Starring:  Bahle Mashinini, Nomalanga Shabane

Synopsis:  A young boy who reads letters to villagers develops a crush on one of the recipients.

Review:

The movie opens up to Siya (Bahle Mashinini), a young boy, on his way to a village to spend time with his grandmother. He was reluctant at first but his parents were experiencing marital issues and needed time to sort things out. Meanwhile, Nobuhle (Nomalanga Shabane) had just bid farewell to her husband as he headed to the city, long-term, for work. When Siya met Nobuhle in the village for the first time he was lovestruck.

Time passed and Nobuhle finally received a letter from her husband but she was uneducated and couldn’t read it. Siya’s late grandfather used to read letters to villagers but now Siya had taken over the role.  As Siya read letters to Nobuhle, the loving words he spoke to her literally came from his heart. 

Let’s Talk. This is an award-winning short film about a brilliant young boy who knew how read and write in both English and his native language. He soon learned the power words when he began reading letters to the unschooled.

With a running time of twenty-nine minutes, the film managed to encompass young infatuation, betrayal, love, and illiteracy. Most importantly, it translated the potency of words. Words have the power to make us or break us. Words are what we choose to believe or not. Words are what allowed a young boy to replace a woman’s husband, not physically but in spirit.

The cinematography created an picturesque escape to the rural mountains in South Africa but the realization of seeing clothes hand washed by a stream may have halted the fantasy. The period wasn’t revealed but the story was told in a placid and natural environment that lacked modern inventions.  

Netflix acquired this movie and short films are not normally purchased by major broadcasters. However, this one broke through the barrier inspiring scriptwriters to get out there shoot their own stories. 

As for it’s brevity, there was enough substance for a feature film due to elements that were not expanded upon. For instance, what really happened with Menzi in the city? What were the issues with Siya’s parents? Did Nobuhle want the truth about the letters? These are all questions that await a full length film. 

Of course, performances brought it all together as every moment was truthful thanks to the actors and proficient direction. RECOMMEND