BLACK BURNS FAST

Feature Film

Sandulela Asanda |

South Africa |

2025 |

English, isiXhosa

Synopsis

Black Burns Fast is a queer and quirky coming of age film set in at a prestigious boarding school in South Africa. 17-year-old adorkable Luthando is on track for a normal academic year, until Ayanda arrives at the school and forces her to rethink everything. In the aftermath, Luthando struggles with juggling multiple identities to avoid rejection from her mother and her schoolmates as she comes to terms with her sexuality.

Director

Sandulela Asanda

Producer

Cait Pansegrouw, Elias Ribeiro

Cinematographer

Pierre De Villiers

Screenplay

Sandulela Asanda

Principal Cast

Esihle Ndleleni, Mila Smith, Khensani Khoza, Ntsimedi Gwagwa, Basetsana Motloung

Screenings

18 Jul 19:45 Suncoast 6

26 Jul 17:00 Watercrest 1

1 Aug 20:00 The Labia
1 Aug 20:00 The Bioscope

Sandulela Asanda

Sandulela Asanda (she/they) is a filmmaker from the Eastern Cape, currently based in Cape Town, South Africa. They have a background in Law and Economics. Asanda holds an Honours degree in film from AFDA Film School in Cape Town. Their student film, Nongqawuse, received a critical review and was selected as the South African entry for the Escolas section of the BRICS film festival 2019. After graduating, Sandulela worked at film festivals, training institutions, and production. Her first professionally produced short, Mirror Mirror, recently had its world premiere in the Shortcuts Programme at TIFF 2022, and its European premiere at Berlinale Generations 2023. In the same year, the film won the award for Best South African Short at the Durban International Film Festival. Black Burns Fast is her feature film debut. She is an alumna of the Locarno Film FestivalŐs FilmmakersŐ Academy, the Durban Film Mart and Realness African Screenwriters Residency.