"God's work," a haunting and visually arresting debut feature by South African writer/director Michael James, will have its Middle East and North Africa premiere in the Long Film Competition at the 15th Luxor African Film Festival in Egypt.
Set on the streets of Durban, where absurdity and hope walk hand-in-hand, "God's work" is a surreal journey into the lives of six homeless friends.
In the heart of Durban, South Africa, a crumbling building offers a fragile sanctuary to a group of unhoused men surviving on society’s margins. Bound by quiet loyalty, they navigate a world of indifferent authorities, opportunists, and looming violence. Yet, beyond the relentless grind of the streets, their inner worlds—woven from memories, visions, and ghosts—hold a reality as vivid as the one they fight to live through.
Among the group, the volatile Simphiwe (Thobani Nzuza) rages against demons and communes with ghosts but still searches for redemption. Thobani (Mbulelo Radebe), his loyal friend, is a tender-hearted soul with a sense of humor, yearning for a fresh start in life. Khaya (Zenzo Msomi) has not long been on the street and hopes to be reunited with his daughter. Lucky (Nduduzo Khowa), nicknamed The Preacher, quotes the always-apt Book of Job. Malusi (Omega Mncube) is quiet but insightful; and Sizwe (Siya Xaba) is a younger kid still learning the street hustle.
These men have nothing—but they have each other. A cigarette passed between fingers. A whispered song. A joke under a shattered sky – fragments of life that hold back the darkness, if only for a moment.
"God's work" is a raw exploration of survival, brotherhood, and the human desire to be seen before disappearing.
Inspired whilst filming a documentary about homeless shelters during the pandemic, "God's work" blurs the lines between reality and fiction.
It doesn’t ask for pity, it demands attention. It confronts the viewer with the brutal poetry of life on the margins—and the stubborn humanity that persists there.
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“My intent is to engage with both the internal and external worlds of the characters,” James said. “and to allow the audience deeper access into the surreal and often troubling recesses of the human mind.”
Producer Sithabile Mkhize added, “The film considers what it means to be human in an unjust world. It hopes to contribute to the current conversations within the zeitgeist regarding income inequality, the failures of capitalism, racism, police brutality, class consciousness, and ultimately how all these ideas intersect with the existential realities of life within the African context. This is not just a film about homelessness, it’s a story about power, loss, resistance—and what it costs to stay human in a world that’s abandoned its soul.”
"God's work" is written and directed by Michael James, and Produced by Sithabile Mkhize (SA), Co-Produced by Marco Orsini (USA), Executive Produced by Toni Monty (SA) and Gary Springer (USA).
A Maverick Resistance production in association with the KwaZulu-Natal Film and Tourism Authority, the National Film and Video Foundation of South Africa, Amafrika Films, and Mojo Entertainment LLC, supported by the Durban Film Office.
Award-winning composer, music producer, musician and film producer, West-African born George Acogny has created a deeply emotive score for the film.
"God's work" made its World Premiere at the 47th Durban International Film Festival.
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