Kedibone is a South African film that came out in 2020 and was directed by Thomas Gumede. It acts as a drama surrounding the life of a female woman of Sotho descent as she struggles with her aspirations, identity, and the various consequences that arise from living a double life.
Synopsis
Kedibone Manamela, more popularly known as Natasha Thahane, is a youthful and ambitious girl living in Soweto. She dreams of becoming a famous actress while pursuing her childhood boyfriend, Mrembula (Wright Ngubeni), who offers her monetary support. By living in Soweto, she portrays the role of a ‘good girl’, however, as she travels to affluent areas in Johannesburg, her persona shifts entirely as she becomes ‘the it girl’ and begins to date wealthy benefactors to fuel her aspirations further.
As Kedibone tries to balance her dual life, the lines that demarcate both realities begin to blend further and further and eventually result in her secrets and lies being exposed. The risks of Mrembula’s involvement in Kedibone’s duplicitous behavior eats her alive and forces her to evaluate both morals and emotions surrounding her decisions while also reflecting on the price she’s willing to pay for her ambitions.
Cast and Crew
- Director: Thomas Gumede
- Writer: Zaba Leroto Hlatshwayo
Starring
- Kedibone Manamela – Natasha Thahane
- Mrembula – Wright Ngubeni
- Franco – Kenneth Nkosi
- Dexter – Matli Mohapeloa
- Msithi – Thabo Malema
- Tanya – Tessa Twala
- Geminah – Busisiwe Mtshali
- Smash – Thami Mngqolo
- Amanda – Kwezi Ndlovu
- Pebbles – Melvinah Eheli
Themes and Analysis
Kedibone is a film that tackles deep-seated issues and tackles these issues in a sensitive manner.
Duality of Identity: The movie shows how urban life may appeal to Kedibone and so she must also show modern identity whilst remaining true to who she is, this helps in showing the reality of the film where there is a need of being somebody in history.
Moral Ambiguity: The debacle that exists in the…PAV. Kedibone makes several decisions in the film which show the sacral-ties that exist in the life of the trying to flourish.
Consequences of Deception: This narrative looks at how betrayal does not remain at merely a fabric that can be used to define deceit but instead it can be interpreted as a process that can lead to a spiraling demise where an individual finds themselves devoid of trust.
Socioeconomic Disparities: In Kagiso Modupe film, he portrays the life of Kedibone and how she interacts with people and it depicts the life of an average person trying to fit into the elite standards of Johannesburg in togwani.
Critical Reception
On IMDb out of 218 reviews, Kedibone scored 4.3 out of 10 which indicates that the movie did not perform well with the audience, that being said, both the audience and the critics had mixed reviews for the movie.
The movie did receive praise for its portrayal of South African Culture while also praising Natasha Thahane’s acting. But other critics found the development of the characters to be not up to the standards since the movie’s narrative was said to be fairly predictable.
Leisurebyte on the other hand went ahead and praised the movie, its visual effects and the charismatic cinematography. They did this due to them finding out that the movie accurately showcased South African culture. The film attempts to identify themes such as Identity, fame, betrayal and integrity while also being a feast for the eyes.
Cultural Impact
Giving the fact that south Africa cinemas are still developing Kedibone represents the African tell of the story in growing cinema industry. It provides a glimpse into the issues faced by younger women in South Africa who try to maintain their identity in a modern society and the culture. With the help of Netflix, the movie is easily accessible which allows it to promote the South African culture and its film industry.
Conclusion
Kedibone encourages us to engage in a story that addresses the struggles of ambition, identity, and the ethics of living a dual life; while its reception has been somewhat divided. The character of Kedibone, through Natasha Thahane’s captivating performance, offers a unique perspective to South African culture. For those who enjoy intricately spun dramas where the central character is besieged by the consequences of their own choices, Kadibone serves as an introspective film.
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