Program Note
Zaid is a prodigal son who returns home to Mayfair, an Indian-Muslim neighborhood in Johannesburg, after being fired from a refugee camp for doing the good deed (albeit illegally.) He sees his father is over his head with a soured deal on his business with Somalis. Initially reluctant to get involved, Zaid has to choose between his family or preserving his faith when Ameena, his first love, and Faiza, his baby sister, get kidnapped after a failed Somali cash drop. Directed by South African Sara Blecher, Mayfair is a tale of father and son relationship disguised as classic gangster film; what makes it unique is the director infusing her female perspective on a male-centered genre and a story about manhood. Ms. Blecher effectively presents the moral dilemma of a son and the reasons behind his decision in the end. A sense of up close and personal is definitely evident here; Mayfair hits bit too close to home for many. (Jongsuk Thomas NAM)