Can a migrant father be present in his child’s life? New Heartlines film explores this important SA question

On Saturday September 17 South African NGO Heartlines, in collaboration with the SABC, unveiled a new film series called Heartlines Fathers Matter that uses the power of story to support the positive and active role of fathers and men in children’s lives.

The second of the six short films in the series, In Time, airs on SABC 2 this Saturday (September 24) at
8.30pm.

In Time tells the story of Lerumo, played by Aubrey Mmakola, a gold miner who works on a mine far away from his wife Amanda and daughter Bokamoso, played by Mpule Matlhola. Despite the distance between them, Lerumo is a loving father who spares nothing to show up for his child.

“Lerumo is a superhero. He does not want his daughter to end up being just an ordinary person. He’ll do
anything and everything to make sure that her dreams become a reality,” says actor Aubrey Mmakolo about the lead character he plays.

Each of the films in the Fathers Matter series seeks to incorporate values-based storylines that encourage viewers to engage with key themes. In this film, Lerumo is a powerful example of a father who, despite facing financial challenges and being far away from his daughter, has instilled in her a deep sense of her own self-worth that is rooted in his love for her.

“I resonate with the story because personally, I had a father who worked really hard. Most of the time I
would only see him briefly in the morning, and then briefly when he came back in the late hours of the night from work,” says director, Rea Rangaka. “As a child, fostering a close relationship between a child and a parent is difficult because they aren’t always there,” he adds.

“Changing perceptions and behaviours around fatherhood can only be done as a collective effort involving thousands, if not millions, of South Africans. So much so that Heartlines hopes to see 5 million men, and several million women, young adults and children, get involved in the biggest campaign of its kind in Africa by watching the films and engaging in conversations about the topics they broach,” says Garth Japhet, the CEO and founder of Heartlines.

To watch In Time, tune into SABC 2 on Saturday 24 September at 20:30. The film will also be available for streaming at a later stage, via the Fathers Matter website. To find out more about the films and download the discussion guides, go to www.fathersmatter.org.za.

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