South Africa,
2006, 95 min
Shown in 2007
CREDITS
- dir
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John Barker
- prod
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John Barker, Kagiso Lediga
- scr
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David Kibuuka, Salah Sabiti, Joey Rasdien
- cam
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Zeno Petersen
- editor
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Sakkie Bergh
- mus
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Joel Assaizky
- cast
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David Kibuuka, Kagiso Lediga, Joey Rasdien, Kim Engelbrecht
- source
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Dv8 Films / Deviant Selling, Suite 2B, 1st Floor, 8 Arnold Road, Rosebank, 2196 Gauteng, South Africa FAX: +27-11-880-0192. EMAIL: jeremy@dv8.co.za.
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COMMENTS
Skyy Prize contender. John Barker attended.
OTHER
This defiantly lo-fi comedy takes its name from a South African sandwich that consists of a hollowed-out loaf of bread filled with a mixture of vegetables, curries and meats. It’s a popular dish in Johannesburg, usually eaten in groups and often consumed after a night of drinking. Taken as a metaphor here, it is meant to represent the new social reality of South Africa, where cultures, languages and ethnicities are constantly mixing and youth culture is undergoing a renaissance. The film focuses on three young Johannesburg comedians attempting to make it in their professions while also trying to sort out their love lives. Kags is a relentless womanizer who pushes and tortures his friends. Joey is a Muslim who frequently negotiates his faith amidst the temptations of club life while alienating his girlfriend. Dave is the up-and-comer trying to establish his own voice and identity in a shifting field of personalities and distractions. The three friends take off on a road trip to work at and enjoy Oppikoppi, South Africa’s largest annual rock music festival, where their quests unfold in ways both anxious and hilarious. Recalling highly energetic and successful American indie comedies from the early ’90s such as Clerks and Spanking the Monkey, Bunny Chow’s scenes often feel improvised, and its stars are characters essentially playing themselves; Kagiso Lediga (Kags), Yusuf Rasdien (Joey) and David Kibuuka (David) are well-known comedians in Johannesburg. Their charming camaraderie contributes greatly to this intimate and humorous portrayal of contemporary South African life.
—Sean Uyehara
FACTOID #175
In 1967, two years prior to her death, the Festival honored Judy Garland in the first (according to the program note) American homage of her work. Garland was unable to attend.
