02-07-2025
God's work: A powerful new film exploring homelessness in Durban
Michael James' 'God's Work' highlights the struggles of the homeless in Durban.
God's Work, a new film by acclaimed Durban filmmaker Michael James, has been selected to compete for Best South African Feature, and will have its SA Premiere at this year's Durban International Film Festival on Sunday, July 20.
The film unfolds in a crumbling building in central Durban, where Simphiwe, portrayed by SAFTA-winning actor Thobani Nzuza and other homeless men struggle with poverty, addiction, and the temptations of fleeting notoriety.
The ensemble cast also features Mbulelo Radebe, Omega Mncube, Siya Xaba, Zenzo Msomi and Nduduzo Khowa.
James got inspiration for God's Work while filming a documentary about homeless shelters at the Denis Hurley Centre in Durban during the Covid-19 pandemic.
"I intend to engage with both the internal and external worlds of the characters and to allow the audience deeper access into the surreal and often troubling recesses of the human mind," he said.
