Three separate stories create a gripping yet compassionate portrait of small-town characters immersed in the intimidating, alluring, and dangerous world of big-city Johannesburg and Soweto.

Mother-the-Law follows Jeminah, Palesa’s mother-in-law, as she bulldozes her way into her son, Lunga’s, 35th birthday party preparations. Lunga and Palesa are newlyweds, and they have to find a way to keep her at bay without offending her, culturally, as they forge a new life together. Jeminah, who is never impressed, especially by Palesa, plans and schemes to disrupt their original plans and have things done her way.