Local film a hit at the box office

A former City Varsity student whose film: Happiness is a Four-letter Word, has smashed the box office, earning R5 million within a month of its release.

The film was made locally and directed by Thabang Muleya and is a romance based on Nozizwe Cynthia Jele’s award-winning novel that tells a story of three successful friends whose lives appear perfect, but lack true happiness. The film was showcased at the Toronto International Film Festival on 13 September and is one of four South African films showcased due to overwhelming global response.

Muleya, who was born in Tembisa and currently resides in Sandton, began chasing his dreams by studying at City Varsity in Cape Town. He graduated in 2004 with an advanced diploma in film and TV production techniques, specialising in directing.

Muleya credits Tim Spring, dean of students and senior lecturer at City Varsity Cape Town, for his success. “Mr Spring taught me to be brave with my work and was always so encouraging, pushing me further than my own limits. Words can’t express my gratitude for the knowledge he so selflessly shared with us,” he explained.

Spring said, “I vividly remember him at the start of first-year, showing me a little movie he had shot while still at school, and thinking to myself, ‘Oh wow! What have we here? What indeed’. During his third year, he accompanied me onto a set for a series I was making called, Interrogation Room for SABC and started him off watching, on set. Then, I gave him small scenes to develop and direct and then finally a complete episode. The rest, as they say, is history.”

Muleya’s accomplishments include, Vuka Awards, Safta Awards and an Emmy nomination. He will attend the American Film Market in Los Angeles in November, where the film will once again be showcased internationally.

“To make a movie is a dream come true, but for people to respond in this manner, is really unbelievable. Cinema is alive in our country,” he said.