By: Seabela Maila & Sinazo Maake
Local film house Muofhe Productions, has reached a major milestone at Ster-Kinekor, Mall of the North, helping to bring people back to the cinema. The coming‑of‑age film Grade 10D premiered on the 27th of February 2026, making it a historical achievement for filling up the cinema twice in its first weekend of screening, leading to an expansion to two new cinemas in Gauteng.
Set in Tshitereke village near Thohoyandou, the story follows four learners in the “worst‑ranked” class at a rural public school as they toil, facing challenges involving family, violence, sex, drugs, pressure at school and mental‑health struggles.
Writer of the film, Shumelani Mapholi says: “The story of Grade 10D was born out of my own observations and experiences in rural schools. I wanted to capture the energy, chaos and humour of learners who are often dismissed as ‘the worst class’ but who, in reality, are full of resilience, creativity and untold stories.”
Behind the scenes, the production team includes mostly local crew members, making it their first feature‑film credits. This homespun collective effort enriches the movie by exhibiting strong technical standards.
The film introduces new talent alongside familiar faces such as actors Wavhudi Lidzhegu and Ndamulelo Mbuwe of long‑running South African soapie Muvhango.
Tshivenda is one of South Africa’s endangered languages, a rarity for success in commercial cinema. This shows that audiences are ready to pay for tickets and support films in our indigenous languages.
“My vision was to tell a story that is unapologetically authentic, rooted in the voices and behaviours of South African youth,” Mapholi adds, saying the film looks at neglect in education, authority and rebellion, and the labels that shape how young people see themselves, while celebrating youth culture as a way to survive and express who they are.
In recent years, many people have stayed home to watch films on their phones or computers instead of going out to cinema. However, the success of Grade 10D suggests that this can change if cinemas show stories that are authentic and relatable to the lived realities of the South African majority.
Together with Mapholi, director Joseph Muthaphuli aimed for a raw and vibrant visual style that does not romanticise rural life but presents it honestly; for them, Grade 10D is more than just a film, it is a mirror for our society to confront itself on how it treats its youth and reminding us that, despite negative circumstances, young people continue to rise with humour, courage and hope.
The film is also important for jobs and training in the province, because many of the actors and crew members are from Limpopo and some are new talents who received their first big‑screen opportunity through this project. By shooting in local villages and towns, the production has invested back into the community and has helped build skills in filmmaking and related creative work.
“Art and film tourism is a great contributor to marketing our province and its stories to the rest of the world…we congratulate Muofhe Productions on a phenomenal production, and want to let them know that the entire province is behind them,” says MEC Tshitereke Matibe.
The film’s success at Mall of the North stands as a proud moment for Limpopo, proving that a rural-based film can succeed in a mainstream venue and that local stories can help rebuild both the habit of going to the movies and the nation’s growing creative‑arts economy. As Grade 10D has expanded on to cinemas in Gauteng, currently showing at Ster-Kinekor in Southgate and Wonderpark.