A Triumph of Women’s Stories on the International Stage
In an inspiring moment for South African cinema, Don’t Give Up has captured the prestigious Golden Nymph Award for Best Creation — Fiction at the 64th Monte‑Carlo Television Festival . Created by producer Anant Singh and director Darrell James Roodt—and anchored by powerhouse actress Leleti Khumalo—this silent drama illuminates the lived reality of a single mother navigating poverty, unemployment, and societal neglect. Though devoid of dialogue, the film’s emotional heft—evoked through powerful imagery and music by Philip Glass and Peter Gabriel—gives voice to marginalized women in ways conventional narratives often overlook .
Faith: A Woman’s Endurance at the Foot of Adversity
The heart of the film is Faith, portrayed by Leleti Khumalo, a legendary figure in South African storytelling. Living in an abandoned car with her two boys, Lucky and Siyabonga, Faith’s daily battles for survival reflect the systemic challenges faced by many women globally. Poverty strips her of safety and dignity; she’s assaulted while fetching water, faces bureaucratic indifference, and is compelled to beg for cardboard to craft a sign—all without uttering a single word .
Her struggle isn’t sensationalized—it’s real, almost documentary-like. The film’s silent structure pays homage to early cinema and imbues the story with a universal resonance: it’s about women having to fight for their children’s future in contexts that conspire against them.
🎥 A Silent Film in a Digital Age
Leleti Khumalo commented on the enduring power of silent storytelling, thanking the Videovision team and Roodt, and praising Anant Singh for believing in the project . Producer Anant Singh emphasized the bold aesthetic choice:
“It is essentially a homage to the silent movie… The music of Philip Glass and Peter Gabriel give it that special magic” .
In a cinematic landscape flooded with dialogue-driven narrative, the film’s embrace of silence and reliance on visual storytelling challenge viewers to engage deeply, attuning to non-verbal cues and emotional performances. It’s a testament to the strength of women’s storytelling—rooted in resilience, emotion, and the power of presence rather than words.
👩🎓 Leleti Khumalo: A Woman’s Voice Through the Ages
Leleti Khumalo isn’t just an evocative actress—she’s a symbolic torchbearer of women-led cinema. From her iconic roles in Sarafina! (1992) and Yesterday (2004) to Faith’s Corner, her career consistently amplifies women’s experiences under duress. At Monte‑Carlo, she delivered an emotional acceptance speech, crediting the creative team and reaffirming her commitment to telling women-driven narratives .
Her captured image on stage—a woman in red, receiving acclaim for portraying silent strength—underscores the core of the film: women don’t need to speak loudly to be heard.
🇿🇦 Darrell Roodt & Anant Singh: Championing Women-Focused Storytelling
For over four decades, director Darrell James Roodt has explored South Africa’s social landscape from a remarkably empathetic angle. From apartheid-themed Place of Weeping to Oscar-nominee Yesterday and the recent Little One, Roodt has carved a unique cinematic niche—centered on strong female protagonists coping with extreme adversity .
Producer Anant Singh, whose production house Videovision backed Don’t Give Up, has been a steadfast supporter of Roodt’s vision. He celebrates this film chipping away at the invisibility cloak surrounding invisible women; those whose stories get lost in the chaos of poverty and social neglect .
Together, Roodt and Singh have forged a creative partnership that consistently foregrounds women as central, active agents of cinematic exploration—never just victims, but resilient heartbeats at their narratives’ cores.
✊ Poverty, Homelessness & Maternal Strength
Don’t Give Up dives into dimensions of intersectional feminism, portraying poverty and homelessness not just as social conditions but as gendered experiences. Faith is a mother struggling to protect her children—this maternal bond anchors the film as both deeply intimate and socially profound.
Her silent resistance—collecting sign materials, bathing her children, retrieving water—reveals the often overlooked labor of impoverished women. It’s understated activism. The film’s choice to omit dialogue amplifies the silence such women face; as Faith is unheard, the audience tunes in more carefully.
This narrative strategy frames poverty and homelessness as urgent feminist issues: issues women contend with daily, invisible to mainstream society, yet demanding empathy and attention.
🌍 Global Recognition: A Milestone for Women in Film
At Monte‑Carlo, the award underscored how women-centred stories can resonate globally. Honored at the Grimaldi Forum before European royalty, the film’s acclaim signals that silent, female-driven narratives surpass linguistic and cultural barriers .
Singh noted the film took 15 years to complete—an impressive feat of dedication that saw various formats and iterations before its final form was achieved . This decade-and-a-half journey speaks volumes about the perseverance required to bring women’s silent stories into the light—and invisibilized narratives to the fore.
👁️ Why This Film Matters to Women
It centers a mother’s fight for dignity, highlighting how poverty and courage can co-exist in the shadows of city streets. It demonstrates that cinematic silence can be empowered speech, reshaping narrative strategies in women’s storytelling. It marks a collaboration between visionary South African filmmakers committed to portraying women in all their complexity and resilience. Its global recognition signals a change—that audiences, critics, and institutions are ready to honor stories that reflect women’s structural marginalization and unspoken strength. It challenges mainstream norms, advocating for silent, marginalized voices to be heard—and honored.
💬 In the Words of the Creators
Anant Singh: “We are thrilled…This is an exceptional honour…Don’t Give Up is a unique film that was 15 years in the making and used the technique of classic silent films with no dialogue.” Leleti Khumalo: Expressed her gratitude toward Singh, Roodt, the Monte‑Carlo jury, and her loved ones for supporting this daring, woman-focused story .
🎯 The Path Forward for Women-Centric Cinema
Don’t Give Up exemplifies how centering women’s experiences—especially in silent form—can disrupt traditional story structures. Its success urges funders, directors, and festivals to back narratives that reflect women’s resilience under systemic oppression.
This film adds to a robust lineage of South African women-led stories: from Yesterday to Little One, Sarafina!, and now Don’t Give Up—building a legacy of women at the heart of powerful filmmaking.
🌟 Conclusion
In the face of invisibility, Faith’s silent struggle speaks volumes. Anchored by Leleti Khumalo’s potent performance, crafted by the visionary team of Roodt and Singh, and celebrated on an international stage, Don’t Give Up is more than a film—it’s a declaration: women’s stories are worthy of attention, respect, and global recognition. And sometimes, silence speaks the loudest.
May this golden-nymph winner inspire more women-led, quiet yet powerful films that refuse to be ignored.
Call to Action for Women Filmmakers & Advocates:
Champion silent, women-focused storytelling that challenges conventional narrative forms. Support marginalized women’s stories, especially those depicting poverty, homelessness, and resilience. Celebrate and fund South African women’s voices—they’re shaping cinema that’s socially meaningful and artistically revolutionary.
Don’t Give Up doesn’t just title matter—it’s a testament.
