STUDIOCANAL, the in-house studio of CANAL+, in partnership with Flora Films, has announced the production of feature film The Road Home to be shot on location in Cape Town.

The film will star multi-award winning South African actor, writer, director and producer Thabo Rametsi (Silverton Siege), Emmy, Grammy, Tony winner and three-time Academy Award nominee Cynthia Erivo (Wicked, Harriet), and Academy Award Nominee Guy Pearce (The Brutalist, INK).

Academy Award winner Bill Condon (Gods and Monsters,Dreamgirls, Kiss of the Spider Woman) will direct.

With a film budget of roughly R300 million, production of The Road Home will employ over 300 South African crew members, with only a small number of specialist roles filled internationally, alongside 68 local cast members, an estimated 3,500 extras, and globally recognised local musicians, STUDIOCANAL said.

Principal photography is set to start in June.

The film brings a uniquely South African story to a global audience, and is set against the backdrop of Paul Simon’s 1986 album Graceland. 

Following exile from his native South Africa, trumpeter Hugh Masekela (Rametsi) is pulled between two worlds when the Anti-Apartheid Movement, led by his mentor Archbishop Trevor Huddleston (Pearce), launches a boycott against Paul Simon, over his groundbreaking township music-inspired album “Graceland”, accusing Simon of violating the United Nation’s Cultural Boycott.

Splitting from his mentor, Masekela – who sees their music as a powerful weapon in the struggle – joins forces with Simon and Hugh’s lifelong collaborator, South African powerhouse vocalist Miriam ‘Mama Africa’ Makeba (Erivo), to create the Graceland band – a super group designed to bring South Africa’s voice to the world, building to a powerful, celebratory testament to resilience, and the triumph of the human spirit.

According to reports, the film will star multi-award winning South African actor, writer, director and producer Thabo Rametsi (Silverton Siege) as Masekela, Emmy, Grammy, Tony winner and three-time Academy Award nominee Cynthia Erivo (Wicked, Harriet) as Miriam Makeba, and Academy Award Nominee Guy Pearce (The Brutalist, INK) as Archbishop Huddleston.

Academy Award winner Bill Condon (Gods and Monsters,Dreamgirls, Kiss of the Spider Woman) will direct.

The screenplay was developed through deep research, in particular drawing on the knowledge and resources of the Hugh Masekela Heritage Foundation, enriched by contributions from acclaimed South African novelist Zakes Mda.

Alongside the invaluable insights shared with Bronner during the writing process by several Hugh Masekela Heritage Foundation members, Bronner did extensive research for the script – including in-depth interviews with Paul Simon.

CANAL+ is a global media and entertainment company, with Pay-TV and streaming operations in Europe, Asia, and Africa, including the MultiChoice Group. 

MultiChoice recently announced the discontinuation of the Showmax service, following a comprehensive review of its streaming activities.

CANAL+, through its film and television production and distribution arm STUDIOCANAL, is largely financing The Road Home.

Anna Marsh, CEO of STUDIOCANAL and Chief Content Officer of CANAL+: “South Africa remains one of the best places in the world to produce compelling, high-quality content. I am delighted that we are able to bring a uniquely South African story to a global audience and shoot it in Cape Town with major local and international stars. The production is only possible due to the outstanding talent – both on and off the screen – which exists within South Africa’s creative ecosystem. This film exemplifies CANAL+’s continued commitment to investing in outstanding local content and bringing powerful African stories to the screen with authenticity and ambition.”

Nomsa Philiso, Director, Content, General Entertainment, English and Portuguese-speaking Africa + added: “MultiChoice Group has long had a strong and successful local content platform rooted in African storytelling. Our combination with CANAL+ builds on this foundation, strengthening our scale and reach and enabling the production of ambitious films such as The Road Home. Through STUDIOCANAL, we are further enhancing our ability to invest in premium content and take high-quality African stories to global audiences, showcasing the best of the continent on the world stage”.