WITH just $80 (R1 300) in his pocket, a backpack and a borrowed pocket camera, adventurer Othmane Zolati set out on a four-year journey, travelling through Africa to get to Cape Agulhas, the southern most trip of the African mainland.
His travels was captured in the documentary, “Africa and I”, which has won the category Best First Feature Documentary at the 30th Pan African Film Festival (PAFF) held in Los Angeles.
He was the only winner from South Africa.
“Africa and I” takes viewers on an amazing journey by bicycle, skateboard and on foot from Morocco to South Africa, through 24 countries spanning over 30 000km.
Co-directed by Zolati and “Chasing the Sun” director, Chris Green, and produced by Both Worlds Pictures, the doccie was also selected for the 2021 Portland Film Festival, the 2022 Africa World Documentary Film Festival and the 2022 American Documentary and Animation Film Festival.
This enchanting story shows Zolati’s life, from when he left everything behind as he made his way from Morocco to Cape Town.
On his journey, he saw that the continent he was warned about before he left home – the dark continent that the media shows us is full of crime, disease and despair – wasn’t the real story after all.
Zolati found a continent that was vivid, varied and alive, full of beauty and surprises.
The award-winning Zolati shared his excitement on Instagram saying his “African dream has become reality” and that this award is a “truly glorious moment” for him and his entire team.