August 2023 - New York City - We take a look back at the recent Tribeca Film Festival where NYC VIBE greeted the filmmakers, writers, director and wife of the captain of the Springboks South African Rugby team that were thrilled to introduce their just finished movie highlighting Siya Kolisi and his foundation’s impact on the world’s stage.
With the 2023 Rugby World Cup Championships about to start in France and Kolisi back in action after an injury this summer, the rugby community will be focused on the talented team about to show the world who they are.
It is said that leaders are born out of many circumstances, including the need to grow up fast. Siya Kolisi had no other choice in the harsh challenges of his upbringing. Trials and tribulations gave way to a leader, and fittingly, the first Black captain of the South Africa national rugby union team. We hear from the man himself alongside family, friends, teammates, and more, as they weave together the grand tale of just who and what makes the Springboks legend so incomparable.
At times the life of Siya jumps off the screen like a fairy tale, with challenges external and internal paving the path for a success story that encapsulates perseverance. A singular story yet one that rings universal in its themes of overcoming, community, passion, and forgiveness. All this comes alongside stunning footage and intimate reveals from the Springboks’ quest to capture their record-tying third Rugby World Cup.
This story is just beginning to be written - as you will see.
#tribeca #tribecafilmfestival #springboks #springbok #springboksrugby #southafrica #nelsonmandela #capetown #rugbyleague #rugbyfan #southafrican #worldcup #siyakolisi #rocnation #rocnationsports #sports #documentary
With the 2023 Rugby World Cup Championships about to start in France and Kolisi back in action after an injury this summer, the rugby community will be focused on the talented team about to show the world who they are.
It is said that leaders are born out of many circumstances, including the need to grow up fast. Siya Kolisi had no other choice in the harsh challenges of his upbringing. Trials and tribulations gave way to a leader, and fittingly, the first Black captain of the South Africa national rugby union team. We hear from the man himself alongside family, friends, teammates, and more, as they weave together the grand tale of just who and what makes the Springboks legend so incomparable.
At times the life of Siya jumps off the screen like a fairy tale, with challenges external and internal paving the path for a success story that encapsulates perseverance. A singular story yet one that rings universal in its themes of overcoming, community, passion, and forgiveness. All this comes alongside stunning footage and intimate reveals from the Springboks’ quest to capture their record-tying third Rugby World Cup.
This story is just beginning to be written - as you will see.
#tribeca #tribecafilmfestival #springboks #springbok #springboksrugby #southafrica #nelsonmandela #capetown #rugbyleague #rugbyfan #southafrican #worldcup #siyakolisi #rocnation #rocnationsports #sports #documentary
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SportsTranscript
00:00I can't believe I'm in New York City and I'm at the Tribeca Film Festival. It's such an
00:13incredible place to be, but not only am I here, we are watching the screening of Rise
00:17of Sia Kulisi's story and yeah, I just, I can't believe it.
00:24As a black captain for the first time led the Springboks, 28-year-old Sia Kulisi rose
00:30to the peak of a sport long associated with apartheid.
00:33The Springboks and our Sia Kulisi made black people feel at home.
00:37Are you playing for the Springboks?
00:39Yeah, I'm playing for the Springboks.
00:42I used to go train in a thorny field, we were training bare feet.
00:46I think from the first day that I sat down with him and had a chat with him, I realized
00:58that he isn't a typical superstar, he isn't a typical athlete that's made it to the top
01:03and that's a god.
01:05He's human.
01:06He was humble, in fact half the time he was surprised that he had made it that far.
01:12So I think that humanity of his shines through when you watch the film.
01:16I think it's a massive lesson for all of us.
01:18If somebody can make it to that peak of his career and still maintain his humanity and
01:23still maintain his grace and still maintain his sense of kindness, I think that's something
01:29to learn.
01:30So I think if anything, people are going to see a story of resilience, people are going
01:34to see a story of winning against all odds, but I think the one thing that's going to
01:38come through the most is how human he is and I think that's a big lesson for all of us.
01:43You know, he was the perfect guy to film.
01:45We were nervous about how in depth he would go and he really opened up and I think that
01:50was the main thing in the film, it was just about giving an honest portrayal of who he
01:53is and our whole theme the whole way through was to create hope for young people, for kids
01:58in similar positions to him that they can, you know, no matter what the adversity is,
02:03they can with hard work and determination get to a position that he got to, you know.
02:08This film is super special.
02:10It's about overcoming challenges.
02:12It's about inspiration.
02:13It's about motivation and most importantly, it's about changing lives.
02:19This film will change lives because of the message and it'll inspire people to do whatever
02:24it takes to be successful in life.
02:26We were so fortunate to have 60 Minutes do such an incredible feature about Sia and not
02:31only that, there's been, you know, other documentaries and short pieces about Sia that have come
02:34out, but I think what's so important for Americans to understand is Sia's story is not an individual
02:40story, that there is so much in his story that is still existent for many South Africans
02:44today and this film is really just a raw, very real, honest truth-telling of his experience
02:50as a young person and what he had to go through, what he had to get through to get to the point
02:54where he is today and it also just makes all of his achievements that much more powerful
02:59and that much more impactful because he's had to go through so much as an individual
03:04and not only that, he's stemmed off of this experience, he's opened himself up and been
03:08extremely vulnerable with us and we've been able to do so much through our foundation,
03:13the Kholisi Foundation, and see so many other kids' lives changed through it.
03:21Sport can create hope where once there was only despair.
03:38Sport can create hope where once there was only despair.