GAVIN HOOD - TSOTSI FILM-MAKERS GET HERO'S WELCOME

The makers of Academy Award-winning gangster movie TSOTSI were greeted by hundreds of cheering fans as they brought their trophy back to the South African township which inspired the film. Director GAVIN HOOD, star PRESLEY CHWENEYAGAE and a host of other cast and crew members drove through the township of Alexandra, outside Johannesburg, in an open-top bus yesterday (12MAR06), while locals lined the streets applauding and shouting. The film, which charts the story of a young thief who finds a baby in the back seat of his dead victim's car, picked up a Best Foreign Language Film Oscar earlier this month (05MAR06). Hood, overwhelmed by his reception, said, "Thank you so much for the massive support." He added, "The world is very excited by South Africa, and by Tsotsi."