It's never been done before. South Africa's very first full-length lesbian feature film. Wow. Showcasing this year at the annual Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, 'Dykumentary' is bound to stir many an emotion in SA's homosexual elite.

Directors and producers Jacque Oldfield and Adelheid Reineke, take you on a journey through the A-Z of dykes. Take an inside look at raver dyke, adventure dyke, wannabe dyke, koeksuster dyke and the safari suit wearing, biltong making Man-Hater. Poking fun at themselves 'Dykumentary' is both warming, hilarious and a massive leap forward for local film.

PainterJane: Tell us about 'Dykumentary'?

Jacque Oldfield: The dykumentary is a mockumentary about stereotypes from A to Z in the world of lesbians.

Adelheid Reineke: It is totally fictional, over the top and based on the various social, economic and cultural circles of the lesbians in South Africa. The characters are completely based on stereotypes and by over-exaggerating the characters we can laugh at ourselves, as the dykumenatry is not only about lesbians, but people....

PJ: Who came up with the idea and why?

JO: I came up with the concept a long time ago, but can't remember how. I think I was at Ramp Divas one night and I was just seeing so many similarities in dyke behavior. It was easy to stereotype people. It was just for fun really.

AR: The dykumentary was nurtured for many years by Jacque. She developed the concept, characters and laid down the platform.... from there the co- director, actors and writers added bits and pieces to add colour... but all within "the Oldfield Boundaries".

PJ: Apparently this is the first full-length lesbian feature film ever made in SA? Why do you think it has never been done before?

JO: I'm not sure if it is the first but I think it's hard to make any film in this country, without any money. People aren't as open minded as we think and the gay film market isn't big in S.A. so it's even harder to make a gay film. Apparently lesbians are the worst market.

AR: Perhaps it is hard for lesbians to express themselves artistically... I do find that gay men are a lot more open and accepted (especially in the media). There were a lot more male-gay programs on television, before 'The L Word' hit the screen. Sometimes it feels like we depend on America to address our issues. But also making an independent film, whether it is about cats, hamsters or gay people is a massive challenge - there is no money, no mainstream exposure.

PJ: What do you think people are going to gain from seeing this movie?

JO: Hopefully people will find it humorous. Breaking serious topics with humour works - there are very serious things that the dykumentary brings up, such as trans-sexuality, woman abuse, coming out, things that are not always easy to talk about and when you hear it coming from a humorous angle, it's easier to hear it and understand it.

AR: I believe gay people might look at themselves more as people, than "other". Some might be offended or finally laugh at their strange humanness, perhaps build an appreciation to what makes us different, not only as gay people, but South Africans.

PJ: How was the filming process? How long did it take you?

JO: The film making process was fun on the whole but stressful at the same time, when you don't have money or people to do things for free it's a big stress. But working with friends is a whole different experience, in a good way and a bad way - you can lose friends in these situations when the pressure is on and the shit hits the fan. Friendship is at stake. On a whole it was fun and I wouldn't change anything. We started writing in April and started shooting in May. Editing is finished now so it was a very short period.

AR: The filming process was f***ing crazy, amazing, daring - and truly lovely. We will call them war scars!

PJ: A lot of the characters In the movie are played by the same people. Why is this?

JO: We decided to use two main characters because we liked the angle that 'Little Britain' did - it makes it easier to rip off people when you do it to the extreme and the characters are so over exaggerated you can get away with more. If we used a pre-op transsexual to play a pre-op transsexual it wouldn't be funny - the characters should never mock themselves. And we wanted to give our makeup artist an opportunity to really express their talent, which they did.

AR: An actor depicting various characters adds to the "fictional" quality of the genre. It, in effect, creates a sense of "alienation", which allows the audience to separate themselves, and look from the outside in. Also regarding acting and the creation as a whole, working with a more intimate cast keeps the comedy and comprehension of text more solid or "tight".

PJ: The movie is a bit of a mockumentary. Do you think it is important for people to laugh at themselves?

JO: The film doesn't necessarily mock dykes - it mocks all types of people: intellectuals, ravers, players. They just happen to be gay.  These characters exist in the straight world too. There is a part of everyone in the film - I see myself in one or two characters. If you can't laugh at yourself you have a problem.

AR: Yes laughing at oneself is absolutely compulsory.

PJ: Are any of these characters based on real life friends? Acquaintances?

JO: A few of the characters are based on either friends or people we know, as well as ourselves.

AR: Haha... based on real life friends... maybe…

PJ:  Share with us one of the funniest moments on set when filming.

JO: The funniest moment on set was shooting in a coffee shop but not telling the owner, an older lady, what the film was about, and having her hovering around us. We had to sneak in the answers when she wasn't around 'cos we told her we were doing an anti-drug film but the content was hectic and the coffee shop was full of people. The actors had to tone down the script and when she wasn't there say their lines quickly so she wouldn't hear.

AR: Doing Lizz's hair for 'Manhater'... God, I've never seen her so girly, everyone was standing around fearing The Mullet. Nobody even reacted so hectically when Lani had to jump off "Orlando Towers"....

PJ: Jacque, describe your co-director Adelheide to us. Adelheide, describe Jacque to us.

JO:  What can I say about Adelheid? She is a star! She truly is the one person in this world that understands me. We work so well together because we speak the same language. She is the most talented person I've ever met.

AR: Jacque is very focused and a damn mad perfectionist. Don't ask stupid questions and avoid boom-shadows. But when the shoot for the day wraps, she is mild Martha... chilled candy... She always makes an effort to make the crew and cast feel appreciated and adored. Jacque has a very fine eye for perfection - I speak for the whole team when I say we all admired her work and trusted her immensely as director.

PJ: Where can people see the movie if they miss it at the Gay and Lesbian film festival?

JO: I'm hoping we will get a chance to release it on DVD? Who knows?

AR: We have many ventures planned for the film, but she has quite a few systems and legalities to endure, before we can reveal her next voyage.

PJ: Lastly, what next? Do you plan on making more movies in this genre?

JO: Next? I’m in the process of writing a comic book. I have another script I want to do but I think I need a break for a while. I do plan on making another lesbian film but a drama.

AR: More art projects in the independent, alternative genre... Yes forever... There will be an unavoidable, recognisable fever booming in the underworld!

Catch 'Dykumentary' at the Gay and Lesbian Film Festival Johannesburg: 5 September and 12 September and in Cape Town: 14 and 16 September.