Homecoming – An African Christmas Story is brimming with nostalgia and Eastern Cape landscapes.

The screenplay is very fitting for a Christmas film and overflows with moments that are true to this genre. I did cringe several times when the film became too preachy. But so-called Hallmark-style preachiness about the true meaning of Christmas (“spending time with your family”) is characteristic of the genre, so I’ll forgive it. My biggest critique, however, is aimed at the long, drawn-out scenes that don’t always contribute to the story. The opening sequence is a good example. We spend the first few scenes with Asanda and her married lover, which made me think the film was veering toward a romantic comedy or a so-called coming-of-age story. Considering that the film runs just five minutes shy of two hours, I strongly feel it could have been shorter and fit into the traditional 90-minute slot. Right now, it feels like the filmmakers tried to fit a telenovela into a feature-length film. Still, I must admit that I did get invested in the characters’ stories and shared in their joys and sorrows.

I want to give a compliment to the cinematographer, Leli Maki (who was also, by the way, the director). His wide shots of the Eastern Cape landscapes where the film was shot made me feel like I should plan a getaway to the region soon. With each shot’s beautiful composition, many could easily work as a painting (or these days, perhaps more fittingly, a screensaver). Every scene is also lit in such a way that it enhances the atmosphere and ultimately contributes to the storytelling.

My final compliment goes to the soundtrack composer, Kamogele Motsepe, and those responsible for the sound design. The Christmas tunes that played softly in the background throughout definitely put me in a festive mood. They also often lightened a story that could otherwise have become quite heavy. We, as Afrikaans speakers, have already had quite a few of our own Christmas films, which have shown us that we don’t need to dream of a white Christmas. I salute these filmmakers who, through their effort, brought us a slice of a Xhosa Christmas straight from the heartland of the Eastern Cape.

This film was already released on the big screen in October 2024, and I sincerely hope that it will still be shown in traditional cinemas come December—because that’s when a viewer might slip into the cinema in between Christmas shopping. And if those viewers fall within the film’s true target audience, they will thoroughly enjoy it.