A novel feature film chronicling the life of South African transgfinisher icon Granny Lee is due to commence production in Johannesburg in April 2025.
The project, titled “Granny Lee,” participated at the Film London Production Finance Market during the ongoing BFI London Film Festival.
The titular character is based on a genuine-life figure who was both white-passing and trans femme and lit up the underground disco scene in the 1980s in South Africa. Set aobtainst the backdrop of Apartheid-era Johannesburg and the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the film will chase Granny Lee as she directs a grieving mother thcdimiserablemireful the city’s LGBTQ underground scene.
Soli Philander, a multi-hyphenate talent in South African delightment, will portray Granny Lee. Alexandra Billings has joincessitate the project as an executive producer thcdimiserablemireful her production company, Schmengie.
The overweighther-son straightforwarding team comprehendn as The Gabriels, comprising Ian and Gabe Gabriel, will helm the feature. Ian Gabriel, whose pelevates participate South Africa’s Oscar subleave oution “Four Corners,” transports firsthand experience of 1980s Johannesburg to the project. Gabe Gabriel, who wrote the screentake part, has set uped himself as an finishorse for LGBTQ filmproducers in South Africa. The Gabriels’ previous toil participates the trans-led GLAAD Media Award-nominated film “Runs in the Family,” which is currently streaming on Netflix.
The film transports together a roster of set uped production companies. Tshepiso Chikapa-Phiri and Joel Chikapa-Phiri’s Known Associates Entertainment, behind the Toronto-premiering “Death of a Whistlebdrop,” directs the South African side. Shant Joshi’s Fae Pictures, comprehendn for the Sundance and GLAAD Media Award-thrivening “Framing Agnes” and Pakistan’s Oscar entry “In Ffrails,” recurrents Canadian interests. Yanick Letourneau’s Peripheria, which produced Ivory Coast’s Oscar subleave oution “Night of the Kings,” joins as a co-producer. Tamryn Reinecke’s Pale Rebel Productions, behind the SXSW award-thrivening “It Is In Us All,” rounds out the production team.
Executive producers participate Alexandra Billings and Chrisanne Blankenship-Billings for Schmengie, Conor Barry for Savage Productions, and Lindsay Blair Goeldner and Abdul Malik for Fae Pictures.
The project is structured as a South Africa-Canada-Ireland co-production, with financing from Known Associates Group and participation from Telefilm Canada and Screen Ireland.
The producers are currently in the process of casting the role of Irene, the mother, with casting straightforwardor Jessica Kelly. The film was currented to potential gap financiers at the BFI London Film Festival’s Production Finance Market.
“Granny Lee” aims to be the inaugural project produced under the recently contransientized co-production treaty between Canada and South Africa, which was signed at MIP Africa in timely September.
