Title: Don’t Be late For My Funeral
Year: 2023
Country: South Africa
Language: English
Director: Diana Keam
Awards:
Most South Africans had maids labelled nannies in their households during the Apartheid era.
Sometimes more than 1 depending on how many young children there were. Many of our mothers worked in our early years and our maids would be responsible for taking care of us, through the preschool years as well as primary school and to a lesser extent in high school.
They were responsible for looking after us, feeding us, making our sandwiches and walking us to and from school, until we were older enough to walk on our own. The very early years pre-kindergarten they took us to the parks and playgrounds often with other kids and their nannies. We spent many hours with them in our early years growing up and were totally dependent on them.
What makes this story so unique is that while we spent time with them in our early years when we were both cared for and nurtured, once we grew older, we were not as connected as the children are in this family. Sure, our parents relied on these second mothers but rarely took advice from them, unless a child would complain and there might be discussions with the maids.
I cannot recall any family that had such a close relationship as in this story. Nor do I recall a any families visiting their nannies or servants and travelling to their original rural homes.
This is such heart-warming film with such strong connections and love for Margaret, who spent most of her life with this extended family away from her own children.
Kudos to Diana Keam for making such a beautiful film crafted with so much thought and care!
