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Mail & Guardian
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Mail & Guardian
When the hustle breaks you: Karabo Lediga's quietly radical Sabbatical
Breathing space: Mona Monyane plays the lead character Lesego in the film Sabbatical, which explores themes such as the price of success and family pressures We see a woman asleep in bed. She's wearing make-up and earrings, so it's clear the previous night must have ended abruptly. The puke stains on her pillow and the right side of her face point to the same conclusion. She's woken up by the incessant sound of hammering. Not quite sure where the sound is coming from, or where she is for that matter, the only clarity available is the feeling of having been hit by a truck and barely surviving. She slowly sits up on the bed, sunlight streaming through the curtains, and looks around the room. She realises where she is. The first words out of her mouth: 'Oh, fuck.' And with that, writer-director Karabo Lediga throws us right into the world of Sabbatical, her first feature film, set for nationwide release on 9 May. The woman we are first introduced to in the throes of a historic hangover is Lesego, a successful investment banker. In the midst of a personal crisis, she has turned up at her childhood home, unannounced, telling her mother Doris that she's taking a sabbatical from work. The truth is that Lesego, once a rising star on the CEO track at top investment firm LouwFin, has been suspended and placed under investigation for defrauding a miners' pension fund. She's suspected of stealing millions from the families of deceased miners. An investigator is hot on her heels and she's fled her life in Johannesburg to seek the comfort of the familiar surroundings of her youth, 40km away, in Thorntree. The setting for Sabbatical is a world Lediga knows well, having grown up in Pretoria herself, before moving to Johannesburg for university, and never quite returning, staying on to pursue a career in film and television. That is until major surgery forced her to move back home for a period of six weeks. 'I was just stuck in this room and I had to be kind of dependent on my mom,' Lediga says. 'She's a nurse, so she was rolling up her sleeves, like, 'It's my time to shine now.'' Debut: Director Karabo Lediga on the set of Sabbatical It was this experience that sparked the inspiration for what would become Lediga's first feature film. But the thread that really opened up the story was her desire to explore what she describes as a generational culture clash and how the pressure to succeed figures into that dynamic, particularly for black South African families. 'I've always thought about this pressure, this generational pressure to succeed, and I think it's quite pronounced for the generation born right after apartheid because we were catapulted into worlds that weren't accessible to our parents,' she says. 'The freedom is so pronounced. So, we become almost like foreigners in our own country, because we go to places that are predominantly white, where we're a minority, and we come back home and we've changed. 'It's almost like a culture clash between people in the same families and I've always found it fascinating.' This idea comes out most strongly in the way Lesego, played by Mona Monyane, interacts with people in her hometown. They talk to her as though going to the city and becoming successful has made her different — perhaps even better — than them, when, in reality, Lesego feels crushed by the weight of expectation and is fleeing from the cost of success. This sense of isolation is starkest in Lesego's dynamic with her mother Doris, played by Clementine Mosimane. Even as she confesses the pressure of work has been getting to her, and seeks refuge in her mother's home, Lesego is tight-lipped about the suspension and investigation. And during the course of the film it's not hard to see why as Doris seems less concerned with her daughter's deteriorating mental health than with keeping up appearances. 'There are all of these questions you start to internalise when you were raised a certain way like, 'Are you going to be presentable?' and 'What are people going to think?' so I thought to exaggerate this relationship between Lesego and Doris,' explains Lediga. 