From prayers to pistols

The stakes in the new series Marked aren't just cash — they're survival, motherhood and faith in a society where even salvation has a waiting list

- Rolland Simpi Motaung

n about 2006, SABC 1's A Place Called Home was my introduction to Akin Omotoso’s sensitive eye for creating drama on screen.

At that time, a few other emerging African filmmakers were also exploring cinematic creativity in shows like Gazlam, Tsha Tsha, Intersexions and Yizo Yizo.

Drawing on his illustrious career, Omotoso returns to the Netflix sphere with the gripping six-part heist series Marked, which is layered with themes of moral dilemma, motherhood and corruption.

The series follows cash-in-transit security guard Babalwa, played by Lerato Mvelase, a woman cornered by circumstances who is fighting to protect what matters most — her daughter's life.

Living with a life-threatening condition, her illness takes a turn for the worse. With no medical aid, no savings and no lifeline in sight, desperation takes hold and what begins with quiet prayers and small loans soon escalates into an uneasy alliance with criminal gangs and desperate church members.

For filmmakers to explore a weighty social topic, the choice of genre is essential. The artistic vehicle to examine such themes could be comedy — or even horror. Omotoso and his team chose the heist genre to explore their misgivings about the South African healthcare system.

“Marked was inspired by a genuine concern. As it stands, there are over 30000 people on waiting lists for lifesaving surgeries. And a lot of them end up passing away without getting any help,” he says.

“The idea of waiting for salvation that never comes is heartbreaking, so we decided to dramatise this and take the audience on a journey.”

Commanding cast and action scenes