The Shore Break

Cousins on opposite sides of the development fence

Directed by Ryley Grunenwald | Produced by Odette Geldenhuys

Nonhle, a young Pondo woman from South Africa’s pristine Wild Coast, wants to protect her people’s land and titanium-rich beaches from an Australian mining company

The miners have no road access to the sand dunes, yet the authorities approve a highway that will cut through the community’s homesteads, subsistence farms and ancestral graves – dividing them with a high fence. The Pondo King and Queen publicly protest, only to be dethroned by the government.

The development causes division within the community and Nonhle’s own cousin, Madib, partners with the mining company. Madib is amazed that some want to stand in the way of progress. He argues that ecotourism alone cannot bring the Pondo people what they really need: employment, decent roads and proper access to schools and hospitals.  However, some of the community do not see why they should have to compromise their land to receive the most basic services.

The Shore Break received the IDFA WorldView Summer School award in 2013.

Testimonial

This funding from WorldView has come at a critical time. Thanks to the WorldView IDFA partnership, I was able to attend IDFA Summer School where mentors helped me sharpen story development. The funds will now help us take the film to the next level and implement many of the things we learned at the Summer School.
Ryley Grunenwald