'I also think it's interesting to look at our lives and the nuances of it. There's something interesting about the in-betweens.' Karabo Lediga started her film and television career as a researcher and writer working behind the scenes on several productions including Late Nite News with Loyiso Gola, Bantu Hour and Queen Sono. She went on to direct the short film What Did You Dream?, which premiered at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, and was also in competition at The Palm Springs International Short Film Festival, among others. Seputla Sebogodi as Gabriel, Mona Monyane as Lesego and Clementine Mosimane as Doris in the movie It won Best African Short at the Durban International Film Festival. Her brother is the multi-hyphenate creative Kagiso Lediga, who is among the leaders of Diprente, the production house behind many of Karabo's television and film credits and now her directorial debut Sabbatical. Loyiso Gola also shows up in the film in a supporting role as the inscrutable investigator Percy, who is on the hunt for Lesego. Lediga's close connection to the world of comedy made me go into the film with the expectation that it would be a comedy. While it does have its funny moments, it's more of a dramatic character study, a slow burn, slowly peeling back the layers of its complicated protagonist, her irritable mother and the colourful cast of characters in their Thorntree community. 'It's interesting to talk about one's voice as an African filmmaker because, internationally, there's always this expectation that it will have this kind of stereotypical magical archetype people associate with Africa,' says Lediga. 'But then I grew up on American television because the imperialism thrust upon me was American popular culture. And I've always loved the American indie — these films where white people get to just be themselves. There's no fire. Nobody's dying. It's just exploring the psyche of characters, in depth.' 'So I'm always questioning: 'What is it about black life that doesn't deserve this kind of in-depth simplicity and nuance and humanisation?' 'Because people are just really people, you know. So I was quite obsessed with this indie thing that's like a language in my style of filmmaking, or my burgeoning style of filmmaking, trying to make that kind of a film. 'I was obsessed with the question of what if this kind of borrowing of indie American filmmaking was to be in an African context with the nuances of black people.' Lediga leaned heavily on her community of friends and long-time collaborators in the film industry to help her achieve her African indie vision. Sabbatical's cinematographer Motheo Moeng is a Diprente regular who's worked on films such as Catching Feelings and Matwetwe. 'What's great about Motheo is that he also has Pretoria heritage, so he knows the world,' says Lediga. 'But he also has an interesting connection with actors, making him a great representative for you as a director, when you're not there.' The film's editor Khulekani Zondi worked on the television series Queen Sono as well as Matwetwe while Lethabo Mpoko, a young actress who has a supporting role in Sabbatical, was the lead in Lediga's short film What Did You Dream? The main cast is rounded out by Tsholofelo Maseko, Bathabile Mashigo and Seputla Sebogodi with production design by Ntokozo Kunene and an original score from award-winning South African jazz pianist and composer Bokani Dyer. 'There's always this interesting question about, 'What do you lean on?' And the answer is community,' Lediga says. 'I guess that's what the film says as well. The people around you matter — they are your currency. 'And it's the people that you work with on set, the crew that you work with. I like to work with people that I already know and trust and have a relationship with and if we progress, then we should do it together.'

IOL News
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
‘Sabbatical': a journey from ambition to humility
SABBATICAL is written and directed by UCT alumna, Karabo Lediga, and tells the story of a corporate climber groomed to be the next CEO of an elite firm. Her meteoric rise crashes when she is implicated in a miner's pension fund scandal. Image: Supplied There's this wall painting in Johannesburg CBD that one just cannot miss nor ignore. It spells out CALL YOUR MOTHER in white letters on a black background. It's right there at the back of that high-rise Nota Bene student accommodation building in Braamfontein. Closer to home, right here in Cape Town, the facade of Iziko South African National Gallery has been emblazoned with the very same CALL YOUR MOTHER mural by artist, Ed Young. Cheeky. Simple and effective. A message that pricks izazela zamagoduka [the conscience of refugees]. I found myself thinking about this particular Ed Young artwork whilst watching the preview of a new South African film called SABBATICAL. Set to hit cinema screens this Friday, May 9. SABBATICAL is written and directed by UCT alumna, Karabo Lediga, and tells the story of a corporate climber groomed to be the next CEO of an elite firm. Her meteoric rise crashes when she is implicated in a miner's pension fund scandal. Relatability is the one word I can use to sum up the overall experience of this film, particularly for those who grew up in townships or relatively impoverished backgrounds and were able to secure a job in some or the other big city. It is a lingering reminder that one