It is impossible to ignore the striking yellow poster; it presents a silhouette walking forward wearing headphones. This image is so powerful that it represents determination, movement and purpose, this creates a wonderful feeling of optimism within the film. Behind the silhouette are the informal settlements also known as the township. The youth of South Africa continue to face high rates of unemployment however; creativity remains the country’s strongest forms of self-expression. The director makes use of close-ups and wide-angled shots of graffiti on the walls children running around playing games in the streets, upbeat sounds of music playing in the background. Which brings us to how strong music always comes from a place of struggle. FOSTA is another word for forcing or having ambition to apply oneself and getting the job done. With a powerful tagline, “He wanted music to change his life… It ended up changing theirs”, this is a story about hope and the unexpected influence one individual can have on their community.
FOSTA is officially selected for the Durban International Film Festival 2026 and this film invites its target audience to reflect on the realities that exist beyond entertainment. This film goes far beyond of just being about music but about motivation, responsibility, mentorship and highlights how one person can have an influence on an entire community. Music often becomes a language of healing and aspiration FOSTA embraces this tradition and brings everyone together from all different walks of life. We see many people from the USA, UK, Switzerland and South Africa, come together at the heart of the Langa township and celebrate the music as a collective. This in turn creates community upliftment that accompanies talent and success. Frequently townships are portrayed through the lens of hardship in cinema. The soft vibrations of music into a small back room in a shack, where Thulani also known as DJ Fosta sits at his keyboard where he has assembled a modest recording studio. He is immersed in the melody surrounded by his equipment where he plays the piano with quiet focus. Usually, western people are afraid of this area because of crime and just how informal it is. However, in FOSTA, Langa is an informal settlement but people who are driven by passion and who share the same dream are able to look past this stereotype to celebrate the true, authentic African sound.
Sometimes people use music as a hobby and upload their music on SoundCloud and that’s it. However, Thulani uses music to transform his life and the people around him. A new campaign that DJ Fosta and Shisaboy have come up with called “We eat up the Cape”, we see them rushing to perform in three venues in one night. Where DJ Fosta and Shisaboy keep it kwaito while rocking the people with the kasi language and music. We cut to moments of loud vibrations of a crowd in a tavern where DJ Fosta is performing and entertaining the crowd. The camera captures the vibrant rhythm of tavern life. The tavern is alive with energy as the music fills the air. A communal space where people laugh, dance and sing together, creating a lively atmosphere. Watching a man who once lived behind prison walls return to his community with a renewed sense of purpose is remarkable. Dj Fosta refuses to remain trapped by his past mistakes instead he channels his energy into music. He uses music as a tool for redemption, music connects us, his journey is not only about rebuilding his life but also about uplifting his community. His redemption is not just personal but becomes a long-lasting impact on the lives of the people around him. FOSTA is such a meaningful film that deserves worldwide recognition. Because as you walk through the streets of Langa you hear music playing in every house, or car that passes by or in a taxi that is collecting passengers at the bus stop. Music is his life. Thulani sleeps, eats and drinks music. While serving his time in prison Thulani was exposed to music in prison by Marius Boaden, a prison radio host who started training his volunteers and Thulani was one of them. The film seems poised to remind viewers that meaningful change rarely happens in isolation. This director seems to prove that strong music always comes from a place of struggle whether it is in prison or townships.
The director uses the township tour to immerse viewers in everyday realities of kasi life. Through a series of slow tracking shots, the camera follows a kasi tour guide leading international visitors through the cramped living conditions, informal shacks and scattered litter of the informal settlement. Through a series of pans the camera follows elderly women braaiing meat and selling food from makeshift stalls. One of the most memorable moments happen when the tour guide shows the visitors a sheep’s head known as “smiley”. He explains that it is considered a delicacy in the township, joking “You can take the whole sheep, when we get the heads, we won’t complain. We just feel pity for you because you chose the wrong parts” He invites them to appreciate local food and traditions from an insider’s perspective. The director presents the township as a place of resilience, cultural pride and doesn’t focus on its economic hardships.
FOSTA has been selected for the Durban International Film Festival because this documentary will reach its international audience and create conversation that celebrate African voices and stories. Films selected for the festival often challenge viewers to think beyond conventional narratives. FOSTA raises the question: Are we building the music or are we building a community of DJs? Whether the answer lies in community empowerment or mentorship. FOSTA promises to be about more than a musician chasing success. FOSTA is not a story about struggle but a story about resilience. It brought tears to my eyes watching Thulani successfully build a music academy after so much struggle and effort. Thank you to the efforts of his community and friends of Langa for believing in him. This must be one of the most intriguing, inspiring and empowering local film that Cape Town has delivered. Watching someone rise from nothing and become a source of inspiration for others is both moving and empowering. Therefore, FOSTA tells us that music is a personal escape and a collective catalyst for change.
This review emanates from the Talent Press programme, an initiative of Talents Durban in collaboration with the Durban FilmMart Institute and FIPRESCI. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author (Hlumela Luvuno) and cannot be considered as constituting an official position of the organisers.