SABBATICAL, the electrifying feature directorial debut from Karabo Lediga, is set to grip audiences nationwide from 09 May 2025. Brought to life by Diprente (the studio behind Catching Feelings, Matwetwe, and Big Nunu’s Little Heist), this intimate, high-stakes drama slices into the heart of ambition, family, and the buried truths that refuse to stay hidden.
Fronted by Mona Monyane (Muvhango, Kalushi) in a career-defining role, SABBATICAL follows Lesego — a brilliant corporate climber groomed to be the next CEO of elite firm LouwFin. But her meteoric rise crashes when she’s implicated in a devastating financial scandal involving the looting of a miner’s pension fund. Forced into exile at her childhood home, Lesego must reckon with the woman who raised her — and the ghosts she thought she’d outrun.
Clementine Mosimane (Poppie Nongena, How to Ruin Christmas) delivers a powerhouse performance as Doris, the fierce and unrelenting mother whose sacrifices paved the way for Lesego’s ascent — and who now stands witness as it all comes undone.
In a dramatic turn, acclaimed comedian Loyiso Gola stuns as investigator Percy Mthimkhulu — a sharp, methodical presence determined to unpick the web Lesego is tangled in. Set in Pretoria and rich in Sipitori, SABBATICAL blends emotional weight with sharp humour, brought to life by familiar faces — from high school sweethearts to nosy neighbours and the ever-opinionated stokvel group.
The film boasts an exceptional creative team: Motheo Moeng (SASC) (Queen Sono, Matwetwe) brings his trademark visual power as Director of Photography, crafting a look that is both arresting and intimate. A lush, jazz-infused score by celebrated musician Bokani Dyer adds soulful depth and emotional gravity to the unfolding drama.
Produced by Tamsin Andersson and Kagiso Lediga, SABBATICAL is as layered as it is visually arresting. Edited by Khulekani Zondi (Classified, Big Nunu’s Little Heist), the film moves with emotional precision and tension, capturing a South African story that speaks to global themes — the cost of ambition, the weight of familial expectation, and the damage done in silence.
The film features casting by Actors Spaces and showcases standout performances by some of South Africa’s finest, including Seputla Sebogodi, Tsholofelo Maseko, Craig Urbani, Masello Motana, Tinah Mnumzana, Nupi Makhobo, Moditle Pholo, Kedibone Manyaka, amongst others — a stellar ensemble that breathes life, texture, and authenticity into every scene.
Opening on Mother’s Day weekend, SABBATICAL is the perfect way to treat your mom this May — a film for grown-up families to watch together, laugh together, and perhaps forgive together. SABBATICAL is not just a movie, it’s a homecoming.