Who are you and what do you do?

My name is Mpho Emmanuel Tau and I’m a filmmaker based in Bloemfontein, Free State.

What are you currently busy with?

I have just recently completed a programme in business training with BASA under their programme called Debut Programme. Mainly the training was about giving and teaching business lessons for start up businesses within the creative industry. I’m currently working on a developing a documentary film which attempts to answer the question, “what impact did the 16 June 1976 student protests in Soweto have on Bloemfontein schooling system”? . I want to know what happened in Bloemfontein as a result of these protests in Soweto.  I will be starting the research and development phase, supported by the National Film and Video Foundation. If any DFA members have access to archive footage or might be interested in assisting me with this film, I would be keen to get in contact with them via the DFA – news@docfilmsa.com. .

Best project to date?

The best project to date I have worked on as a producer/director is a short documentary film called Beautiful in my skin, which follows the life of a lady by the name Nobuntu Morake from Kagiso, Johannesburg, who has a skin condition called Vitiligo. This project is my best work to date, because through it, the film got two film festival selections i.e., RapidLion international film festival and South African Independent film festival in 2020. These selections emphasised and cemented that I’m in the right path in this storytelling thing.

Who or what inspires you?

Individuals within the film and television industry who inspire me are many but I will only mention a few, Vincent Moloi, Mandla Dube, Jahmil X.T Qubeka, Mmabatho Montsho and Tebogo Malope.

What do you do when not working?

Binge on series, go to the theatre and pick up a book.

Tips or advice to emerging or established documentary filmmakers?

An advice to emerging storytellers would be, tell stories that speak to your soul and trust their abilities to tell those stories however they see fit. And to established filmmakers, continue to tell stories that inspire and those that we can relate to both as emerging filmmakers and general public.