From the creators of Ndiani Studios and TENYE Creates comes a fearless, funny, and fiercely female-led film that’s about to set Mzansi screens alight!
One Week. One Contest. One Very Kidnapped Mom.
What do you get when you cross a toxic frenemy, a high-stakes cooking competition, and a church heist? A laugh-out-loud, cry-in-your-cocktail, fiercely female-led South African film that’s about to flip the local cinema scene on its head.
Get ready for LOVED OUT, the genre-busting new film written, directed, and produced by Zimbabwean-South African creative powerhouse Tendayi Nyeke. This vibrant, fearless, and fabulously unfiltered dramedy premieres on 18 September followed by a national rollout in South Africa on 26 September 2025 at NuMetro, Ster-Kinekor, and CineCentre theatres and its Zimbabwe release on 28 November 2025.
FAKE IT TILL YOU BREAK DOWN
Ruva (27), played by rising star Bahumi Mhlongo, is a self-styled mogul running her restaurant with the confidence of a Kardashian and the Instagram aesthetic of Lasizwe, but behind the filters, she’s one bad review away from total collapse. Together with her no-nonsense, scandal-prone mother Gloria (Khabonina Qubeka), Ruva is trying to drag their family restaurant RU AND GLO’S out of the gutter and into gourmet territory.
Her already chaotic life is flipped on its head by an online competition promising R1 million to the hottest local culinary spot. The catch? Ruva must become the ultimate social media darling while managing a crumbling marriage, a jealous rival, and a shady preacher from her mother’s church.
When Pastor Zakes (Marcus Mabusela) reveals a video of Gloria being kidnapped for allegedly stealing church money that actually belongs to a gangster syndicate, the clock starts ticking. Ruva has one week to find a million rand, or her mother dies.
The solution? The devil she knows: her old high school nemesis Linden, now a rich media boss who once destroyed her family’s reputation. Linden offers to invest — but only if Ruva plays his twisted game. Soon, she’s faking, finessing, and filtering her way to the top, but the closer she gets to winning, the more her real life spirals out of control.
Set in a high-gloss African city that pulses with youth, style, and side-eye, LOVED OUT bounces between the contrasting worlds of polished private schools, a rustic, millennial-run restaurant, a slick publishing empire and a cramped cottage filled with big personalities fighting for space. Through these locations, the film explores the smoke and mirrors of modern life — what people wear, eat, post, and pretend — all while asking the real question: what happens when keeping up appearances nearly gets you killed?
From the sass of Bridesmaids to the sharp aesthetic of Girl’s Trip and the Gen-Z charm of Rye Lane, LOVED OUT is visually electric, rhythmically fast-paced, and bursting with colour, chaos, and comedy.
Its bright, stylised wardrobes, social satire with serious swagger and offbeat characters with razor-sharp dialogue make it the film not to be missed this spring. Not to mention its powerful soundtrack, produced by Nkosilathi “Niko” Ndlovu, Alessandro Giovanetto and a featured track from none other than Brian Soko, the Grammy-winning composer behind Beyoncé’s Drunk in Love. This musical collaboration brings a soundscape that’s as wild and stylish as the film itself — blending Afro-pop, trap, amapiano, and gospel with glossy, cinematic fire.
“I started this story over a decade ago when I left Zimbabwe and saw dreams shatter under pressure,” says Nyeke. “Loved Out is for anyone who has ever questioned if they matter, anyone who has hustled while pretending to have it all together. It’s about what keeps us going when life gets nuts: love, laughter, and refusing to be edited out.”
CAST
The film boasts a powerhouse cast of African talent including:
- Bahumi Mhlongo as Ruva, the chaotic queen of content and desperation.
- Khabonina Qubeka as Gloria, her spicy and scandalous mom.
- Tumi Morake as Mai D, a matriarch who serves food and real talk.
- Ayakha Ntunja as Vazu, head in the clouds, Afro pop-princess.
- Marcus Mabusela as Pastor Zakes, shady with a capital “S”.
- Eliazer Shadung as Nangi, Ruva’s glam, ride-or-die confidant.
PRODUCTION TEAM
Writer/Director/Producer – Tendayi Nyeke
Children’s Emmy-nominated, SAFTA-winning, and Executive Producer of Disney’s Kizazi Moto, Nyeke is a storytelling force of nature. She draws from her own immigrant experience, Zimbabwean roots, and South African hustle to create this deeply personal, riotously entertaining project.
Line Producer – Larney de Swart
From Food, Booze and Tattoos to Netflix and beyond, Larney brings over a decade of dynamic live-action and animation production experience.
Cinematographer – Gaopie Kabe
Mbokodo Award winner and SAFTA-recognised visual genius behind Lockdown, Side Dish Dilemma, and The River.
Production Designer – Martha Sibanyoni
With over 25 years in the industry, this Black Tax and Yizo Yizo legend gives Loved Out its textured, vibrant visual identity.
IT’S MORE THAN A FILM — IT’S A MOVEMENT
To celebrate the release of Loved Out, audiences can also look forward to:
A 6-Part Podcast Series
Hosted by cast members, tackling real themes from the movie — from financial strain and family secrets to navigating toxic relationships in the public eye.
Johannesburg Pop-Up Fan Experience (August)
An immersive pre-launch event with food, music, fashion, film merch, and celebrity appearances. Come dressed for the ‘gram — it’s giving #MainCharacterEnergy.
Exclusive Content on Socials
Follow @LovedOutAF on Instagram and TikTok for first-look footage, behind-the-scenes drama, cast confessions, and more.
SAVE THE DATES
Premiere: 18 September 2025 –
National Cinema Release (SA): 26 September 2025
Zimbabwe Release: 28 November 2025
Socials: @LovedOutAF (TikTok & Instagram)
PROUDLY PRESENTED BY:
Ndiani Studios – Award-winning multimedia production company bridging Africa’s stories with global platforms.
TENYE Creates – The creative arm of Ndiani, developing IP that celebrates the beauty, brilliance, and brutal honesty of African life.
LOVED OUT is wild, warm, wickedly real and it’s everything you never knew you needed from South African cinema.
If you’ve ever tried to keep your life together while everything’s falling apart — this one’s for you.
To book media interviews, press kits, premiere passes, or partnership info, please contact:
The BUZ Hive
Bridget van Oerle
bridget@thebuzhive.co.za / +27 832636991
