Cacadu (formerly Lady Frere) film producer Sandisile Tikana’s short drama series, titled Isabelo Sika Tata, will soon be available on YouTube, with plans to have it aired on national TV stations as soon as negotiations are concluded.
Tikana, a Bachelor of Arts in film and television production graduate at the school of media and creative arts, says the exciting drama series revolves around two young boys who become entangled in family feuds at an early age over inheritance.
The short film, produced by Tikana’s company, Black Hat Films, was made possible through funding he had received from the Eastern Cape Provincial Arts and Culture Council (ECPACC).
“This drama series is about two young boys and their extended family. The story and characters are set up in the dusty rural village of Boqo in Cacadu.
“The two boys grew up under difficult circumstances and experienced abuse by their uncle over inheritance from their late father,” Tikana says.
Tikana says the short film ha been in the making since 2020, when funding from the ECPACC was secured, but got delayed by a series of setbacks, including inadequate funding to pay actors, which led to some actors they had targeted for the short film pulling out.
The project, shot over two weeks, features seasoned actors such as Dr Thembinkosi Henna, Nomathamsanqa Ngoma, Elliot Sabelo Makhubo and Vuyisile Phandle.
“At Black Hat Films, we pride ourselves on telling our stories in our own language while also exposing the young people from deep rural areas to various aspects of filmmaking.
“Our mission is to showcase the real untold stories of our rural areas while creating opportunities for the youth to be part of the diverse film industry and make them believe that they can achieve anything regardless of their background,” Tikana added.
Tikana says his journey into becoming a filmmaker started during his high school days, working as a photographer, which influenced his love of filming.
“This has been an exciting and challenging journey. Over the years, I had the honour of working with well-known artistes, actors, and influencers in the film industry.
“I also got to work with several film production companies in various capacities including producer, director, and director of photography,” he says.
Tikana produced and directed his short film project, Isabelo Sika Tata.
