In line with the DFA Constitution you are reminded that the Annual General Meeting will take place on 4 August 2021 at 16:00 – 18:00 via Zoom. You will receive a link to join 24 hours before the meeting. If you cannot attend, you will still be able to vote online, but please also do appoint a proxy in order to establish a quorum at the meeting.
Voting for Election of the 2021/2022 DFA Board will remain open until 15h00 on Wednesday 4 August. NOMINATIONS FROM EXISTING BOARD MEMBERS
Desmond Naidoo is a documentary and TV producer committed to producing content that combines innovative ideas with imaginative storytelling, which offers unique perspectives on the issues that affect our lives. He is currently in pre-production on a feature length documentary on World War Two fighter pilot Adolph Malan. He has worked as an executive producer at Urban Brew’s Global Productions division, which focused on creating content for the international market. He joined Urban Brew in 2013, producing magazine and current affairs shows and directing and producing short form documentaries for the Pan African channel ED, which broadcasts on DSTV. He worked at the SABC for 11 years, 6 of those as a senior commissioning editor in the factual division. During his tenure at the SABC, Desmond has made transformation a key part of his agenda, affording young emerging filmmakers opportunities to make films. He is passionate about mentoring and never hesitates to share his expertise and experience with new talent. He enjoys traveling and keeps a keen eye on the latest trends in the world of film and television and loves exploring new frontiers in visual storytelling and technology. Desmond is currently a board member
He is the DFA representative at SASFED meetings, representing the DFA at NFVF meetings and involved with transformation in the DFA
Izette Mostert is an established documentary & television producer, director and editor. She successfully produced a self funded film, Saying Goodbye on Sean Davison’s Euthanasia court case in New Zealand. It premiered at Encounters Film festival and screened at various other festivals, like Luxor & institutes dealing with euthanasia & humanitarian issues. She was a director on I am Women, Leap of Faith series and edited for Mark Kaplan, Francois Verster, Herman Binge and worked on Karen Zoid’s talkshow Republiek van Zoid Afrika. She freelance lectures at various tertiary institutions, and runs the documentary short course at Stellenbosch University’s Journalism department.
She has served on the DFA board as treasurer for the past 8 years. “Being on the Board forced me to engage in matters that I normally would not have. I’ve gained so much knowledge about things like Intellectual property, markets, how an NPO is run and insight into many organisations like SASFED and the IPO, festivals and in being treasurer – finances. It also opened my eyes to how much is done behind the scenes. For 2020/21 we’ve had amazing board members – working hard for an industry struggling with the effects of Covid. I’ve learnt so much from my fellow board members and really believe that all the extra unpaid hours was worth it. Having been on the board for many years, I can see (and feel) the change that an engaged board can make”. Izette is currently DFA treasurer and board member
This year she organised and hosted the DFA docCHAT with Netflix and is spearheading the opportunity for members to submit their films to the streamer
Acted as liason with Wesgro
Involved in fundraising for the organisation
After 8 years as treasurer she is excited to pass the baton to someone new.
If she is on the board again, she would love to be involved in another round of pitches to Netflix and strengthen the DFA’s relationship with them.
She’s also enrolled in a one year diploma in Intellectual Property and hopes that this will come in handy in particular in the South African context.
Liani Maasdorp is a senior lecturer in the Centre for Film and Media Studies at the University of Cape Town and holds a doctoral degree in film studies. She convenes the Master of Documentary Arts degree programme, is the academic director of the Stepping Stone community engagement video training programme and the founder of the ScreenCubator talent developer. She is one of the producers of Strike a Rock, which opened Encounters in 2017. She’s passionate about impact producing and has hosted several panels, workshops and events on the topic at festivals and conferences, including Encounters (2018, 2019, 2020), DIFF (2020), and IDFA (2017, 2018).
Liani is currently a Board member
She would like to continue her involvement in tertiary Institutions & development, Workshops & Training, docLOVE cinema screenings and docSHARE zoom sessions
Miki Redelinghuys is an award winning documentary filmmaker who believes in the power of film for change. Her recent film, This Land, screened across South Africa as part of a series of dialogues on land rights and structural inequality. She is co-founder of Plexus Films and currently studying towards a Masters in Documentary Arts at UCT with Impact as a focus. She served on the DFA board from 2008-2010, during which time she helped draft the constitution and founded the docLOVE and My Town short film initiative. In 2018 she proposed a reboot of docLOVE which has been the focus of her DFA related work over the last few months. She’s passionate about the power of stories to engage audiences, ignite conversation and inspire action. Miki is currently a board member and the co-Chair of the DFA
She is spearheading docLove cinema, the Covid19 Grants and involved with transformation in the DFA. She is actively involved in fundraising for the organisation and attends SASFED meetings as the DFA representative.
