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The Midlands Observer
June 9, 2000
By Film Correspondent
Yellow Card has arrived in the Midlands and it is scoring goals both on screen and off.
On screen, the film delivers a gripping story of teenage love and its consequences, anchored by a star-making performance from Leroy Gopal as Tiyane. Off screen, it is sparking exactly the kind of open, honest discussion about sex and responsibility that its makers hoped for.
At a screening in Gweru last week, an audience of over two hundred secondary school students watched the film in complete silence before breaking into animated debate that lasted nearly an hour.
The story of Tiyane, a promising young footballer whose life is complicated by an unplanned pregnancy, clearly struck a chord. Several students said they knew people in similar situations. Others said the film had changed their thinking about relationships and responsibility.
What makes Yellow Card so effective is that it respects its audience. It does not talk down to young people or tell them what to think. Instead, it presents a situation that is all too familiar and lets the audience wrestle with the implications themselves.
The production values are impressive for a locally-made film. The football sequences are exciting and well-shot. The performances are natural and convincing. And the Harare locations give the film a genuine African identity that imported Hollywood fare cannot match.
Director John Riber deserves credit for creating a film that is both serious and seriously entertaining. Yellow Card proves that cinema can be a powerful force for social change without sacrificing the entertainment value that gets audiences into seats in the first place.
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