The Good Fight
PRODUCTION INFORMATION:
Writers: Roger Smith and Michèle Rowe
Director: Donovan Marsh
Director of Photography: Thomas Marais
Languages: This film was shot in isiZulu, Chinese language, English, Sotho and isiXhosa

SUMMARY
Faith is aptly named. She fully believes implicitly that God will protect her through life’s journey.

Forced to head to Johannesburg to look for work upon the death of her mother, Faith initially finds her faith rewarded. She finds work in a supermarket, a place to live and manages to send money back home for her siblings. She makes friends and is content. But then life turns on her.

Attacked and raped, Faith is shattered and loses her job. And - together with the loss of her mother’s crucifix during the attack - Faith loses her faith. Desperate, unemployed and without hope,  Faith contemplates suicide. But a chance sighting of a surly Chinese man practicing martial arts on a rooftop proves to be her saviour. Thanks to her unlikely Samaritan, Faith learns not only how to defend herself, but also how to overcome her fears.  Directed by Donovan Marsh, The Good Fight is the first South African drama to include a Chinese dialect in its dialogue. Tai Chi Master, Guang Quan Wang plays Mr Lin and Smangele Mbatha is Faith.

Stephina Zwane – Nomsa
Stephina Zwane gained public attention as the presenter of Craze, the children’s programme. She has since appeared in “Gazlam II” and “Backstage”. She is currently playing the role of Lolo in “Scandal”.

Glen Gabela – Mr Gwala
Glen Gabela has appeared in “Generations”, “Isidingo”, ”Backatage”, “Justice For All II”, “Molo Fish” and “Shaka Zulu”. He was the lead actor in the theatre production “Somdaka” and has won an Artes Award for best Actor in a 1996 television drama.

Tlhoni Secongela -  Thloni
Letlhogonolo Thloni Sechagela studied drama and music at Natal Technikon.  He has appeared in Jackie Vermaas’s “Lost in the Stars”, “The Importance of being Earnest” and “The King and I”. He made his debut on television in a small role in “Egoli” in 2004. In 2005, he played the young Nelson Mandela in the comedy series “Madam & Eve”.

LOCATIONS AND FURTHER INFORMATION:
This film was shot mostly in buildings in the bustling CBD of Johannesburg. Mr. Wong, a Tai chi and Kung Fu master played Mr. Lin and Faith was played by Smangele Mbatha

CAST LIST – ‘THE GOOD FIGHT’
CHARACTER	ARTISTE	AGENT
Isaiah	Winston Ntshona	MLA
Faith	Smangele Mbatha	Gaenor
Mr Lin	Guang Quan Wang	Y & G Artists
Sifiso	Katleho Bingwa	Prof Kids
Nomsa	Stephina Zwane	Contractors
Papi	Vusi Duda	X- Factor
Thloni	Thloni Sechogela	Contractors
Red Jacket	Kagiso Modupe	Jaffit
Shaved Head	James Mohlabine	Zak
Jaz	Phillip Mathebula	Intertalent
Mr Gwala	Glen Gabela	Artist Connection
Mrs Gintza	Barbara Itzler	Contractors
Nurse	Daphne Hlomuka	Self
Priest	Billy Mashigo	Stark Raving
CAST AGENTS AGENT TEL FAX CELL EMAIL ARTIST CONNECTION 220 Benmore Gardens cnr Grayston & Benmore CONTACT: Jurgie 011 884 9459 011 784 6506 082 898 9417 jurgie @artistconnection.co.za   CONTRACTORS 2 Avalanche Rd, Westdene CONTACT: Carlynn/Tarryn 011 726 6076 011 726 6079 083 325 4318 carlynn@contractors.org.za tarryn@contractors.org.za JAFFIT Block B1, Sasani Studios #2 Johannesburh Rd Highlands North CONTACT: David  011 885 2828 011 885 1222   jaffitmanage@iafrica.com   MLA 40 Keys Avenue, Rosebank CONTACT: Moonyeenn 011 788 4873 011 880 2343 082 443 0710 info@mlasa.com   PROFESSIONAL KIDS 57 4th Ave Melville JHB CONTACT: Kim 011 726 8136 011 726 8137 082 900 6422 prokids@icon.co.za   STARK RAVING 12 Collins Street Brixton CONTACT: Kimberleigh/ Claire 011 830 2101 011 830 2105 082 550 5445 jennis@starksa.co.za   X-FACTOR 220 Benmore Gardens c/o Grayston & Benmore Rd CONTACT: Shane 011 884 7515 011 784 6506 082 821 2716 shane@x-factor.co.za   Y & G ARTISTS 1240 Dormen Ave, Queenswood, PTA CONTACT: Mr Li 012 333 3183 012 333 3183 082 925 3390   ZAK THEKISO     083 361 6135

MOST people would not want to be seen – let alone work - in Johannesburg’s inner city.

But not Donovan Marsh.

Instead of running from the stench, filth and crime that often characterizes the CBD, the award-winning director deliberately chose it as his location for The Good Fight .

“We wanted to find a place that mirrored the devastating situation and emotional state of the lead character,” he said.

And devastating it certainly seems to have been – at least to the senses.

“In some scenes,” said Marsh, “the stench was so unbearable the actor had to leave the building between takes!”

But Marsh said that despite the filth of their surroundings, the cast had never felt threatened. “We never felt unsafe and the residents were always friendly and accommodating,” said Marsh. “Only once, shooting outside a shebeen on Friday night, were we harassed by some over-keen onlookers. But I never felt we were being threatened, despite the fact that some people challenged our Chinese actor to a fight!”

The fourth movie in the Heartlines series, The Good Fight, tells the story of Faith  who moves to Johannesburg to find a job. She is raped in a vicious attack, leaving her to  search for healing through martial arts taught by a reticent Chinese man.

Marsh – who finished top of his drama and Film class at the University of the Witwatersrand – said one of the most challenging things about shooting the film was casting the Chinese martial arts master.  The role eventually went to Guang Quan Wang who does not speak English.

Said Marsh: “It was very tough directing him and I had to work through an interpreter, but he was exceptional and choreographed all the training and fighting scenes.. He was great.”

He said Smangele Mbatha, who plays Faith, was also inspirational in her  commitment to what was a very hard and dark role.

Marsh, who has won a Loerie Grand Prix for the Y-Fm campaign launch, a South African Music Award for a Zola video and Best Director First Feature at Los Angeles’ Pan African Film Festival, said he had agreed to direct The Good Fight because he likes to “make films with themes that interest me. I like real, honest films that have a young, funky edge”.

The film will also help boost his portfolio. “I was looking for more drama work to sink my teeth into when the Heartlines project came along,” said Marsh who recently wrote, directed and edited his first full length feature, “Dollars and White” which was produced by Anant Singh.

And the director, who is working on a second feature for Anant Singh provisionally titled ‘Sangoma’, said he believed he had produced a good film.

“The film is looking incredible with amazing performances, exceptional camerawork, superb art direction and an inspired score.“

But there is one thing about which he has absolutely no doubts – shooting another movie in Johannesburg’s inner city.

”The inner city is crazy, but with such amazing locations. You have people living in rooms in buildings that have been destroyed, and they’ve made homes out of them, keeping them clean and neat, putting pictures up on the walls, while outside is just unbelievable squalor. I’m a great fan of the inner-city, I’d shoot there again, with security on standby.” – Heartlines Features