Poignant Film One Take Grace Screened Online for Limited Time

Published on 28 October 2021

Born of a conversation between two women on a film set, One Take Grace reflects on a life and a country. It will be available to watch for a short window on the National Arts Festival website from 6pm on 29 October – 4 November 2021.

One Take Grace is a creative documentary by Motherbox Films about the life of Mothiba Grace Bapela (57), directed by Johannesburg-based artist, Lindiwe Matshikiza (38). The two women met as actors on a local film set in 2010. Chatting in between takes, Lindiwe was struck by Mme Bapela’s reflections on her life as a full-time domestic worker and part-time actor. Through a deeply intimate creative process lasting over ten years, a portrait of both a woman and a country began to emerge.

In 2021, the work was selected for inclusion in the National Arts Festival programme however, due to renewed Covid-restrictions, was not able to be part of the Festival and will now be screened online at https://nationalartsfestival.co.za

The films creators have asked that instead of paying for a ticket, a donation is made in order to watch the film. Proceeds will go towards raising funds for Legae Lelebotse Lakgothatso ya Cancer in Limpopo, a centre of support and healing for cancer victims started by Mothiba Grace Bapela, after her own brush with cervical cancer.

Audiences can donate and receive a coupon to watch on the NAF site.

More about the making of the film:

In recent years, One Take Grace was made possible by an ANT Mobility Grant from Pro Helvetia Johannesburg financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC); Goethe-Institut South Africa as part of the Goethe-Institut Project Space (GPS); and the National Arts Council of South Africa with funds from the Presidential Economic Stimulus Programme. The presentation of an early version of One Take Grace in Ga Mothapo was made possible with the partnership of Sunshine Cinema.

Alongside Matshikiza and Bapela, the films artistic collaborators include editor, Khalid Shamis; sound artist, João Renato Orecchia Zúñiga; vocal historian, Masello Motana; visual artists, Meghan Judge and Daniel Sixte Kakinda; as well as multi-award winning stage and screen designer, Noluthando Lobese.

See it here
29 October (from 18h00) – 4 November 2021