Urugab Kruiper, the lead character in "Our Earth, My Blood".
Image: Supplied.
South African cinema is taking center stage on the French Riviera.
The powerful new documentary "Our Earth, My Blood" has officially been nominated for the highly coveted Golden Nymph Award at the upcoming 65th Monte-Carlo Television Festival.
Produced by Anant Singh and Videovision Entertainment, in association with Distant Horizon, the film is stepping into the international spotlight to compete against other documentaries from around the globe, such as "Dacia Vita Mia - Dialoghi Giapponesi" from Italy, "Iran, Israel and the Bomb" from France and the UK's "Into the Void: Putin's Foreign Fighte".
The Monte-Carlo Television Festival is one of the world's most prestigious film festivals and will run from June 12 to 16, showcasing 24 films from 13 different countries.
The festival will open with the international premiere of the first two episodes of season 3 of "The Walking Dead: Dead City", in the presence of actors Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Lauren Cohan, alongside showrunner Seth Hoffman.
The winners of the Golden Nymph Awards will be revealed during a star-studded, glamorous Blue Carpet Ceremony at the Grimaldi Forum on Tuesday, June 16.
Anant Singh is one of South Africa’s most influential filmmakers, known for producing globally recognised films that often explore themes of justice, resilience and social change.
Image: File.
At its heart, "Our Earth, My Blood" is much more than just an award contender, it is a deeply moving, vital piece of historical storytelling.
The film shines a harsh but necessary light on the colonial genocide of the San people, exploring their painful history of displacement and their ongoing battle to keep their ancient traditions alive.
Reacting to the news, Singh shared his excitement: “We are delighted that ‘Our Earth, My Blood’ has been nominated for the prestigious Golden Nymph Award. The film, which tells of the colonial genocide of the San people, the world’s most ancient shamanic culture, battling to survive atrocities and displacement, and whose culture and traditions are severely threatened.”
The visionary co-directors behind the project, Craig and Damon Foster, echoed this pride, emphasising the importance of bringing these indigenous narratives to the world stage.
"'Our Earth, My Blood' celebrates the voices, culture and living heritage of the San people, the world’s oldest hunter-gatherer community. We are deeply honoured to share these powerful stories with a global audience and sincerely grateful to the Monte-Carlo Television Festival for creating a platform that recognises diverse African narratives."
The documentary's international recognition comes at a deeply poignant time for South Africa. Earlier this year, the nation witnessed a historic moment of healing when President Cyril Ramaphosa officiated the reburial of 63 Khoi and San ancestral remains at the Kinderlê Monument in the Northern Cape.
These remains had been stolen between 1868 and 1924 for unethical, racist research and were finally repatriated from Scotland. This profound act of justice and restoration of dignity perfectly mirrors the core themes of the film.
The festival's leadership has already taken notice of the film's undeniable emotional weight and cinematic excellence.
Cécile Menoni, CEO of the Monte-Carlo Television Festival, offered high praise for the project and South Africa's filmmaking prowess.
"A nomination for a Golden Nymph Award undoubtedly demonstrates that a production is of the highest caliber, and we congratulate every nominee. Our Festival continues to attract exceptional shows from all parts of the world, and we are extremely pleased to be able to reveal new programs and a best-in-class Official Selection each year."
"South Africa stands out this year with a powerful entry, ‘Our Earth, My Blood’ which explores memory, land and survival," ended Menoni.
In addition, Dame Kristin Scott Thomas, Kurt Russell, Michel Drucker, Spanish actress Ester Expósito and British actor Matthew Broome will receive awards for their contributions to the industry.