South African movie The Wall has been nominated at the Pan African Film and Arts Festival, Houston Black Film Festival and at the Garden State Film Festival in the USA.

The movie is produced by Utkarsh Entertainment, a new film production company based in South Africa.

Inspired by actual events, it tells the tale of Jacob, a migrant labourer from Zimbabwe, who along with his brother was caught up in the violent xenophobic riots that swept across South Africa in 2015.

A tale of hope, identity, and humanity and ultimately of tragedy; this is a story worthy of being told. Touching on the multifaceted inequities found throughout Africa, The Wall is an intimate look at the personal struggles of people trying to build a life in post-liberation societies. Asking important questions about both individual and collective identity, it delves into the idea of what it means to be “African.”

Writer and director, Terwadkar Rajiv, describes the film as the fruit of a long held desire to share meaningful stories through film. “I’ve always had a passion for film, but for me, it’s not just about making movies. I want to be able to bring stories to the screen that better help us understand our world,” he said.

Rajiv also expressed great excitement at being able to work with established talent, as well as a few of South Africa’s newest filmmakers and actors in the making of The Wall.

The cast includes Phumelo Nkosi, known for the popular South African drama Generations and Muvhango, as well as a talented line-up of newcomers like stage personality & known MC Zubair Khan & Nalini Subrayen.

The team includes award winning Bollywood film editor, Abhijeet Deshpande, and also features Joseph Jones Umba and Sharnelle De Beer, who represent a new wave of African filmmakers hoping to establish themselves as cinematographers.

“As producers, we have a responsibility to help develop the industry locally, and nurture African talent,” said Rajiv of his diverse team.