Fosta will have its world premiere at the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF), South Africa’s longest-running film festival, on Friday 24 July.

The documentary feature is an intimate, unflinching portrait of Thulani “Fosta” Headman, a former gang member from Langa, who returns from prison determined to use electronic music to reinvent his life.

“Here I was, a known criminal in my community,” said Fosta in the trailer. “Coming out, personally I had a point to prove to myself that I could use music to change my life.”

Former Ibiza promoter and Bridges for Music founder Valentino Barrioseta first met Fosta in Langa, South Africa’s oldest township, where he had been exploring the emerging house-music scene.

International stars support local talent

Through Bridges for Music, Barrioseta began bringing international artists to the Cape Town township for workshops, including Grammy winners Skrillex, Black Coffee and Ed Sheeran as well as DJs Richie Hawtin and Luciano.

As their relationship grew, Barrioseta and Fosta developed a shared vision that ultimately became the Bridges Academy, a creative learning space in Langa that has helped transform opportunities for young creatives in the community, offering access to world-class technology, mentorship and education.

In the film, Skrillex calls his involvement in Bridges Academy “the thing I’m most proud of” other than his music career.

Taking Langa’s talent to the world

Bridges for Music didn’t just bring international talent to the township; it’s been taking talent from Langa to stages around the world too.

“The bridge needs to be built both ways,” said Barrioseta. “As inspiring as it is to have an international artist coming to South Africa, it is even more impactful to bring local artists overseas to think out of the box and see the world out there.”

A 13-year journey captured on film

Fosta, the debut feature of director and cinematographer Eldon van Aswegen, was filmed over 13 years. “I tried to give up a few times,” he admitted, crediting the documentary’s selection for Rough Cut Lab Africa as a key turning point in finishing it. “I kept coming back because Fosta is such an inspiring, human story about never giving up.”

It captures Fosta’s life-changing journey with Bridges for Music, which has taken the 021 Records founder around the world: from cycling across Europe to raise funds to build Bridges Academy to performing alongside Skrillex at Glastonbury

Other key characters in the film include aspiring musician Siphe Fassie, nephew of the late South African music icon Brenda Fassie, and Marius Boaden, founder of Prison Broadcasting Network, a radio station and sound studio in Pollsmoor Prison that helped inmates create programmes for fellow prisoners.

Fosta is produced by Van Aswegen’s Document Media and Storyscope’s Laura Colucci and Neil Brandt. Colucci previously produced the Netflix true crime hits Beauty and the Bester and Senzo: Murder of a Soccer Star, while Brandt has produced three previous DIFF winners: Angola Saudades, Influence and Dear Mandela as well as Hot Docs winner Whispering Truth to Power.

From Langa’s backyard studios to global stages

“What drew me to Fosta’s story was his refusal to let his past define him,” said Colucci. “What makes it remarkable is not where he came from, but his determination to keep pursuing his dreams while becoming a mentor and catalyst for change in his community. From the home-made backyard studios of Langa to the festival stages in London and Amsterdam, we believe Eldon’s light touch, empathy and gorgeous cinematography will make audiences hope, dream, cry and laugh because, well, that’s what it’s done to us.”

And as Black Coffee says in the documentary, “To dream is such an important thing. I told the universe this is what I want and I got it.”