Jump the Gun

Jump the Gun is a 1997 South African film directed by Les Blair for Channel Four Films. The film follows six diverse, working-class individuals as they try and establish themselves in the newly democratic South Africa. Les Blair's quintessentially British kitchen sink realism is applied to a South African context. The film stars Baby Cele, Lionel Newton, and Michele Burgers amongst others. Characters were built from the ground up with South African actors by using improvisation. The film was nominated at the 1997 Chicago International Film Festival for a Gold Hugo award for best film.