On Film: The Role of Baha'i Artists

"In this mosaic of love and hope, filmed on location in South Africa, the human stories replace the intense political focus that is the norm for films set in Africa .

"'There were lots of films about Africa and with epic political messages,' Mr. Bamford said, 'but we felt they were missing the trees for the forest. You actually feel more from a story which is about the reality of people's lives.'

"The film highlights themes of love, interracial relations, xenophobia, justice, and — in an unusual twist for a commercial movie — kindness to animals.

"Cape of Good Hope is Mr. Bamford's debut as a director of a feature movie. His previous work includes “Hero,” a widely screened short film, featured on PBS.

"The positive themes of the movie reflect the couple's philosophy on filmmaking.

"'I think the purpose of art is to uplift the human spirit,' Mr. Bamford said.

"'In film, entertainment is fine, but a lot of what passes for entertainment is destructive — it degrades women and glorifies drugs and violence.'

"The role for Baha'i artists, he said, is not to avoid crucial issues or to be 'nicey-nicey,' but rather to be optimistic.

"Ms. Kay added: 'Because we say "uplifting," we don't mean "naive" — we just want to give [audiences] energy to contribute something for the betterment of society.'"

One Country, "In South Africa, filmmakers draw on social action for their on-screen vision "