Dirty Laundry is a 16-minute short film, one of five selected as part of the Focus Features Africa First program for 2010. It tells the story of one guy who just wants to get his washing done.

It's 1:08AM and Roger is doing his laundry at The Wishy Washy. For Roger this is merely routine, but tonight there's something strange in the laundromat's water.
Before the night is out Roger will be abused by a middle-aged philandering businessman, subjected to severe scrotal attack by a short angry man, mistaken for a B-grade spy in a bathrobe, severely beaten, and finally scowled at by amorous teenagers.
And all Roger wanted was a 40-degree rinse and a mild spin cycle.

All Roger wants is to get his washing done at his local late night laundromat. Unfortunately, he will have to suffer verbal abuse, confusion, physical attack and a turn as an accidental spy before his spin cycle is complete. A simple concept comedy that delivers real laughs and delightful local characters.

South Africa, 2010, Afrikaans, English and Zulu with English subtitles, Video, 16 min

Directed by Stephen Abbott
Produced by Eduan van Jaarsveldt

Starring
Bryan van Niekerk as Roger
James Ngcobo as Paul
Mncedisi Shabangu
Carl Beukes as Marc
Antony Coleman
Craig Palm
Anthony Bishop
James Reynolds
Dominika Novak

Written by Stephen Abbott & Eduan van Jaarsveldt
Director of photography: Russell Campbell
Sound recordist: Tony Honeybun
Edited by Stanley M. Agnew
Sound design: Guy Steer
Production designer: Orly Shapiro
Casting Director: Moonyeenn Lee (MLA)
Gaffer: Daniel Albertse
Focus puller: Bernin Isaacs
Spark and grip assistant: Mlungisi Dube
Camera assistant: Marie Zahir
DIT: Cindy Campbell
Behind the scenes: Justin Henning

Produced by Stealth Donkey Moving Pictures.

In association with the National Film and Video Foundation.

Made with the support of the Focus Features Africa First Program. Kisha Cameron-Dingle, program director

Print Source: Stephen Abbott


AWARDS / FESTIVALS / SCREENINGS

2011 | 53rd Zinebi, Bilbao, Spain
* Screening time: Saturday 12th November 2011 at 8:00 PM @ Golem/Alhóndiga, Bilbao

2011 | Festival di Cinema Africano, Verona, Italy | 11th to 20th November
* Screening with co-Africa Firsters: Tinye So (Daouda Coulibaly), Mwansa the Great (Rungano Nyoni) and A Good Catholic Girl (Matt Bish).
http://festivalafricano.altervista.org/festival/?p=2552

2011 | Amiens International Film Festival, France
* Screening time: Sunday 13th November 2011 at 10:30 AM - program 1 @ Ciné St-Leu
* Screening time: Thursday 17th November 2011 at 10:30 AM - program 1 @ Ciné St-Leu

2011 | Film Africa, London
* Screening time: Saturday 5th November 2011 at 3:00 PM @ The Hackney Picturehouse, 270 Mare Street
, London
 E8 1HE
With co-Africa First films Tinye So (Daouda Coulibaly) and Mwansa the Great (Rungano Nyoni). Rungano will be in attendance.
write-up: "Winner of three international awards, Stephen Abbott's Dirty Laundry is a microcosm of the biting humour evident in much post-apartheid cinema, where filmmakers take stock of the new order. If life itself is a laundromat in South Africa, Roger has a lot to face when he shows up at The Wishy Washy at 1am and begins to ‘separate his whites from his coloureds' …"

2011 | shnit short filmfestival, Bern, Cape Town, Cologne, San José, Singapore, Vienna
BERN, SWITZERLAND
Friday 7th October 2011, 17:00 - shnit OPEN 9 @ Stadttheater 2, Kornhausplatz 20
Saturday 8th October 2011, 00:00 - shnit OPEN 9 @ Stadttheater 2, Kornhausplatz 20

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA
Friday 7th October 2011, 19:00 - South African Made @ Labia 1, 68 Orange street - Director in attendance
Friday 7th October 2011, 22:00 - Rocking the Daisies
Saturday 8th October 2011, 20:00 - shnit OPEN 9 @ Labia 1, 68 Orange street
Sunday 9th October 2011, 12:00 - Rocking the Daisies
Sunday 9th October 2011, 16:00 - South African Made @ Labia 1, 68 Orange street

