New SA Movie ‘Happiness is a Four-Letter Word’ To Hit Screens Soon!
The South African film industry is about to get a dose of happiness. The multi-award winning novel Happiness is a Four-Letter Word has been turned into a screenplay and filming commenced in and around Johannesburg. The director Thabang Moleya leads a stellar cast including Mmabatho Montsho as Nandi, Khanyi Mbau as Zaza, and Renate Stuurman as Princess. By Leonie Wagner
There was a time when the South African film industry was synonymous with drama but there’s a new romantic comedy being filmed that could change that.
The South African novel‚ penned by Cynthia Nozizwe Jele‚ titled Happiness is a Four Letter Word‚ is being turned into a feature film with not one but three leading ladies. The film follows three friends searching for happiness while trying to juggle their hectic Johannesburg lifestyles and images of success and acceptability.
Montsho‚ who first made her television debut in Generations long before the labour disputes‚ said that the film was “something new” from the local industry.
“It’s exciting to see three female leads‚ we are not someone’s girlfriend but we are the story. We can’t always have films that depict black women in the same way‚” she said.
While Montsho said her role as a perfectionist lawyer was challenging because the character was in a transitional phase of her life‚ someone who may not find her role outside of her comfort zone is Mbau.
