Talented actors from Limpopo are being called to audition for Tebogo Malope’s latest feature film, Studying Under the Barrel of a Gun. The multi-award-winning director, fresh from a four-part documentary series featuring former US president Barack Obama and rapper J Cole, returns to his roots with a project to be filmed in the Turfloop-Mankweng area, where he shot the hit series Skeem Saam 15 years ago.
The film marks a homecoming for Malope, who aims to give back to the community through storytelling. It commemorates the 40th anniversary of the University of Turfloop occupation, a defining moment in South Africa’s struggle for liberation. The political psychological drama follows Ernest Khosa, a soft-spoken rural student drawn into the underground student resistance against apartheid soldiers occupying the university.
Studying Under the Barrel of a Gun examines youth political consciousness, faith as a form of resistance, and psychological warfare, set against the historically significant backdrop of Turfloop, known for producing liberation leaders and intellectual activists, including former presidents Cyril Ramaphosa and Kgalema Motlanthe.
Shooting is scheduled to begin in April. Malope’s team is seeking actors and technical interns from Mankweng and Polokwane. Aspiring actors should submit their profiles to auditions@barrelofagun.co.za, while technical interns can apply via info@barrelofagun.co.za. The closing date for applications is 16 March.
The project offers a unique opportunity for emerging talent to contribute to a powerful story of resilience, activism and community heritage.