This past week, I watched a very emotional documentary titled Blind Ambition, about four Zimbabwean men who represented Zimbabwe in an intercontinental wine tasting competition.
The documentary follows the four men as they strive to become Zimbabwe's first team to take part in the World Blind Tasting Championships in Burgundy, France, in 2017.
The documentary does an excellent job of showing the side of what some migrant workers face in this country, it also shows the resilient spirit of said migrants.
This doesn't take away from the four men's truth, it just made me question myself.
Dhafana, who was the captain of the Zimbabwe team, was there at the screening organised and exclusive to the Pick n Pay Wine Club. Dhafana arrived penniless in the country, worked as a gardener, dishwasher and finally as a bartender.
The movie showcases how four friends, Joseph Dhafana, Marlvin Gwese, Tinashe Nyamudoka and Pardon Taguzu escaped starvation and political instability in their homeland of Zimbabwe and how their passion and sheer will to succeed pushed them to heights in the wine industry.
The documentary follows the four men as they strive to become Zimbabwe's first team to take part in the World Blind Tasting Championships in Burgundy, France, in 2017.
We see their joys and triumphs as they take us through their training to go to the competition, their time in France with an eccentric French wine personality and their scars as they remember what drove them to flee their country in the first place.
The documentary does an excellent job of showing the side of what some migrant workers face in this country, it also shows the resilient spirit of said migrants.
I surprisingly found myself feeling touchy about the way SA was being portrayed in some parts of the movie, it comes off as a very dark, hopeless, crime-infested place.
However, I pride myself in being a level-headed and objective person but I guess you never know how entrenched your blind patriotism is until you get triggered in a certain way.
This doesn't take away from the four men's truth, it just made me question myself.
Dhafana, who was the captain of the Zimbabwe team, was there at the screening organised and exclusive to the Pick n Pay Wine Club. Dhafana arrived penniless in the country, worked as a gardener, dishwasher and finally as a bartender.
On his 28th birthday, he tasted wine for the first time and discovered his passion. He was determined to succeed as a sommelier and threw himself into becoming an expert.
Dhafana was also launching his range of wines on the nightm, which will be available at selected Pick n Pay retailers. The Tongai wines are available as a Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Freedom Red. The wine retails for between R145 and R165 a bottle.
