The trailer for the ‘chick-flick comedy adventure’ The Honeymoon starring Tumi Morake, Minnie Dlamini and Kajal Bagwandeen is out, and it’s set to be a fun, wild ride!
The film, directed by Bianca Isaac, unpacks the story of friendship as Noks (Morake) and Lu (Dlamini) persuade a devasted Kat (Bagwadeen) to turn what was supposed to be her honeymoon in Zanzibar into a girlfriend’s getaway after her fiancé calls off the wedding the night before.
WATCH THE TRAILER HERE:
In this Q&A, Tumi, Minnie and Kajal tell us about their characters, working together, and their experience working on the Tanzanian island.
What are the three words that you would use to describe The Honeymoon?
Tumi: Wild, fun, fresh
Kajal: Fun, relatable, beautiful
Minnie: Girls, gone wild
What interested you in playing the character, and what was your process for bringing the character alive?
Tumi: I love playing characters that feel like they could be my alter ego. I can relate to what it is like to survive in this industry, especially since the advent of social media, where your following seems to count more than your talent – I wanted to go on this journey with Noks.
Kajal: It was the script, the story, the journey of these women. Besides introspection and character analysis, I worked with acting coach Heidi Mollentze. Together We delved into character building and how Kajal can bring Kat to life using life experiences and playing out scenarios to capture real emotions.
Minnie: I was interested in playing Lu because of her journey. In some aspects, I drew from my own experiences to give her the depth her character required. But mostly, she’s not what she seems at first, and I loved that about her.
What was it like working with each other?
Tumi: Wild! Three moms who started every day with stories about their kids and ended in big laughs and playtime. It was as though we had been mates for years. We were protective of each other, conspired together and pushed through. I haven’t laughed so much in a long time.
Kajal: We have all known each other but haven’t worked together so intimately before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I always go into a project open-mindedly and with the spirit of getting the job done to the best of my ability with the end goal of bringing my character to life. Working with Tumi, Minnie and Bianca were like old friends getting together. We got each other and supported each other – it was wonderful! I can’t wait for everyone to feel the chemistry between us all.
Minnie: We all knew each other already, so gelling was the easiest part. We connected in so many ways, and the girls helped me through a very difficult time without even realising it. Working together was a lot of fun; we were like the naughty school kids at the back of the bus. Keeping it together in some scenes was almost impossible, with so many genuinely funny moments.
The movie was filmed in Zanzibar. What was the experience like? And how does Zanzibar feature as a character in the film?
Tumi: It takes a lot of discipline to work in paradise! We were the tourists sticking out like sore thumbs in our masks while the country was chilled – we were still in lockdown mode because South Africa was still exercising caution. This was where we spent the most time together, and it was quite an experience. From being barely covered in Kendwa beach to keeping it modest in more conservative Stone Town, it made it easier to immerse ourselves into the world of this hijacked honeymoon. Oh, and the best sleep of 2021 for me.
Kajal: Zanzibar is one of my favourite places in the world! The culture, the landscape, the ocean, the people, the food! So, I was thrilled to shoot there, and I truly believe the entire team did an incredible job of making it happen! Not often do you see independent production companies shooting a feature film in another country and succeeding, but we all did. It was, however, one of the toughest times in my life as I had to leave my son for the first time. I planned to take him along, but circumstances didn’t allow it, and life happens.
Zanzibar was the fourth friend that made these three friends face their truths.
Minnie: Zanzibar was absolutely beautiful. I can’t wait for the continent to celebrate its beauty through the lens of this film.
What message do you want the people to take away from The Honeymoon?
Tumi: Treasure your friendships – warts and all.
Kajal: Life is busy, and life has its challenges, but let’s not forget to find joy, have fun and appreciate ourselves and everything around us. True friends will accept you as you are. We all get busy, and we evolve and change, so in the same breath, it’s about giving the people within our circles the space and love to do this – and not forgetting to do the same for ourselves.
Minnie: The film follows three different women with three different journeys. The central theme across all storylines is ‘having the courage to live your truth,’ which is celebrated and encouraged through sisterhood. I hope this film inspires everyone who sees it to do the same.
The Honeymoon releases in SA cinemas nationwide on Friday, 31 March 2023.
Source: Channel24
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