A documentary on the life of Springbok World Cup-winning wing Makazole Mapimpi will now premier on SuperSport Grandstand (201) on 27 March, at 20h00.
That’s after its initial launch was slated for July last year.
Power tools brand RYOBI is the sponsor behind ‘Map1mp1’ and the story is told from the perspective of journalist Sibusiso Mjikeliso, who has conducted interviews with various role-players in the Eastern Cape, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.
“Map1mp1 is a hero’s journey story structure like no other, considering the trials and tribulations Makazole had to tackle in order to become the first South African to score a try in a Rugby World Cup Final,” says Director Bongani Morgan. “From Twecu to Tokyo we uncover the raw Eastern Cape culture, juxtaposed with maladministration; it’s a doccie layered in dichotomy, especially with some of our country’s finest talent being Eastern Cape exports – the likes of Siya Kolisi, Lukhanyo Am, the Ndungane brothers, and Thando Manana, to name a few.”
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“In a time where we’re confronted with so many social ills, I’d like the documentary to be in a lot of ways cathartic to the audience and that hopefully leads to a strong sense of pride and solidarity with one another,” continues Morgan. “Ultimately, our documentary is a commemoration and a celebration of this tremendous figure and the world he represents.”
“I think sports documentaries in South Africa are becoming an exciting viable avenue into exploring more stories, and I think it’s fitting that we get to share our sporting heroes with the world as SA sports history – while not always rosy – has played an important part in shaping social cohesion in our country and on the world stage, too. This can be a truly inventive way that sport and advertising can go about in the future, so long as the purpose and intent of the approach is clearly defined in telling such stories. Without doubt, Ryobi has pioneered a new way to create branded content with a film such as this one.”