Carla Fonesca is Daring and Limitless in her Creative Expression

Photo by Jeffery Rikhotso

It was 2019 and Batuk was performing in Shanghai. I stepped into a crowded underground stage; buzzing with anticipation. Within seconds, all I could see through the dimly lit space were bodies rhythmically flowing to the beat, fans chanting lyrics that they’ve been waiting to sing all night. In the centre of the dance floor, right beneath a spotlight Carla Fonesca; the lead singer was revving up the crowd with her magnetic stage presence. Beside her on the decks, Spoek Mathambo made sure that the varied tempos were pulsing through the room. The atmosphere was electric, fans were lost in the music and a vibrant energy filled up the room. In this moment, I heard and understood Batuk. I recognized how important it was that this sound reverberates across continents. Witnessing how fellow Africans were marking the globe with their music, as someone who was listening to it for the first time: I’ve been a fan ever since.  

Batuk live in Spain photo by Pirineos Sur Festival

Batuk live in Switzerland photo by 'No Borders Festival'

This genre-defying sound has been described as a creole of zouk, kwaito, house, hip-hop and electro.

Batuk is conscientious in representing languages and cultures from the continent: their music is emblematic of inclusion and collaboration. So is Carla Fonesca as an individual. She passionately expressed that “I love collaborating, bringing people into a room and sharing what we want to do and then we create honest stories out of that.”

Born into a family that has both Mozambican and South African roots, it comes as no surprise that multidisciplinary director, writer, actress and artist, Fonesca has an innate quality that compels her to create cross-cultural music, art and stories.

She is also part of an artistic duo called Fonesca and Mokgata whose work is based on experimenting with various mediums to describe societal trauma and the elusive fantasy of freedom. F&M Studio has developed an interest in describing both violence as a language as well as the “violence of language” in the context of post-colonial/apartheid Africa. They combine digital design with various sculpture, molding and painting techniques, creating intricate and vivid hand crafted artwork.

Again She Reigns photo by 99 Loop Gallery

Performance art in Berlin photo by Noël Labridy

FNB Art Fair photo by Malibongwe Tyilo

Again She Reigns photo by 99 Loop Gallery

They’ve held an artist residency at the 99 Loop Gallery in Cape Town and had a solo art exhibition Again She Reigns a body of work which is both a celebration and a tribute to iconic African women from our past and those in this present time.

Not so long ago, Fonesca was spending 9 months out of the year traveling, performing music and creating performance art shows namely in Europe, Africa and Asia. She somehow still found the creative capacity to star, co-write and produce her first independent feature film Burkinabe which was co-written and produced with Nthato Mokgata and filmed in Burkina Faso. The film toured film festivals in 14 countries. 

Today, you’ll find her in South Africa focusing on acting and writing. Her latest work is a character in an upcoming Disney animation film as well as a character from the highly anticipated Shaka iLembe television series. Devoted to storytelling, she’s in the developmental stages of a 10 year-long project that will be making it on our screens soon. 

Screen capture from the film Skeleton

As an artist, Fonesca has this beautiful and intricate duality. Even if you tried, you couldn't box her into a singular creative expression. One thing is certain: her work is daring, thought-provoking and it questions the human condition leaving no room for complacency from the audience. She’s the kind of artist that brings worlds and cultures together allowing them to coexist regardless of how different they are. She puts in the effort to learn about them, gives them equal importance, recognition and a creative voice. 

As a multidisciplinary artist, you’ve followed your bliss in creating bold, brave, fun and thought-provoking work. How do you strike the balance of existing in all of your creative worlds?

Whether it be through film, theatre, music or art, the through line is ‘story’. I am determined to tell as many stories as possible through as many mediums as possible. Being organized, having a clear vision and staying focused on the task at hand is what helps keep me balanced.

How has creativity impacted your life?

I was born an artist, creativity is all I know. Being a creative celebrates what it means to live a full life.

Being an actress, has it helped and empowered you in becoming a great director?

I’m still working on becoming a great director. I’d say that I know how to direct, but I wouldn’t attach great to my title any time soon. I look up to many great directors and I have a lot of work to do before I can match up to the greats. 

But, being an actor definitely empowers one to become a writer, a director and a producer. If you are a good storyteller, then you automatically have the tools it takes to make or guide a good story. As a trained and experienced actor I have had the privilege of being directed by some prolific directors, so naturally I’ve absorbed some wonderful techniques. 

In all of my experience on and off stage, behind or in front of the camera, I think I’ve learned what it takes to get to the marrow of a story. 

What does a perfect Sunday afternoon look like to you?

A perfect Sunday is with my family at my grandmother’s house. My gran, my parents, my husband, siblings, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews. That is everything to me.

How would you describe the feeling of being on a stage or set embodying the life and telling the story of a made-up character/stranger?  

In an interview Viola Davis once said: “You play a character who’s a runaway who has trauma from parents, and you expressed all of that onstage in a way that was honest and truthful, then the audience celebrates it. They celebrate seeing that level of humanity, and you can’t express that in your real life. Or, you can, but you risk being shamed.” 

She said it perfectly, and THAT is why I do it and why I love it. 

It’s the most rewarding feeling to be able to open up and give justice to someone’s story. It often happens that as an actor you will be able to find similarities between a character’s story and your own story. We are all different, but we all know what love, joy, pain, rejection, guilt, suffering and longing is. As much as it’s a made-up character, the story is real, and the duty of breathing life into a character is a gift that keeps giving. It’s always an exciting challenge.

What in your opinion is the most important quality in a film or stage director?

Devoid of ego.

Are you currently directing any plays or films?

I am developing my new feature film. I’ve been writing it for a few years and it’s finally at the stage where funders have gotten behind it.

What inspires you?

God inspires me…Everything God is so insanely inspiring.

You’ve travelled in many countries around the world performing and creating; including China. If you could write a screenplay about those experiences, what would the title be?  

Hmmm, perhaps the screenplay would be about racism & sexism, and how those violations vary depending on where you are on the map. Maybe it’ll be called ‘border-line’.

Complete this sentence; Africa is…

The source and root of all truth, all beauty, all life.