COLOGNE, GERMANY
Friday 7th October 2011, 19:00 - shnit OPEN 9 @ Alte Feuerwache, Melchiorstraße 3
Saturday 8th October 2011, 22:00 - shnit OPEN 9 @ Kölner Filmhaus, Maybachstraße 111

SAN JOSÉ, COSTA RICA
Sunday 9th October 2011, 17:00 - shnit OPEN 9 @ Sala Garbo, cnr Calle 28 & Avenida 2

SINGAPORE
Sunday 9th October 2011, 15:00 - shnit OPEN 9 @ Cathay Cineplex, 8 Grange road

VIENNA, AUSTRIA
Saturday 8th October 2011, 21:00 - shnit OPEN 9 @ Burg Kino 2, Opernring 19

2011 | shnit short filmfestival, Bern, Switzerland
* Screening time: Saturday 8th October 2011 at 9:45pm
Friday 7th October 2011, 17:00 - shnit OPEN 9 @ Stadttheater 2, Kornhausplatz 20, Bern
* Screening time: Saturday 8th October 2011 at 9:45pm
Saturday 8th October 2011, 00:00 - shnit OPEN 9 @ Stadttheater 2, Kornhausplatz 20, Bern (technically Sunday morning, hey)

2011 | Africa In The Picture festival, Amsterdam
* Screening time: Saturday 8th October 2011 at 9:45pm
Venue: Bioskoop het Ketelhuis, Pazzanistraat 4



2011 | Tofifest, Toruń, Poland | 25th of June to the 1st of July
* Screening

2011 | National Arts Festival, Grahamstown South Africa
* Screening time: Monday 4th of July at 20:00
* Screening time: Wednesday 6th of July at 20:00
* Screening time: Wednesday 6th of July at 20:00
* Screening time: Thursday 7th of July at 22:00
* Screening time: Saturday 9th of July at 20:00
Venue: Eden Grove, Blue Lecture Theatre here, along with fellow Africa First film "Umkhungo" and "Big City Karma"

2011 | Iron Mule Comedy Film Series, New York
* Screening time: Saturday 4th of June at 8:00pm
Venue: 200 Hudson Street (just south of Canal), 92YTribeca - New York

2011 | Cannes FilmFest, France | South Africa pavilion at the Village International, courtesy of the NFVF.
* Screening time: 11th to 22nd of May, open 8AM to 8PM daily.

2011 | Atlas Studios' Film Club: First Wednesday, Johannesburg
* A local screening!
* Screening time: Wednesday 4th of May 2011 at 19:30
(director and producer in attendance)
Venue: Atlas Studios, Studio 4 / 33 Frost Avenue Milpark, Johannesburg


2011 | The African Film Festival New York
* Sélection
* Screening time: Thursday 7th April 2011
Venue: The Walter Reade Theater at Lincoln Center

2011 | 32nd DIFF - Durban International Film Festival | 21>31 july 2011
* Sélection: 5 LITRES OF WATER (festival's short film package)
Screening time: Tuesday 25th July, 10:00 AM at Luthuli Museum, Groutville (3233 Nokukhanya Luthuli street, Groutville)
Screening time: Wednesday 26th July, 3:00 PM at Ekhaya Multi Arts Centre, KwaMashu (B25 Giya road, Kwa-Mashu)
Screening time: Thursday 27th July, 10:00 AM at ICESA Communications Campus (35 Field Street, Durban)
* Best South African short film
* Best Short Film: "With a fresh storyline and strong acting, this is a colourful and humorous mini-snapshot of the "dirty laundry" of ordinary South Africans." (The SHORT FILM JURY 2011: Zandile Tembe, Ukhozi FM; Andile Ntimbane, Collective Film and Video; Jerry Pooe, founder of Eager Artists Production and Wushwini Arts Centre)


2011 | ReelWorld Film Festival, Toronto |
* Selection
* ReelWorld Award for Outstanding International Short Film
Screening time: Saturday 9th April 2011 at 5:30pm
Screening time: Sunday 10th April 2011 at 2:00pm
Venue: Canada Square Cinemas, 2190 Yonge St.