Seriously Single starts production
What are the hurdles faced by single black women navigating the world of romance? That’s the question at the heart of quirky new comedy film Seriously Single, which is currently being shot on location in Johannesburg.
The film will be released in cinemas next year and is the latest project to come out of the Emerging Black Filmmakers Transformation Fund (EBFTF).
It centres on Dineo, who is the definition of a serial monogamist. She dates to fall in love. She falls in love to get married. But she never gets married. She always ends up dumped. When she meets Lunga Sibiya, he seems to be the man she’s waited her whole life for, a man who shares her values when it comes to love and relationships. Or so she thinks… After a messy breakup with Lunga, her commitment-phobic bestie, Noni, helps Dineo face what she dreads most: life as a single woman.
The film stars Fulu Mugovhani (Ayanda), Tumi Morake (3 Days to Go), Bohang Moeko (Housekeepers) and Yonda Thomas (Isidingo, Saints and Sinners).
“The film is essentially a quirky, witty, comedy about what it means to be black and female in the South African dating world,” say co-directors Katleho and Rethabile Ramaphakela.
“It touches on what women have to deal with when it comes to sex and men and how society expects women to behave. But at the heart of it, it’s about two friends trying to find their version of love: romantic love, love as friends and self-love. We get to watch as these two characters try to define themselves in an ever-changing world where you have to deal with life in the real world and life on social media as well.”
Written by Lwazi Mvusi (Farewell Ella Bella), the film is produced by siblings Tshepo, Katleho and Rethabile Ramaphakela of Burnt Onion Productions. Seriously Single is directed by Katleho Ramaphakela and Rethabile Ramaphakela, who will be making their feature film directing debut.
About Burnt Onion Productions
Burnt Onion Productions is a Johannesburg based Film and Television production company established in 2008. The company has produced over 120 hours of short form and long from content, for various local and international broadcasters, including SABC1, SABC2, SABC3, Multichoice and Viacom (BET, MTV Base, MTV, COMEDY CENTRAL, NICKELODEON). The productions include award-nominated drama series, sitcoms, lifestyle shows and reality shows with the company being a recipient of a South African Film and Television Award for best writing for a comedy for its 2015 comedy, Check-Coast as well as it’s 2017 sitcom Thuli noThulani.
It’s 2017 award winning comedy drama series Bedford Wives is currently available on Amazon Prime. Burnt Onion Productions is currently in development with a slate of nine feature films, funded by the National Film and Video Foundation in South Africa.