From Heidi to How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, 5 favourite films of South African-born singer Eli Zaelo

South African-born, Hong Kong-based Eli Zaelo knows the power of art and its role in building cultural bridges. She is building a few herself, singing in English, Chinese and African styles, allowing her to connect with people across cultural boundaries. After graduating from the Los Angeles College of Music, Hong Kong beckoned in 2014 when she landed the role of Nala in The Lion King musical at the city’s Disneyland theme park. Zaelo says singing in local languages is a way to help bridge the cultural divide. The first song she learned in Mandarin was “Tian Mi Mi”, by the late Taiwanese superstar Teresa Teng Li-chun. Here Zaelo shares her top five favourite films. 1 The Shack (2017) A friend recommended Zaelo watch The Shack – an American faith-based drama about a grief-stricken father (Sam Worthington) – after they had their own conversation about grief. “I remember bawling my eyes out! Growing up in the church, I always had questions about why bad things happened and why they were permitted to happen if there truly was a sovereign God in charge,” she says. “The movie not only gave an insight into that but also into the concept of the Holy Trinity and broke it down in such a beautiful way.” Having lost close family members in a short space of time, Zaelo says the film brought her great comfort and strengthened her faith in ways she hadn’t anticipated. “I understand the value of having my own relationship with Jesus and having those personal in-depth conversations with him, which we refer to as ‘prayers’, as an individual, even though I enjoy being part of a larger community – the church.” 2 Save the Last Dance (2001) “This reminds me so much of my teen years! […] I’ve watched it at least 20 times,” says dance lover Zaelo of the teen romance starring Julia Stiles and Sean Patrick Thomas. As a preteen, Zaelo did Latin and ballroom dance as well as ballet classes. In this film, the theme of inclusion and not being quick to judge a book by its cover resonated with her. “I gravitated towards how one’s environment can shape a lot of their perspective.” She was drawn to the passion of the male character, played by Thomas, to forge a better life for himself. “The soundtrack also added to what made the movie stand out for me. The coming-of-age concept resonated with me and I was always eager to introduce it to friends or my cousins whenever we had a sleepover.” 3 Heidi (2015) The story of an orphan who goes to live with her grandfather in the Swiss Alps has long fascinated Zaelo. “I lived vicariously through Heidi and found her compassion and eagerness to find joy in the simple things of life so captivating,” she says. “I enjoyed watching how her free-spirited and kind nature gradually warmed her grandfather’s heart. “I haven’t watched it since those early years but I still remember how it made me feel when I do have the occasional flashback. “I used to daydream about one day just living in the mountains and making my own cheese. I don’t know if that would be something I would be keen on right now! “Living close to a beach seems more fitting to who I am right now but the lifestyle was depicted in an inviting way and I wouldn’t mind visiting the Alps just to see what they are about. In fact, I’ve just added them to my bucket list!” 4 There’s a Zulu on My Stoep (1993) “A controversial film – known as Yankee Zulu internationally – it definitely put the world around me into perspective as a child,” says Zaelo. “We lived in a very small community in Mpumalanga before we moved to the city [Pretoria] when I was eight. When I was in grade one, I must’ve been six or seven, I had a best friend who was white and we played together at school a lot but similar to the movie, the people around us were not as supportive, so almost overnight we stopped being friends. “I now have a number of Caucasian friends, and friends of different ethnicities and backgrounds, so it hasn’t altered my core values. However, this was the reality of a country still figuring out how to navigate a new democracy. “I absolutely love South Africa and I’m always eager to share that I’m South African. We have come such a long way as a country and I am proud of our progression and resilience. I believe that our rugby team is a classic example of our unity as a nation.” 5 How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003) A confessed sucker for a good love story, Zaelo says she struggled to pick a favourite. “Anything from Brown Sugar to The Notebook – I’m hooked.” But what she loves about this film, starring Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey, is that it is an endearing reminder that you cannot fool love. “It’s either there or it isn’t. Well, at least that’s what I believe.” The beauty of this film, she says, is how the two “wore themselves out with tricks and finally decided to just be. It was funny and dramatic. A good romcom with a nice dessert balances life out.”