Tendayi Nyeke's star-studded 'Loved Out': where real life meets comedy gold

 This month, a chaotic and hilarious comedy, starring several South African A-listers, is scheduled for release in cinemas.

"Loved Out" starring Somizi Mhlongo's daughter, Bahumi Mhlongo and veteran actress Khabonina Qubeka, tells a story that many can relate to: love is important, but self-love is vital.

The movie is slated for a September 26 release and is written, directed and produced by Tendayi Nyeke.

At the centre of "Loved Out" is the complex relationship between a mother and daughter.

The story revolves around Ruva, played by "Love, Sex and 30 Candles" star Mhlongo, whose life is far from perfect.

Despite her ambition and drive to run her family restaurant, she often finds herself in the role of caretaker for her mother, Gloria, played by Qubeka.

Gloria's wild behaviour often complicates Ruva’s dreams, making the journey to success a comedic rollercoaster.

"'Loved Out' explores the idea that love for others, for our passions and places, isn't enough to make us whole unless we nurture self-love," shares Nyeke.

She continues: "It showcases the struggles we go through when trying to grow personally while the people we love might seem to be standing in our way."

The movie is inspired by Nyeke's own journey when she moved to South Africa from Zimbabwe nearly ten years ago.

Faced with economic difficulties and grief, she started observing others coping with hardship and the absurd situations that arose; she decided to blend these experiences into a unique story.

"Despite my dreams, goals and the love I shared with others, external pressures made it incredibly difficult to thrive. I observed how people around me, including my own family, struggled to make sense of their circumstances, and how influential people like religious figures or those with more resources would take advantage of such crises.

"Through this experience, I found humour in the absurdity of how some find opportunities in others' struggles. 'Loved Out' was born from my attempt to navigate a world that wasn't easily accommodating my dreams, drawing from characters I know, aspects of myself, and things I cherish to create this cinematic world."

Nyeke said the movie tackles parent-child relationships, the pursuit of dreams and self-love. 

"We look at the nuance and complexity of parent-child dynamics, specifically portrayed through the mother-daughter relationship between Bahumi and Khabonina's characters. Parent-child relationships have many layers that can hurt such a bond.

"But it's not always easy to talk about. It exposes the struggle a child may face in finding their own voice, particularly in cultures where challenging elders is not encouraged. The film questions what happens when these elders become chaotic and suffocating."

"The film explores the difficult decisions one must make to achieve their dreams, and how far we are willing to go to fulfil our ambitions and finally, self-love. We often seek validation from relationships and careers, so they end up defining our identity.

"This theme explores what it truly means to love oneself, even when the results are not the desired outcome for those around you."

Nyeke adds that “Loved Out” is about finding joy and humour even in tough times, echoing the resilience many Africans possess.

"'Loved Out' offers a comedic reflection of ourselves. As an African person, I appreciate our ability to find humour even in the most challenging situations. Instead of being crippled by adversity, we often find a way out by embracing the hilarious and crazy aspects of life.

"I hope this movie brings joy, humanity and beauty to audiences, allowing them to see themselves and others, laugh and process their own experiences through art."

Working with a talented ensemble cast, including Tumi Morake, Ayakha Ntunja and Marcus Mabusela, Nyeke expressed her gratitude for the support and expertise of the cast.

She notes how privileged she felt to work with such talented women in telling this female-driven story.

"Working with incredible talents Khabonina Qubeka and Tumi Morake was an incredible honour. I was initially intimidated as a first-time director, but they were incredibly generous with their expertise, humour and willingness to go the extra mile.

"I learned an immense amount from them and felt incredibly blessed to be supported by such formidable women who championed a female-led story."

Nyeke's vision for the film extends beyond entertainment; she hopes "Loved Out" will become a catalyst for dialogue between mothers and daughters, encouraging them to talk about difficult subjects through its engaging narrative.

"I invite mothers and daughters who struggle with difficult conversations to watch this film together at the movies and use it as a catalyst for dialogue. I invite couples, friends and families to come and be part of the conversation.

"Ultimately, I want people to experience a wide range of wonderful and sometimes challenging emotions in community, because community makes us better."

Watch the trailer below.