story?
Bongela: It has been incredibly humbling. We had no idea the film would resonate so deeply with people across all six continents. Over the past two years, I’ve discovered just how special SA is to the world, and how much appetite there is globally to understand who we are and what shapes us.
Sowetan: You’re now self-distributing the film. What inspired you to take this route?
Bongela: Necessity is the mother of invention. While the film has been warmly received by audiences in SA, it hasn’t attracted interest from local broadcasters or streamers. There’s a growing conversation among independent filmmakers about creating our own solutions and our intention has always been to reach the audiences who want the film. We know they’re out there – we’ve seen people’s reactions. Now we’re proud to say it’s available on our website and across Africa, not just in the US and Canada.
Sowetan: How does screening Milisuthando in book clubs and small gatherings change how people engage with it?
Bongela: It’s such an emotional film – like reading a book. We want people to watch it together, bakhaphane [walk together] on the journey it brings, and hold space for one another through the reflections it evokes.
Sowetan: What do you hope Southern and East Africans take away from watching it together?
Bongela: I don’t know what the community is anymore. We hurt each other so much online that our relationships have become calloused and fractured. We’ve forgotten how to lean into respect, trust, and faith in one another. I hope this film helps people reconnect from a softer, more tender place.
Sowetan: How do your roles as a cultural worker and filmmaker influence each other?
Bongela: My work is to study my culture and explore our cultural practices and traditions. From what I learn, I create – whether it’s a film, an exhibition, or writing. I’m guided by the need to express the intelligence within indigenous knowledge systems and translate that through art.
Sowetan: The film carries your name. How personal is it, and how has it changed you?
Bongela: It’s extremely personal. The film is the byproduct of a long journey that began when I asked, ‘Who am I?’ Every moment reflects a deep excavation of self, ancestry, history, and home — and it invites others to ask the same questions. It healed the way I see myself. It taught me how to look at myself and others – and to see through my heart rather than my head.
Sowetan: What do you hope your self-distribution model means for other African filmmakers?
Bongela: Honestly, we’re just trying this out. It’s too early to tell, and we don’t know how it will go. We’re following our instincts – the same spirit that guided the film. I have a great team, and we simply want to share our work with the world.
Sowetan
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