is one career muck up away from going back 'home'. Visit any township and you will without a doubt find many professional returnees, not retirees, lugubriously trolling township streets asking for loose cigarettes or R5. You will hear whispers of 'that was so and so in his/her time!' You see it in their faded loose-fitting Paul Smith and Aigner t-shirts, worn out Florsheims and bursts of jargon-laden English when inebriated. It is a scary destination. A destination that this film attempts to take us to via its lead character, Lesego (played by Muvhango's Mona Monyane). Lesego wakes up one morning to find herself back where she grew up, far, far away from her gated community double-storey mansion. She grapples with a R900+ Uber receipt, clearly hungover and unaware she is home until her mother, Doris (played by Clementine Mosimane), enters the room offering to wash her puke-stained clothes. Ashamed. Not much is said about what is going on and why she is there. From there it is a rollercoaster of schmaltz; being back at home, your mother constantly calling your name, endless errands, being infantilised and a growing sense of obstinance that rewards you with "leave my house!" instructions. All of which is compounded by Lesego's long absence from home. She barely ever visited. For years. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Loyisa Gola as lead investigator Percy Mthimkhulu. Image: Supplied The nosy neighbours, childhood sweethearts and friends, you concocting excuses along the lines of "I am just here for the weekend" which becomes a week and then weeks then months. SABBATICAL blends this emotional weight with sharp humour, brilliant acting and some familiar television faces in roles you might have never associated them with. It was surprising to see comedian, Loyisa Gola, in a formal acting role. No goofing around or guffaws, just a serious lead investigator named Percy Mthimkhulu studiously chasing down Lesego. His portrayal of this role and his matured delivery of his Xhosa lines left me wondering why we no longer produce vernacular sitcoms or dramas in this country? S'gudi S'naysi, Velaphi, Hlala Kwabafileyo, Lesilo Rula and more. What happened? Speaking of roles, Mona Monyane as Lesego was an excellent choice; she grimes up quite well and easily glams up for the corporate chic look. There is a certain intensity in her portrayal of this character that you'd be forgiven for forgetting is an act. She goes through the most and the audience will have no choice but to empathize with her. The film's look and feel is sensual and personal. If you are one of those people who appreciates arty camera angles, Motheo Moeng, the film's director of photography goes all out to visually arrest the viewer. The at-home scenes did feel a bit long at times and I feel the film did not fully explore the depths of how humiliating Lesego's experience was. It almost felt like everyone understood her situation back home. There's a scene just after Bozza's 40th birthday that left me with question marks. Without revealing too much I would say this is a well-thought out film that steers clear of the traditional happy ending. If anything it leaves one wondering what is to happen to Lesego. Be that as it may, this is a timely Mother's Day weekend arrival. Call your mother, head down to the cinema and see how both of you feel after watching it. Cape Times


News24
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News24
Karabo Lediga pays tribute to her larger-than-life mom in heartfelt new film Sabbatical
Upcoming film, Sabbatical, starring Mona Monyane and Clementine Mosimane, unravels the tense yet touching relationship between a Pretoria mother and daughter. Coming to screens this Mother's Day weekend, the film is inspired by takeaways from director Karabo Lediga's relationship with her larger-than-life mother, Kgomotso Lediga. Imparting pearls of wisdom, the filmmaker emphasised the importance of daughters being honest with their mothers, stressing that 'secrets don't really work'. Accomplished writer and producer Karabo Lediga, known for partnering with her Emmy-nominated sibling Kagiso Lediga through his Diprente production company, has unveiled her proudest work yet as a director in the upcoming film Sabbatical. Filmed across Pretoria and Johannesburg, this dramatic comedy will hit theatres on Friday, 9 May, perfectly timed for the Mother's Day weekend. The film stars Mona Monyane and Clementine Mosimane as mother-daughter duo Lesego and Doris Tau. Synopsis: Lesego, a banker, returns unannounced to her childhood home and her overbearing mother, whom she hardly visits. Unbeknownst to her mother, a life-changing secret brought her back, threatening to upend their fragile relationship forever. Described by Karabo as 'a very dramatic yet honest and funny portrayal of a black mother and daughter,' Sabbatical provides an unflinching glimpse into family dynamics and generational tension. Speaking to News24 about the film during its screening at Montecasino on Tuesday, she linked the Pretoria-based narrative closely to her own experiences: 'It's very much Pretoria-based – it's very much my voice as somebody from Soshanguve, Atteridgeville and Akasia as well,' Karabo said at the movie's screening on Tuesday evening at Monte Casino. A look at the red carpet from the screening: Karabo revealed that much of her inspiration for the film came from her dynamic with her own mother, Kgomotso Lediga, and even her mother's friends. 