Diepsloot Community Celebrates Democracy Through Film

In celebration of South Africa's 30 years of democracy, the community of Diepsloot and Northern Farm, also in Diepsloot, came alive as young people in their numbers showed up for the pop-up cinema experience at the Diepsloot Youth Centre and Maspala, Northern Farm Hall on Thursday and Friday, respectively.

This is where film screenings and acting masterclasses by leading figures in the film industry were the order of the two-day programme.

The film screenings of Poppie Nongena, a South African film that tells a compelling story that reflects the community's hopes, dreams, and aspirations for the future, served as the perfect backdrop to the story of Diepsloot, one of Johannesburg's dynamic and diverse townships.

Based on a true story, Poppie, is a black woman who suffers immense hardships during the 70s. Declared an illegal resident in her hometown, she struggles to keep her family together in a desperate struggle with the authorities for permission to stay with them.

The film is produced by Helena Spring and directed by Christiaan Olwangen and Saartjie Botha and boasts renowned actors including Clementine Mosimane, Anna-Mart van der Merwe, Chris Gxalaba, Nomsa Nene and Rolanda Marais.