A New Country 2020

When South Africa transitioned to democracy in 1994, the so-called “rainbow nation” was hailed around the world as a political miracle. Yet, 25 years later, South Africa is the most economically unequal country in the world and the legacy of economic apartheid continues to define day-to-day life for most South Africans. Heartbreakingly insightful, the film consists of remarkably frank interviews with a full spectrum of South Africans, from informal workers to pop culture figures to artists, politicians, and academics.

Moving through the last three decades, the film follows the South African narrative from the early days of liberation to a contemporary society that is increasingly fractured and in which the culture of resistance and protest is as strong and vital as it was during the height of legislated apartheid.

About the Director

Sifiso is an award-winning producer/director and an independent archive researcher. Khanyile started his career working as a writer and content producer on SABC talk and magazine shows. He directed Spiderman and Romeo, a groundbreaking short documentary about the thrills and dangers of train surfing which screened at numerous local and international festivals and shown on BBC, and Sechuan TV (China).

In 2012, he produced his first drama film His majesty’s Building and also completed a feature documentary on struggle icon Andrew Mlangeni (2014) and directed his feature debut, 'Uprise!'. He is a founding member of the Association for Transformation in Film and Television (ATFT) and is a judge for the South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTA). In addition, he has served as a jury member for the International Emmys.