South Africa and Lesotho / 2006 / 19mins / Western, Magic Realism / Southern Sotho

A haunting tale spiced with magical realism, Meokogo & the Stick Fighter is the story of Kgotso, a recluse stickfighter who lives a solitary life high up in the Maluti Mountains of Lesotho. Whilst tending sheep and playing his concertina, he sees a beautiful and mysterious woman dreamily staring at him from the water. This story of love and sacrifice captures both the intensity and the beauty of African magical beliefs.

Teboho Mahlatsi

Born in 1974, Teboho Mahlatsi graduated from the Africa Cultural Centre Film & Television Course and then spent five years working as a screenwriter. He has written, produced and directed many projects, including the documentary Ghetto Diaries for the South African educational channel SABC Education TV, and the highly controversial television series Yizo Yizo, winning Best Director and Best Drama series at the Avanti awards (South Africa’s equivalent to the Emmys). His short film Portrait of a Young Man Drowning won the Silver Lion at the Venice Film Festival in 1999. The following year he completed a short television series, Ungshaya Ding Dong. Mahlatsi’s other works include A-Z – A Commentary on Post-Apartheid South Africa (2001) and Meokgo and the Stick Fighter (Sekalli le Meokgo – 2006). In addition, he has directed numerous music videos. In 2018, at the USIBA Awards, hosted by arts and culture minister Nathi Mthethwa, Mahlatsi was honored for groundbreaking work in the Audiovisual and Creative field. He is a company director of The Bomb Shelter Film Company (Pty) Ltd. Learn More