"I remember a time when we were told we probably won't last even a week in cinemas and probably won't even make 200k because we are independent and weren't funded by anybody."
Reflecting on the success of his debut film Losing Lerato, actor and producer Kagiso Modupe said that despite initial doubts about the film, he believed it could succeed.
Losing Lerato has since grossed R4.1 million since opening on September 13.
It overtook international films such as Fast and the Furious and Hustlers in earnings in some cinemas and continued its steady rise to the top – a first for a local independent film in South Africa.
"I am so proud of what we have achieved because we didn't open in 65 cinemas like most films. We were limited to only 39 cinemas because we were independent and were not seen as credible producers. From screening in limited cinemas we were able to achieve all this. Imagine if we had opened on all 65 cinemas? We would be sitting on R8m now. I am really excited because we really fought against all the odds and obstacles and the results are showing," he said.
The film follows a father's journey to forge a relationship with his daughter after breaking up with her mother.
The story was inspired by the real-life story of Modupe's dad and his non-existent relationship with his absent father, which left him scarred.
Modupe's transition to add the producer feather in his hat comes after 16 years of acting and was necessitated by his desire to be "the change he wants to see" in the industry.