'My mom is a very big character – she's almost like a movie character. It's always interesting watching her, her friends and the stuff that happens around her, so I would always take some stuff from them,' she said. I'm blessed with an interesting mom, so the story kind of asked to be told, you know – mom and daughters have this conflict, and I don't know how to explain it. I have nothing against her, but we clash, and I found those clashes interesting and worthy of telling. With days to go until the film's premiere, Karabo hopes Sabbatical will inspire dialogue between mothers and daughters about the power of honesty. This heartfelt takeaway is wrapped in humour and drama, making the film an emotional tribute to familial bonds. 'Be honest with your mothers. Find a way to talk respectfully, you know. Secrets don't really work. But, overall, there's an interesting conversation about truthfulness to be had with our mothers,' she said. Collaborating with her brother once more on the production, Karabo said their dynamics had matured over the years after starting off with petty fights. The siblings have previously teamed up for productions such as Queen Sono and The Pure Monate Show, among others. Kagiso served as the producer on the film. 'We've been working together for many years, and now it feels like we are creative partners. I lean on him a lot for creative decisions as well – even though I usually get my way, I always need some advice, and he and his partner, Tamsin Andersson, are really good at producing. They have really good taste,' Karabo said. Reflecting on her daughter's achievements, mom Kgomotso expressed overflowing pride: 'I never thought she would reach this, but because I saw her growing and growing, I'm so proud. I feel so great,' she said. An honest celebration and reflection of the complexities of motherhood and daughterhood through a humorous yet healing lens, Sabbatical is a must-watch this Mother's Day weekend.


eNCA
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- eNCA
Family drama 'Sabbatical' hits SA big screens
JOHANNESBURG - Karabo Lediga's debut film titled SABBATICAL is set to be released in cinemas nationwide next Friday. The local film boasts an exceptional team and cast. It's about ambition, family and buried truths. READ: City of Gold | Movie promises thrilling cinematic experience Director of SABBATICAL, Karabo Lediga and Actress Clementine Mosmane had a discussion with eNCA on their upcoming movie to hit SA big screens.

TimesLIVE
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- TimesLIVE
Seasoned actors star in new film 'Sabbatical'
Seasoned actors will feature in a new film, Sabbatical, which hits big screens next month. The film, set in a close-knit South African community, explores the delicate ties of family, identity and the past. Directed by Karabo Lediga with Kagiso Lediga as its producer, Sabbatical features actors such as Mona Monyane and Clementine Mosimane, who play a mother and daughter duo, Kedibone Manyaka, Tinah Mnumzana and Nupi Makhobo. It follows a celebrated investment banker who during a personal breakdown returns to her childhood home, upending her mother's world. As her secret unfolds, their relationship is forever altered. Speaking to TshisaLIVE, Clementine, who plays Doris, said the connection and disconnection between mother and daughter is a crucial journey — sometimes there's lack of communication and sometimes there would be misunderstanding. 'There'll be anger between mothers and their daughters because there's not enough communication in families, also underlying love. What the viewers can take from this film is that Rome wasn't built in a day and to see there will be challenges in families and there will be a way of resolving those,' she said. Mona, who plays a troublesome daughter, Lesego, reflected on the effect secrets have in families. 'The secrets can destroy. It also depends on the secret. I don't think it's a good idea, no matter how bad the secret is. I say families should come together and expose everything, no matter how bad it is. If you're a family, you'll find your way back because you are a unit. 'Blood is thicker than water, but it is something over the years people have moved away from. Secrets are not good at all,' she said.