‘Zulu Wedding’ scoops two awards at film festival in Los Angeles

Los Angeles-based South African actress Nondumiso Tembe is beaming after local film Zulu Wedding scooped two awards – Best Picture and Best Narrative Feature – at the 28th Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles last Sunday.

Zulu Wedding is directed by Lineo Sekeleoane and tells the story of Lungile Sabata, played by South African actress, singer and dancer Nondumiso Tembe.

Lu left South Africa and her Zulu-Sotho heritage behind to become a dancer in America.

Bubu Mazibuko, Nondumiso Tembe and Lorcia Cooper in ‘Zulu Wedding’. Picture: Supplied

When she falls in love with Tex, she knows he’s the man to marry. But when she brings Tex home to meet her family, she discovers she has been promised since birth to a Zulu king.

Caught between two men, two families, and two countries, Lu has to come to terms with who she is so she can fight for what she wants.

Tembe has garnered wide recognition and acclaim for her emotionally intense portrayal of tragic Creole maid Mavis in award-winning HBO hit show True Blood, and the feisty and scandalous Miss Mya on Generations.

Tembe has also appeared on popular TV shows NCIS and NCIS: Los Angeles. In 2016, the actress made a special guest appearance on ABC’s detective drama Castle.

Nondumiso Tembe as Mavis in ‘True Blood’. Picture: HBO

In 2019, Tembe played the title role in Lindiwe – a musical drama featuring Ladysmith Black Mambazo that premiered at the renowned Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago.

Speaking before the close of the festival, Minister Nathi Mthethwa congratulated the cast: “An achievement such as this one makes our nation proud. raising our flag high.”

Zulu Wedding, also starring American actor Darrin Dewitt Henson alongside South African actors Pallance Dladla and Jerry Phele, has further been nominated for the South African Film and Television Awards (Saftas) taking place on 28 March 2020.

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