People’s personal journey to maintain their own private freedom can often lead them to also embark on protecting the rights of their neighborhoods. The South African feminist heroines who helped preserve the legacy of their family business, which served as a spiritual home to their entire community, in the acclaimed 2022 crime comedy, ‘The Umbrella Men,’ are just as inspiring in the feature’s equally celebrate sequel.
The new follow-up, ‘The Umbrella Men: Escape from Robben Island,’ features the return of the beloved ensemble cast, and the spirit and setting of the beautiful old quarter of Cape Town – the Bo Kaap – of its predecessor. Like the first movie, the series’ second installment is a small, independent South African production that celebrates the rich language, identity, music and heritage of the Cape Malay community.
‘The Umbrella Men: Escape from Robben Island’ picks up after the successful heist of the first entry. Jerome, Morty, Mila, Keisha and Auntie Val finds life is sweet. But that’s when Tariq – the enemy and rival troupe leader of Jerome’s late father, who owned the Goema Club, where his beloved minstrel troupe, the titular The Umbrella Men, performed – meddles in the group’s success.
Jerome and Morty are arrested and sent to serve their sentence in the recently reopened eponymous Robben Island Prison. As a result, Keisha, Mila and Auntie Val need to help them escape, while also taking down the out-of-control Tariq, who has plans of world domination. The women must help Jerome and Morty clear their names so that they can make it back to the Bo Kaap as free men.
‘The Umbrella Men: Escape from Robben Island’ had its World Premiere on September 10, 2023 at the Scotiabank Theatre in Toronto as part of the Toronto International Film Festival‘s (TIFF) Industry Selects, which is a curated selection of 12 audience friendly films beyond the Official Selection that are available for worldwide acquisition. The crime comedy had an in-person screening during the festival for accredited buyers and industry professionals.
The sequel’s screening at the festival came after its predecessor had its International Premiere at TIFF. ‘The Umbrella Men’ screened on September 10, 2022 during the festival’s Contemporary World Cinema section. After premiering at TIFF, the new follow-up is now streaming on such platforms as eVOD and Prime Video in select countries around the world.
‘The Umbrella Men: Escape from Robben Island’ was directed and produced by John Barker, who also helmed and produced the original feature. He also co-wrote the sequel’s script with Philip Roberts, after they co-penned the first entry together, along with Lev David. The series’ second entry stars several returning performers from its predecessor, including Jaques Da Silva, Shamilla Miller, Keenan Arriso), Bronte Snell, KagisoLediga, Sivuyile Ngesi, Rob Van Vuuren and June van Merch
Barker and Miller generously took the time during TIFF to talk about co-scribing, helming, producing and starring in ‘The Umbrella Men: Escape from Robben Island’ during an exclusive interview over Zoom. Among other things, the filmmaker and actress discussed how Barker approached his writing, directorial and producing duties throughout the production; why Miller was inspired to reprise her role of Keisha in the follow-up; and what it means to them that they were able to return to TIFF to premiere the series’ latest entry.
Watch our exclusive video interview with Barker and Miller about ‘The Umbrella Men: Escape from Robben Island’ above.
Film Factual 