Good Madam is a 2021 South African horror film in which a black single mother encounters the sinister spectre of a catatonic old white woman.
Directed by Jenna Cato Bass from a screenplay co-written with Babalwa Baartman, Chumisa Cosa, Chris Gxalaba, Khanyiso Kenqa, Steve Larter, Sizwe Ginger Lubengu, Nosipho Mtebe, Kamvalethu Jonas Raziya, Sanda Shandu, Siya Sikawuti and Peggy Tunyiswa.
The Causeway Films-Salmira Productions production stars Chumisa Cosa, Nosipho Mtebe, Kamvalethu Jonas Raziya, Sanda Shandu, Khanyiso Kenqa, Sizwe Ginger Lubengu, Siya Sikawuti, Chris Gxalaba and Peggy Tunyiswa.
Plot:
Tsidi (Chumisa Cosa), a single mother, is forced to move in with her estranged mother Mavis (Nosipho Mtebe), a live-in domestic worker caring obsessively for her catatonic white ‘Madam’. As Tsidi tries to heal her family, however, a sinister spectre begins to stir…
Release:
Good Madam premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on September 9, 2021, and several more festival showings followed.
The film will be available for streaming on the Shudder platform on Thursday, July 14, 2022.
Blurb:
“A genre film entrenched in the ordinary everyday horrors in our society, Good Madam explores the generational trauma inherent to South African culture, sprawling from the past to the present day, with chilling delivery and haunting results.”
Reviews:
“Jenna Cato Bass’ horror takes aims at a number of racial issues which still haunt the ‘rainbow nation’, such as land theft and servitude. It uses its environment cleverly to create tension and an oppressive atmosphere lingers throughout, getting heavier as realisation begins to dawn. Mlungu Wam (Good Madam) is a bold and angry slab of allegorical cinema.” Backseat Mafia
“Mlungu Wam may get lazily compared to Peele’s Get Out, but it’s far from being derivative, in any sense. Bass uses the Gothic to explore themes related to apartheid in South Africa, drawing off the country’s colonial history and how that colonialism continues today. Tsidi’s scary visit with her mother in Diane’s home is a tense journey.” Father Son Holy Gore
” …Bass cuts her cast up by showing only their hands or bodies sans head in frame as they complete cleaning tasks. The intention it seems is to show how they are seen by the white people they serve, but the effect mostly relegates her characters to symbolism […] Ultimately, the film is muddled by too many half-baked ideas, poor execution, and distasteful directorial choices.” RogerEbert.com
“Overall, Good Madam does well to create tension and explore more intimately the long-lasting effects of such a damaging regime, drawing on some genuinely uncomfortable sequences to further this. Arguably a greater focus and space for performances to grow would elevate it even further.” Scared Sheepless
“The suspense isn’t as intense as it could be, and it seems at times that Bass is trying too hard to force her thematic agenda. The idea behind the film deserves respect and the memorable finale drives the point home, but the build-up is confusing and not well executed.” Screen Zealots
YouTube reviews:
Trailer:
Clip:
Cast and characters:
Chumisa Cosa … Tsidi
Nosipho Mtebe … Mavis
Kamvalethu Jonas Raziya … Winnie
Sanda Shandu … Stuart
Khanyiso Kenqa … Luthando
Sizwe Ginger Lubengu … Siphenathi
Siya Sikawuti … Toto
Chris Gxalaba … Malume Mthunzi
Peggy Tunyiswa … Xoliswa
Original title:
Mlungu Wam
