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The Standard
April 30 - May 6, 2000
By Arts Correspondent
There is a new film in town and it is called Yellow Card. Directed by John Riber and produced by Media for Development Trust, it is a fast-moving, funny and deeply touching story about a young footballer whose life goes spectacularly off the rails.
Leroy Gopal is outstanding as Tiyane, the seventeen-year-old football star who gets his classmate pregnant, falls in love with the wrong girl and then has to face the consequences of his actions. Gopal brings an infectious energy and natural charm to the role that makes you root for Tiyane even when he is behaving badly.
The film was shot entirely on location in and around Harare and it shows. The township locations feel authentic, the school scenes ring true and the football sequences are genuinely exciting. Cinematographer Sandi Sissel captures the energy and colour of Zimbabwean urban life with real flair.
What sets Yellow Card apart from other "message" films is that it never lectures. The story is so engaging, the characters so well-drawn and the dialogue so natural that the film's themes of responsibility, honesty and the consequences of unprotected sex emerge organically from the drama.
Ratidzo Mambo as Linda and Kasamba Mkumba as Juliet both give strong performances, and the supporting cast of young Zimbabwean actors bring real life to the township scenes.
Yellow Card is proof that African cinema can tackle serious issues while still being thoroughly entertaining. It deserves to be seen widely.
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