''Max and Mona'' is a 2004 comedy film co-produced between

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring count ...

and Sweden, starring Mpho Lovinga,

Jerry Mofokeng Jerry Mofokeng (born 17 April 1956) is a South African stage and screen actor who has appeared in several critically acclaimed films, including ''Cry The Beloved Country''; ''Lord of War''; '' Mandela and de Klerk''; and the 2005 Academy Award-wi ...

and Percy Matsemala and directed by Teddy Mattera. At the 2006

South African Film and Television Awards South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþa ...

it won the Golden Horn for Mofokeng as best actor and was nominated in the best production design and best sound design categories at the same event.

Plot

Max Bua is a young man with many aspirations who leaves his small hometown for the big city of

Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu language, Zulu and xh, eGoli ), colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, or "The City of Gold", is the largest city in South Africa, classified as a Megacity#List of megacities, megacity, and is List of urban areas by p ...

to begin medical studies, with the goal of becoming a renowned doctor. However, when he gets there, he realizes that the big city has other plans for him.

Cast

* Mpho Lovinga as Max Bua *

as Norman * Percy Matsemala as Razor * Thumi Melamu as Nozipho Dlamini * Coco Merckel as Six *

Seputla Sebogodi Septula Steez Sebogodi (born October 31, 1962) is a South African actor and singer. He is the recipient of two SAFTA Awards. He made appearance on Critical Assignment (2004), The Republic (2019) and soap opera Rhythm City, Scandal!. Career A ...

as Skeel Source:

Production

Director Teddy Mattera explained that one of the reasons for shooting ''Max and Mona'' was the dearth of comedic films aimed primarily at the black population in South Africa. According to the filmmaker: "The comedy in this country has always been made by white people where they laugh at black people…So I thought it would be a challenge to write a story where we would be laughing at ourselves."

Reception

The film received a generally positive reception. For Robert Koehler of ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

,'' "''Max and Mona'' strains to draw laughs from a young rural man’s run-ins with nasty types in the big, bad city. At first glimpse, tyro helmer Teddy Mattera applies a wonderfully mythic touch to his script, but ridiculous incidents pile up so rapidly that the early charm dissolves." For critic Sean Jacobs, Mattera achieved "a gentle comedy that finds laughs in tears, mixing the profane, the sacred, and the fantastical to create a feel-good fable."

References

External links

* * Swedish comedy films South African comedy films Films set in South Africa 2004 films English-language South African films English-language Swedish films 2000s English-language films 2000s Swedish films {{FESPACO Oumarou Ganda Prize, state=expanded