Screenshots from the film Phokojoe e lahliloe ke mongobo
Mohalenyane Phakela
A LOCAL arts movement, Basotho Intelligent Creative Theatre Group (BICTG), will on Saturday launch their ninth feature film aimed at tackling the illicit drugs trade as well as sexual offences mostly affecting high school students.
Titled Phokojoe e Lahliloe Ke Mongobo (a Sesotho expression loosely translated to “the truth finally comes out” or “the thief is finally caught”), the film will be launched at ‘Manthabiseng Convention Centre in Maseru.
The plot centres on the life of a female high school student raised by a single parent who struggles to make ends meet.
She believes she is in love with her school teacher who showers her with different gifts she needs to appear “cool” like her classmates.
All hell breaks loose when she falls pregnant and is forced by her lover to abort.
She ends up in hospital with severe bleeding after using drugs from an illegal dealer and ultimately her secret relationship is revealed with the result that her lover and the illegal abortion drug syndicate are brought to book.
The film has a 20 member cast and was shot from December 2016 to February 2017.
BICTG Managing Director and script writer, Pheello Moru this week told the Weekender that the film was inspired by the sex and drug-related crimes that often resulted in the high rate of school dropouts.
“As a youth organisation, we always based our films on the challenges we face as the younger generation,” Moru said.
“In this film, we expose the aftermaths of relationships students often have with their teachers and how that is never true love but just a destruction of one’s future.
“We are mostly raised by struggling parents such as those who work at the factories. And since they cannot afford to buy us flashy clothes and gadgets, we resort to other ways to attain that lifestyle just like this girl in the film.”
He said such secret relationships contributed to the high rate of illegal abortion drugs being sold around the country, adding it was easy to access such drugs due to their popularity.
The Lesotho Mounted Police Services supported the production of the film by providing uniforms.
It was also sponsored by Galitos, Dona@Balos, Office National, Lesia High School, Focus Clothing and Makoya Moola.
Various artistes such as Mega Hertz, Tsa kasi, Thunder Empire, and Wolf Bucks will perform at the launch.
Moru said they would undertake a national tour to promote the film before taking it to the international market.
“We will organise the Phokojoe Road Show to showcase the film at different schools around the country as well as in different communities.
“Our previous film, Bocha Ke Palesa failed to make it to South Africa’s Etv due to failure to meet standards but since we received training from the Film and Publication Board of South Africa, we believe we fulfilled all the requirements this time around.
“We also intend to take it various global film festivals,” he said.
