rience and find difficult to absorb, accept and understand as part of our personal identities and express this in a contemporary South African context. It is a depiction not focused on commercial aspects, but rather what is ongoing in our minds anFull Circle Productions and Free Women Films, the powerful team behind Seconds Film, is set to deliver another enthralling episodic drama, Stout, through eMedia’s digital platform eVOD on 18 July. Producer Nhlanhla Mthethwa says the “fascinating and enthralling story of triumph over adversity is driven by a stellar cast, scripted by Nonzi Bogatsu, is brought to life under the direction of Denny Y Miller.”
Stout tells the story of a troublesome teenager, Lumko – played by Ntobeko Sishi (best known for playing his role as Ntokozo on Gomora) – Lumko gets a harsh reality check when he finds himself in a reform school for delinquent youth. This harsh world forces him to face his mistakes and fears so he can become the best version of himself. A close family friend uses his influence to get Lumko a lighter sentence: being enrolled in Jonah’s House for Boys (JHB), an institution for troublesome (and troubled) young men – in effect, a “stout school.” Faced with prison or “stout school,” the decision seems like an easy one. But Lumko gets a harsh reality check when he is forced to confront his mistakes and fears to become the best version of himself at school. The 26-episode series unravels the friendships, written and unwritten rules, family, and relationships and uncovers the truth behind the murder that changed Lumko’s life forever.
Series Creator Nonzi Bogatsu (Whatever it Takes and The Lucky Specials) explains that “this story was inspired by my lived and observed experiences of what it is to parent youth at their most precarious stage of life – teenagerhood. Teenagers get much flack for being wayward, but how often do we ask ourselves how they became that way? Could we, the parents/adults, take at least some responsibility?”
Miller, the series director, says that he has taken special care to tell the “uncomfortable story about a group of young people who are going through things that many of us exped how the circumstances we find ourselves in and our choices influence our lives.’
Dithapelo Segodi, Commissioning Editor eVOD, promises audiences a must-watch series with “an entertaining yet ground-breaking story that speaks to societal issues.”
Other stars include 20-year-old actress and singer Kealeboga Masango (Rhythm City and Ayeye Striped) playing the role of bad girl Mo and the exceptionally talented Jezreil Skei (MTV’s Shuga, Four Corners and Family Time) as Junaid; the talented Matthew Vey (Moffie; There’s No Other One and Warrior) who plays the role of Cosmo; Lebogang Motaung, as the Headmaster, an international musical journey as a percussionist and singer has taken him to Tokyo, Sao Paulo, and Mozambique and finally, Mam is played by Toni Morkel (Firefly, Balloonacy, and The Agents effortlessly transition into the world of television, embodying the delightful character of Mam.
The series has been created under the banner of Full Circle Productions and Free Women Films (FWF); FWF is a multiple award-winning Film & Television Production company, Producer Carolyn Carew says that Stout’s ability to “unpeel the intergenerational trauma in South Africa and how each generation navigates life’s challenges is at the heart of STOUT” and embodies the company’s mission to “tell stories that question our humanity and values as a society.”
To catch the series, go to
