Davidson Muzonginwa’s
documentary ‘Lost Tongue’ rose to a critical acclaim and got international festivals screening across globe in a manner that is unprecedented.

Initial release: 2016 (South Africa)
Director: Davison Mudzingwa
Screenplay: Davison Mudzingwa
Cinematography: Themba Vilakazi
Editor: Themba Vilakazi
Cast: Helena Steenkamp, Paul John Myburgh, Ouma Katrina, Andries Steenkamp, more
Producers: MeSun Barnett, Francis Yannicq Hweshe

Lost Tongue explores the story of Helena Steenkamp, a Khomani San lady in the Kalahari as she battles to save her N/uu language. The language, believed to be 25 000 years old is only spoken by three elders, the youngest of them aged 81. It is against this chilling prospect that Steenkamp moves to engage her elders to save the language, culture and values of the Khomani San.

“It is a layered, universal story of culture, values, history of a people that will be screened at home. The film not only carries an important message for all of us but it is also a visual treat that tells a story of humanity,” said Lost Tongue director Davidson Mudzingwa.

The story of the Khomani San people swings into depths of a brutal past of subjugation that forced them to abandon their language and way of life. Mvura Ya Afrika (MYA) Productions, the company behind Lost Tongue believes this is an urgent story that South Africans and the world need to take heed of.

In an audio chat, Davidson Mudzingwa spoke about the road to success of the documentary that also got an AMAA nomination in Lagos.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/aqk6dqaiq1x8p87/PTT-20200504-WA0006.opus?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/aqk6dqaiq1x8p87/PTT-20200504-WA0006.opus?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/vs5uo3b1172xuo5/PTT-20200504-WA0007.opus?dl=0

Lost Tongue became a rare documentary film getting enourmous festivals attention.
Very rare to see documentary premiere in Africa, but the film made a great impression on those who feel investing on documentary is too risky. The marketing mix also got a global attention.

Lost Tongue came at a time when the word ‘Globalization’ is taking its toll on Africans. African languages are fast disappearing. You either speak English or French.

Among Africans, city-sphere and urban culture is fast removing a lot of our mother-tongues due to intercultural marriage, mobility arising from jobs opportunities. Today, one sees David as a culture auteur.

For more information, visit http://www.losttonguefilm.com. Alternatively, connect with them on Twitter.
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