Coming of Age

Lesotho is the highest (in terms of altitude) and lowest (in terms of affluence) mountain kingdom in the world. For two years, director Teboho Edkins followed four teenagers in this country, which is completely surrounded by South Africa: brothers Mosaku and Retabile, who are growing up in a family of shepherds, and BFFs Senate and Lefa from the village of Ha Sekake. Scenes with the two duos alternate in this observational film, in which the young protagonists also talk to the filmmaker. One of the brothers tells him what he would most like to have: at least 10 cows, 100 sheep, two horses and a few donkeys. With this, he would be able to take care of himself and his family. The village where the two girls are growing up is equally short on resources. But at least the best friends have their voices to sing with and to chat and fantasize together – about how they’d rather be boys, for example, because boys dress better. Their lives change dramatically when both pairs can no longer be together 24/7. The best girlfriends are split up because one does better at school than the other, while in the severe mountain landscape the two brothers continue to watch their flock – also separated from one another, but in this case by an old initiation ritual.