By Cale Nuttall
On the 6th and 7th of September 2024, the annual 48-Hour Film Festival brought together 61 filmmaking teams, each tasked with creating the best short film. Among these teams were two groups from Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), each driven by the challenge and exhilaration of completing a production under extreme time constraints. CPUT Teams 1 and 2, led by passionate student directors, Matthew Mbi and Dominic Southon, aimed to make their mark at the festival.
CPUT Team 1, under the guidance of second-year film student Dominic Southon, took on the genre of interpretive dance. Their film, Relever—which means "to raise"—follows the emotional journey of a young dancer overcoming personal challenges. The film offers viewers an intimate look into the dancer’s trials and her ultimate triumph, all expressed through movement. Southon, serving as the director, pulled from his experience as the Director of Photography (DOP) in last year’s festival. This year, he sought to push his creative limits even further, crafting a film that conveys the raw power of dance. Set between two key locations—the CPUT campus and an apartment—the team worked against the clock, battling exhaustion and time constraints to achieve their vision.
Relever relies heavily on communicating the narrative through dance rather than dialogue. Despite the lead actor not being a dancer, she participates in theatre at AFDA where she studies. Although Dominic had to do some choreographing, he believes she was the perfect fit for the film.“There is dialogue, it’s more focused on the emotional side of it. Our story is more driven by the emotions our main character displays and her body language, especially driven through dance. Most of the dialogue comes through flashbacks as she is dancing. This year we went for something different and truly challenged ourselves to make something that isn’t too heavily driven through dialogue.”
Dominic expressed a deep desire to win the Best Short Film award, adding that he was happy with the film his team produced this year. “The goal in mind is to win the best student short film. Everyone knew that and, on the weekend, everyone gave everything, and I am very proud of them.”
CPUT Team 2, headed by third-year film student and was also a crew member on the 2022 best student film of the year, Matthew Mbi, took a darker, more suspenseful route. Their film, Beneath the Surface, is a game film rooted in psychological warfare, using chess as a metaphor for the unravelling relationship between a dysfunctional couple. As the tension between husband and wife escalates, secrets are revealed, betrayal surfaces, and the stakes reach a deadly high. The gritty thriller reflects themes of survival, uncertainty, and emotional grit. Mbi, who handled multiple roles in past 48-hour productions such as DOP, editor, and director, chose to shoot the film in one take to enhance the story's intensity and ultimately finish filming before the Rugby started.
Mbi explained how his creative vision came to life in the short film, “One of the concepts I had matched with the game film genre because I wanted to do a concept whereby there is psychological/emotional warfare between a couple using chess as a metaphor where every move is a power shift between the couple. Beneath the Surface is [adding] a layer where there is the game of chess and the underlying conflict. The themes that we [really] dug into were regret, betrayal as well as survival.”
Despite the logistical hurdles both teams faced—ranging from physical tiredness to the challenge of finding suitable locations—there is a palpable sense of anticipation for their upcoming premieres. For both Dominic and Matthew, the festival offered a valuable opportunity to learn more about their potential as filmmakers, honing skills that could open doors to future success.
Commenting on the significance of the 48-hour film competition for CPUT’s Film Production students, Damian Samuels, a Film lecturer at CPUT said, "The 48-hour film competition gives our Film Production students an opportunity to apply the technical and creative skills we have been teaching them over the years in a real-world, pressurised situation. They get to test their knowledge and skill on the job to produce a product (a film) that is theirs and of their own agency and ingenuity. They also get a chance to meet other filmmakers, industry experts and players, as well as sponsors. Participating in this competition instils confidence and helps them create a show reel, which is like a resume for filmmakers. It is an honour for all the lecturers in the Film Programme - not just me - to support our students in this competition every year."
Their films will premiere at Ster-Kinekor, V&A Waterfront, on the 21st of September, where the CPUT teams hope to leave their mark, competing for the coveted Best Short Film Award.
With high hopes and even higher stakes, these students are ready to showcase their talents to a wider audience, proving that even with limited time, creativity knows no bounds.
Social media handles:
Matthew’s Instagram: @Visualbymatt
Dominic’s Instagram: @nonofficialdom
Dominic’s YouTube: @DomonicSouthon
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