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Former South Africa child stars Stephina Zwane and Salamina Mosese have made a solid debut on the big screen with glossy romantic drama Baby Mamas.

The film, released via the pair’s production company Sorele Media, explores the many dynamics of being a baby mama.

It is set in Johannesburg with an ensemble female cast of Mosese, Thembisa Mdoda, Dineo Ranaka and Kay Smith, with Zwane helming the picture as a first-time feature director.

It makes a strong case for sisterhood with the women finding strength and courage in each other to help them in the unstable relationships they have with the men in their lives.

The first half belongs to relatively unknown Smith, who plays the sweet and naive Chantel. She steals every frame as she prepares to be a first-time mom with her squad taking her through the different phases of being a baby mama.

The dialogue between her and her half-witted baby daddy Keenan (Donovan Pietersen) are hilarious and heart-warming.

While many actors would have undoubtedly opted to over-dramatise the character, especially given the written material, the genius of Smith’s portrayal is that she internalises everything.

Her moving performance heavily relies on her saucer eyes as you see how terrified, yet excited, she is about being a first-time mom. She doesn’t tell you, she shows you.

The second half of the film belongs to Ranaka’s unhinged character Joy.
Ranaka in one pivotal scene loses all her marbles; using every ounce in her to show you how baby mama drama can drive you up against the wall.

While the moment is more OTT than an episode of your favourite soap opera, it’s warranted. Simply put, no one plays cuckoo better than Ranaka.

Mdoda as Sandy brings a more vulnerable and honest performance as a jilted baby mama so hung up on her ex that she thinks they still have a future together even though he has clearly moved on.

So, what does she do to numb her sadness and pain? She makes his life a living hell. You will love Mdoda in the one scene and hate her in the next.

The most boring of the ladies is Mosese as the girl-next-door and squeaky clean Toli. Even more annoying as Mosese sees the most screen-time.

Her baby daddy issues at home with her ex Tumi (Sthembiso SK Khoza) are perfect.

They are doing what Hollywood actress Gwyneth Paltrow and singer Chris Martin coined “conscious uncoupling”.

The build-up for her budding romance with hunky IT technician Michael (Jonathan Boynton-Lee) have initial flying sparks, but the finishing is lukewarm.

It’s mainly because the chemistry between the pairing is just lacklustre.

At its worst, the screenplay comes off as cheesy with certain plot inconstancies, combined with the wobbly editing, being the film’s biggest flaws.

The endearing music selection, with some original songs by cast member Nicholas “Nicksoul” Nkuna, gets two thumbs up.

The film’s biggest lesson, when it comes to baby mama or baby daddy-drama is the glass has to always be half full.

Speaking about the film, Mosese said: “When we produced this film, we wanted it to be for women, about women and by women. But the interesting thing is it’s also a film that guys enjoy and that’s the feedback we have gotten from the film festivals that we have done.”

“Stephina and I have known each other for 20 years now and we have been friends throughout. For us, this is our biggest project and it’s an interesting time as businesswomen too because our company (Sorele Media) is still very young. We have only been in business for four years.”

Zwane said it was important for such stories coming out of Africa to be told.

“We’re fortunate to have the privilege to tell the story ourselves. I’m always going to tell a unique African story,” said Zwane.

“Baby Mamas provides the other side of this narrative that is so often told from a negative perspective, which is not entirely true. This is why it is important to provide varying voices and realise that the female perspective and experience deserves a platform too,” she said.

Baby Mamas is currently screening in South Africa and Zimbabwe also at the Ster-Kinekor cinemas in Bulawayo and Harare.

The film has already enjoyed its international film festival run, having showcased at the Toronto Black Film Festival, New York Africa Festival and Durban International Film Festival. — Sowetan