BY Nkosazana Ngwadla
Director, Tebogo Malope stole the hearts of Americans with his documentary, ‘Rise: The Siya Kolisi Story’, which highlights Kolisi as the first black South African rugby captain who against all odds led the South African national team to win the 2019 World Cup Rugby tournament and in turn united the country.
The film hit DStv earlier this year and was screened this past week at a popular film festival in Tribeca where an American audience voted it the number one film at the festival.
Just under 110 feature films from 127 filmmakers across 36 countries wowed the crowds at this year’s Tribeca Festival in New York City from June 7 to 18.
In the film, Kolisi shares both his challenges and victories, which include his rise to international stardom, his complicated relationship with his father, his struggle with alcoholism and his journey with his wife, Rachel Kolisi.
Produced by Jon Day, the documentary feature takes audiences through a remarkable story of a rebellious young man who develops into a leader and cultural icon admired worldwide.
Image: Twitter
