Durban sound engineer produces a must-watch documentary
With the hybrid format of the 43rd Durban International Film Festival, online and live screenings are available to audiences, with over 150 features, shorts and documentaries to choose from.
THE 43rd Durban International Film Festival has selected “Adaptation, Survival and Sustainability” as this year’s curatorial theme. Renowned sound-engineer, Malcolm Nhleko’s documentary fits perfectly into the theme.
‘Sonnyboy– the making of a sound man’ is a documentary which tells the story of South African sound engineer, Malcolm Nhleko’s life.
As much as the title speaks to his passion and career in music, it also references Nhleko’s choice to stop the trickle-down effect of family trauma into the next generation. Despite Nhleko’s background he becomes a kind-hearted man who is well-loved by his family, friends, and clients in the music industry.
How it started
A bi-racial person, who was raised by foster families and housed in a Durban children’s’ home in his youth, Nhleko’s love for music raised him above the challenges of his birth. By his own admission, music became a stabilizing factor in his life. The documentary follows Nhleko’s journey from the small northern KwaZulu-Natal town of his childhood to international stages where he is a well-respected sound engineer, mixing for and with musical icons and celebrities.
Nhleko was born to a couple who were kept apart by the political system of the time. When his mother was no longer able to care for him, she approached a family in the area to foster her son. When the family became unable to accommodate Nhleko any longer, he was sent to a children’s home in Durban.
As his talent for music and performing became evident in his teenage years, he was chosen as a member of Sharon Katz’s multi-cultural group of performers called The Peace Train. Nhleko travelled extensively with the group, both nationally and internationally. Exciting years followed with performances in notable plays and films.
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In 2017 the musician made it his goal to find his father and to meet with him. This became a cathartic experience for both men. The documentary also explores Nhleko’s cancer journey after his 2010 diagnosis.
Nhleko has a reputation for being an excellent sound-engineer and he has worked with many famous South African musicians. His long-standing working relationship with Ladysmith Black Mambazo is legendary.
What to look out for
The documentary includes interviews with significant people from Nhleko’s past and his present life. His wife recalls their early married life as Nhleko began his career and the challenges of living with a sound studio in their bedroom. His son speaks about the pivotal role his father plays in the family and the foster families who cared for Nhleko in his youth comment on his early years. Music artists speak about Nhleko’s talent, consummate skill in sound engineering and the value that Nhleko has added to their various projects.
When asked about the motivation for telling his own story in a documentary format, Nhleko says, “I realized that African stories are crucial right now. We all have such amazing stories which are not often heard or seen by people, who really need them. My personal motivation was to try motivating the youth to never to give up, even if life is not on your side.”
‘Sonnyboy- the making of a sound man’ is a riveting and ultimately inspiring watch.
The documentary is produced and directed by Malcom Nhleko and is available for streaming from the Durban International Film Festival website.
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