‘Fosta’ turns prison past into music future

A new feature documentary offers a close look into Thulani ‘Fosta’ Headman, a former gang member from Langa who returns from prison determined to reinvent his life through electronic music.

The world premiere of Fosta takes place at the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF), South Africa’s longest-running film festival, at 5pm today (24 July 2026). Tickets for the screening at Suncoast CineCentre are available here.

“Here I was, known as a criminal in my community,” says Fosta. “Coming out, personally I had a point to prove to myself that I could use music in order to change my life.”

Valentino Barrioseta, a former Ibiza promoter and founder of Bridges for Music, first met Fosta in Langa during a visit to explore the emerging house music scene.

Through Bridges for Music, Barrioseta began bringing international artists to the Cape Town township for workshops, including Grammy winners Skrillex, Black Coffee and Ed Sheeran, as well as DJs Richie Hawtin and Luciano.

As their relationship grew, Barrioseta and Fosta developed a shared vision that ultimately became the Bridges Academy, a creative learning space in Langa that has helped transform opportunities for young creatives in the community. The academy supports access to world-class technology, mentorship and education.

In the film, Skrillex calls his involvement in Bridges Academy “the thing I’m most proud of” other than his music career. Bridges for Music didn’t just bring international talent to the township; it’s been taking talent from Langa to stages around the world too.

Barrioseta says: “The bridge needs to be built both ways. As inspiring as it is to have an international artist coming to SA, it is even more impactful to bring local artists overseas to think out of the box and see the world out there.”

Fosta, which was filmed over 13 years, is the debut feature from director and cinematographer Eldon van Aswegen. He credits Fosta’s selection for Rough Cut Lab Africa as a key turning point in finishing the film.

“I have tried to give up a few times,” he says. “I kept coming back because Fosta is such an inspiring, human story about never giving up.”

The documentary captures Fosta’s life-changing journey with Bridges for Music, which has taken the 021 Records founder around the world: from cycling across Europe to raise funds to build Bridges Academy to performing alongside Skrillex at Glastonbury.

Other key characters in the documentary include aspiring musician Siphe Fassie, the nephew of South African music icon Brenda Fassie, and Marius Boaden, founder of Prison Broadcasting Network, a radio station and sound studio in Pollsmoor Prison that helped inmates create programmes for fellow prisoners.

Fosta is produced by van Aswegen’s Document Media and Storyscope’s Laura Colucci and Neil Brandt. Colucci previously produced the Netflix true crime hits Beauty and the Bester and Senzo: Murder of a Soccer Star. Brandt has produced three previous DIFF winners: Angola Saudades; Influence; and Dear Mandela; as well as Hot Docs winner Whispering Truth to Power.

Colucci says: “What drew me to Fosta’s story was his refusal to let his past define him. What makes it remarkable is not where he came from, but his determination to keep pursuing his dreams while becoming a mentor and catalyst for change in his community. From the homemade backyard studios of Langa to the festival stages in London and Amsterdam, we believe Eldon’s light touch, empathy and gorgeous cinematography will make audiences hope, dream, cry and laugh, because, well, that’s what it’s done to us.” 

Black Coffee says: “To dream is such an important thing. I told the universe this is what I want and I got it.”

* For more info on Bridges Academy, visit the website here.