(Shaan
Nathoo as Baboo & Aaqil Hoosen as Ticky)
South African film Kings of Mulberry Street, directed by Judy Naidoo, has won the Best
Feature Film award at the Children’s Film Festival in Seattle, one of the
largest and most respected film festivals in the world. It’s the latest in a
long list of accolades for the film.
Each year, Northwest Film Forum selects
international children’s films from dozens of countries, reaching more than
10,000 people during festival screenings in Seattle and a subsequent festival
tour of more than 20 US cities. Children’s Film Festival Seattle stands for
racial equity and diversity, inclusivity, social justice, global awareness, and
the best in age-appropriate, visual storytelling for young people.
This year, prizes were selected by three
juries of children and youth, who watched the festival’s competition both
during the festival, which began on February 27, 2020, and then remotely after
the second weekend of the festival was postponed due to the public health crisis
brought by the coronavirus.
“The festival celebrates the best and
brightest in international cinema for children, and I am absolutely thrilled
that Kings of Mulberry Street has won
this prestigious award,” said Naidoo. “The results were announced one month
after CFFS youth juries first gathered, and then dispersed after an abbreviated
festival cut much too short. The jury is made up of dedicated young film
critics, who gave the festival their all, writing insightful comments and
fulfilling their duties with both joy and seriousness.”
Set in the early 80s, in the fictionalised
area of Sugarhill District in KwaZulu-Natal, Kings of Mulberry Street is a charmingly nostalgic story of two
young Indian boys (Shaan Nathoo as Baboo and Aaqil Hoosen as Ticky) who have to
find a way to overcome their differences and unite in order to defeat the
bullying local crime lord who is threatening their families. A delightful and
hilarious adventure, with universal themes that appeal to the whole family, the
film also pays tribute to classic 80s Bollywood movies and their heroes.
Visually colourful and vibrant, the film is also touching and
heart-warming.
The film screened at cinemas countrywide in
South Africa is 2019 and was distributed by Indigenous Film Distribution.
“We are incredibly proud of Judy and the
whole Kings of Mulberry Street team,”
said Helen Kuun, MD of Indigenous Film Distribution. “In awarding prizes, the
juries chose 21 films from North America, Latin America, Africa, Europe and
Asia, recognising in their awards a majority of female directors for their
work. Winning best feature is a wonderful accolade and we congratulate Judy and
the cast and crew.”
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