Principal photography has commenced on Pieces, a family drama written and directed by award-winning South African filmmaker Imran Hamdulay The Heart is a Muscle (2025). Filming is underway on location in Cape Town and surrounds and scheduled to wrap in November.

Pieces stars Emmy-nominated South African actress Kim Engelbrecht (“Reyka,” “Raised by Wolves”) with award-winning Keenan Arrison (“The Heart is a Muscle,” “Kings of Joburg”), Cedwyn Joel (“Kelders van Geheime”, “Suidooster”) and introducing Asher Jacobs and Tazwill Spogter.

Told through the perspective of two young brothers, Pieces follows a family at a moment of change as their mother prepares to remarry and leave the home in which they were raised. As the boys begin to understand the father they lost in different ways, the film explores childhood and memory, and what we inherit from the people we love.

“Pieces is a simple story about two boys trying to understand their father, their family, and the world that is changing around them,” says writer/director Hamdulay. “It’s a film about loss, but it’s funny in places, sad in others, and always kind to its characters. We have an incredible cast and crew around the film, and it’s been a real joy making it together.”

Pieces is the first in a slate of 5 micro-budget films funded by the National Film and Video Foundation of South Africa and is produced by Adam Thal (“The Last Ranger”, “Rise: The Siya Kolisi Story”) and Casey Diepeveen (“Trifole”) of The Star Film Company, with Pierre de Villiers (“Black Burns Fast”, “This is not a Burial, It’s a Resurrection”) as cinematographer.

“The NFVF is committed to promoting and developing the South African film industry, increasing the number of South African films produced, and promoting social cohesion by giving our nation’s diverse stories a platform through film,” says NFVF CEO, Dr. Shadrack Bokaba. “Pieces is a wonderful example of that mission in action — a deeply felt South African story from a gifted filmmaker, and we are delighted to support it.”

Imran Hamdulay’s debut feature, The Heart is a Muscle premiered at the 2025 Berlinale, garnering the Ecumenical Jury Prize and went on to win Best Feature at the 2025 Silwerskerm Fees. The film was selected as South Africa’s submission for Best Foreign Language Film to the 98th Academy Awards®.

Pieces is scheduled to premiere in 2027 and has secured South African distribution through Indigenous Film Distribution and Development.