User:Picknick99/Material (film)

Material (2012 film)

Material is a 2012 South African film starring Cape Town stand-up comedian Riaad Moosa, Vincent Ebrahim (from The Kumars at No. 42) and Joey Yusuf Rasdien. The screenplay was written by and directed by Craig Freimond (Jozi, Gums & Noses. The film was produced by South African Ronnie Apteker, founder of Internet Solutions, the country's first ISP, in partnership with seasoned TV and cinema producer Robbie Thorpe.

Story
Set in Fordsburg, an Indian enclave of Johannesburg, the film revolves around young Muslim shopkeeper, Cassim Kaif, who is being groomed by his father to take over the family textile shop. He wants to honour his father's wishes but is increasingly drawn into the more glamorous world of stand-up comedy, in which he seeks to make ha name for himself. Keeping it a secret, he slips out during the night to hone his craft in the city's downtown bars, a lifestyle which his father views with horror.

According to the producers Material is a universal story that cuts across racial and cultural lines -- "a difficult task in a country which, 18 years after the end of apartheid, is often still divided." , a headline repeated word for word in film industry bible Variety''

Reception
The film was greeted as a significant first in South African cinema and hailed a success on several levels. Socially it was seen as marking a new inclusivity towards South Africa's Indian and Muslim communities - "raising the bar in Indian South African entertainment". It was also seen as 'part of an historic first for South African film'

The film was also judged a success in commercial terms as well as artistic ones.

Full Cast & Crew
Riaad Moosa	Cassim Kaif

Vincent Ebrahim Ebrahim Kaif

Joey Yusuf Rasdien Yusuf (as Joey Rasdien)

Denise Newman	 Fatima Kaif

Krijay Govender	 Dadi Kaif

Zakeeya Patel	 Aisha Kaif

Carishma Basday	 Zulfa Ahmed

Royston Stoffels	Rafiq Kaif

Quanita Adams	 Sharee

Afzal Khan Faheem

Mel Miller	 Merv

Nik Rabinowitz	 Dave Gold

Osman Ali	 Shanawaaz

Mark Bennett	 Performer in stand-up bar

Rosalind Butler	 Customer at Rafiq's shop