This Is Not a Burial, It's a Resurrection

Summary

This Is Not a Burial, It's a Resurrection is a 2019 drama film directed by Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese and co-produced by Cait Pansegrouw and Elias Ribeiro.[2] The film stars Mary Twala Mhlongo, with Jerry Mofokeng Wa, Makhaola Ndebele, Tseko Monaheng and Siphiwe Nzima-Ntskhe in supporting roles.

This Is Not a Burial, It's a Resurrection
Film poster
Directed byLemohang Jeremiah Mosese
Written byLemohang Jeremiah Mosese
Produced byCait Pansegrouw
Elias Ribeiro
StarringMary Twala Mhlongo
Jerry Mofokeng Wa
Makhaola Ndebele
Tseko Monaheng
Siphiwe Nzima-Ntskhe
CinematographyPierre de Villiers
Edited byLemohang Jeremiah Mosese
Music byYu Miyashita
Distributed byMemento Films International
Trigon film
Release dates
  • 29 August 2019 (2019-08-29) (Venice)[1]
  • 17 June 2020 (2020-06-17) (France)
27 November 2020 (South Africa)
Running time
120 minutes
CountriesLesotho
South Africa
Italy
LanguageSotho

It was selected as the Lesotho entry for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film at the 93rd Academy Awards, but it was not nominated.[3] It was the first time Lesotho had made a submission in the category.[4] The film received positive reviews from critics and was screened at several international film festivals.[5][6]

Synopsis edit

Mantoa, an 80-year old widow, is preparing for the end by arranging her own funeral and bidding farewell to worldly affairs. However, her homeland is being converted into a dam and the residents must be resettled.[7]

Cast edit

Reception edit

On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 100% based on 34 reviews, with an average rating of 8/10.[6] The site's critical consensus reads, "This Is Not a Burial, It's a Resurrection stands in the fault line between the cradle of tradition and tomorrow, defiantly insisting that one need not exist at the expense of the other." Guy Lodge of Variety wrote that the film is "a haunted, unsentimental paean to land and its physical containment of community and ancestry — all endangered by nominally progressive infrastructure".[8]

Accolades edit

At the 2020 Africa Movie Academy Awards, the film was nominated for seven awards, ultimately winning Best Costume Design, Best Cinematography, Best Actress in a Leading Role, and Best Director.[9]

At the 2020 International Film Festival of Kerala, it won the Golden Crow-pheasant for Best Film.[10]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Programme". labiennale.org. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  2. ^ "THIS IS NOT A BURIAL, IT'S A RESURRECTION: Biennale College Cinema". labiennale. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  3. ^ "Oscar 2021 - Lesotho propune în premieră un film pentru nominalizare la categoria "lungmetraj internaţional"". News.ro. 10 October 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  4. ^ Vourlias, Christopher (10 November 2020). "Oscar Debutant Lesotho Selects 'This Is Not a Burial' for International Feature Film Race". Variety. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  5. ^ "'This Is Not a Burial, It's a Resurrection': Film Review". variety. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  6. ^ a b "This Is Not a Burial, It's a Resurrection". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  7. ^ "'This Is Not A Burial, It's A Resurrection': Sundance Review". screendaily. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  8. ^ Long, Declan (2017-10-30). Ghost-Haunted Land. Manchester University Press. doi:10.7228/manchester/9781784991449.001.0001. ISBN 978-1-78499-144-9.
  9. ^ "AMAA 2020: 'The Milkmaid' wins big, see full list of winners". Pulse Nigeria. 2020-12-21. Retrieved 2020-12-21.
  10. ^ "IFFK Suvarna Chakoram for best film goes to 'This Is Not A Burial, It's A Resurrection'". The Hindu. 2021-03-05. Retrieved 2023-07-30.

External links edit

  • This Is Not a Burial, It's a Resurrection at IMDb  
  • This Is Not a Burial, It's a Resurrection in YouTube