Documentary film on Omoseye Bolaji produced
Title
‘Home away from home'
Director/ Producer/ Editor
Winnie Mokhomo (below)
Camera/Sound
Siphiwe Linda
Technical assistance
Itumeleng Swartz
Paul Freathy
Mentor
Browyn Berry
Executive Producer
Dr Melanie Chait
This documentary focuses on the Nigerian-born writer, Omoseye Bolaji who has lived in South Africa (mainly in the FS) for many years, not only publishing many assorted books, but also having a great, galvanising effect on so many other local writers.
In this documentary, there are appearances by well known writers - like Flaxman Qoopane, Pule Lechesa, Hector Kunene, and Raselebeli Khotseng. They eloquently point out how Bolaji guided and shaped their literary corpus.
Flaxman Qoopane, filmed inside his Literary Gallery, remarkably unearths many old articles and features on Bolaji and his writing dating back to over fifteen years ago. Lechesa goes into more literary detail on the awesome impact Bolaji has had in the literary field in general.
Omoseye Bolaji reads excerpts from a couple of his books, mainly Tebogo and the Haka. Books of his like People of the townships, Poems from Mauritius, My life and literature, Tebogo and the bacchae, are shown. The documentary also shows fleeting images of Omoseye Bolaji being formally honoured by the University of the Free State, bagging a Chieftaincy title, etc - all thanks to his writing career.
This is a professionally produced, informative documentary - a must for all lovers of literature.
- Review by L Giwa
10 comments:
It's good to see writers being honoured in diverse ways; be it through books (Bolaji has many books written about his literary work)or on celluloid - if such a phrase is still used. How interesting it would be if we could see Bessie Head immortalised on film too; or other prominent writers. Future generations (especially in Africa) must have an idea of their fine writers
Documentaries on writers can be very interesting. i remember watching a polished one on the legendary Wole soyinka. This is another one to relish.
Well done again! I have managed to watch the documentary and I like the way it focuses on key literary figures. Mr Lechesa is excellent with his comments, and Kunene weighs in well too. Mr Qoopane is sublime, with a sense of gratitude for the impact Bolaji has made on his life; remarkable the literary items in his Library....
It was interesting being part of this documentary.
We are grateful for those who put this documentary together; and the disparate professional touches thereon
Well done to the renown writters who appeared on the documentary. And congratulations to the black african master of the unexpected MR Bolaji.
TM THIBA
It was indeed a humbling experience to document thing work of the Chief,Thank you Baba Bolaji for this awesome work. I am very grateful. Thanks to all who have commented on us,what a way to close the year with,well unless another bard gives us the book! All the best.
Thanks to all...a wonderful boost for F.S Writing, really
hey hey hey its winnie here. thanks to every one. this was a very humbling expirience for me, especialy meeting Mr Bolaji aka Chief, Ntate Lechesa, Mr magic n Mr kunene. i hope and wish to do more of these films couse free state has alot to offer. ones again thanks you
Wonderful to read about this...I can imagine the excitement then! Literature on reel...well done
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