Rehad Desai runs his own company Uhuru Productions out of Johannesburg. Following his return from political exile Rehad worked as a health and safety/media officer for a chemical workers union and the head of a HIV prevention unit. In 1997 he completed a Masters in Social History at the University of the Witwatersrand, he then entered the TV and film industry as a current affairs journalist, and soon after moved on to focus his energy on historical and socio -political documentary film. In 2002 he completed a post graduate diploma through EVEA, in 2009 in documentary through Eurodoc. He has produced over 20 documentaries, some directed by himself that have been broadcast internationally, accepted into numerous festivals and been received with critical acclaim. His film Miners Shot Down has won local and international critical acclaim garnering 28 prizes including the Taco Keiper award for investigative journalism and an International Emmy for best documentary. Rehad is currently a board member
He has been involved in discussion with the DTIC regarding the rebate
Simphiwe Ngcobo has over 28 years’ experience in training, technical design, commissioning, producing and management in the film & TV industry. Simphiwe graduated from the Durban University of Technology in Video Technology (TV Production) in 1993. He later studied Education, Communications and English for a B.A. degree at the University of South Africa in 2000. He has produced and commissioned several productions for broadcast and non-broadcast purposes in radio, animation, cinema and television. These include amongst others: Yizo Yizo 3 (2003), Gaz’lam (2004), Tsha Tsha (2004), Get Real (2003), Take 5 (2003), and Siyayinqoba –Beat It! for SABC. In 2006 he produced Bantfu Embili 26-part series and Kgotla 13-part series for SABC2 under his production company. He has also produced and directed documentaries for etv on heritage and has guided more than 140 projects that were destined for cinema and television through development and production processes. Simphiwe is currently a Board member
He is interested in taking the Treasurer role
Sivuyisiwe Giba is the co-founder and director of SivuBuhle Media, a documentary and multimedia production company based in the Eastern Cape. Sivu comes with a variety of film experiences from feature film to documentary and her passion is mostly documentary filmmaking, where she had her formal film training from Big Fish School of Digital Filmmaking specialising in producing and directing. She won Best Documentary Class of 2013 at the Cape Winelands International Film Festival. She is a Film business developer who is passionate about provincial film development and with her Degree of Entrepreneurship and New Venture creation from WITS Business School, she is able to see business opportunities through film tourism, co-productions and development. Sivu is currently a Board member.
I am mainly involved in these portfolios: festivals, docSHARE skills and knowledge share and transformation
Xoliswa Sithole is a two time BAFTA and Peabody winner and a producer/director making films focusing on human rights. She started as an actress in films like Cry Freedom, then production in Feature Films. She was Producer on Orphans of Inkandla for whic she won a BAFTA. She was S.A producer on the ‘Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy’. Producer ‘South Africa’s Lost Girls’ with True Vision, and for BBC Zimbabwe’s Forgotten Children’ shotentirely undercover –Peabody and BAFTA winner. Xoliswa made ‘Child of the Revolution’ exploring what happened to the revolution in Zimbabwe.Some of these documentaries have become impact films. Zimbabwe’s Forgotten Children raised money for the children in the film to go to school and to build a school. Orphans of Inkandla was used to raise money for make poverty history started by Richard Curtis. Elton John used a clip of the film to raise money for his foundation 2 years in a row about 7million pounds used for ARV research in Kenya. Both documentaries were used to raise money on Red NoseWeekprogram on the BBC to raise money for global charitiesXoliswa is a member of BAFTA and has been a juror three times. She is a founding member of filmmakers against racism and the Independent Black Filmmakers Collective. Xoliswa is currently a board member
She is the DFA representative at SASFED meetings·representing the DFA at NFVF meetings and involved in training & workshops
NOMINATIONS FROM NEW BOARD MEMBERS
Bérénice Hahn works in Cape Town at STEPS, a non-profit media company producing documentaries giving marginalised and disadvantaged communities a voice to inspire social changes, Berry is looking to support African storytelling from African people. She is involved as an Assistant Producer on the Generation Africaproject, a curated anthology of 25 feature, medium and short films sharing the lived realities of African youth through the lens of migration across 16 Anglophone and Francophone countries of Africa. As some of the films reach completion, she has been handling international sales and film festivals, such as The Last Shelter (dir. Ousmane Samassékou) which is currently on the international festival circuit following its world premiere at CPH:DOX where it was awarded the grand prize. As a Producer, Berry has worked on Mzansi in the time of Covid-19, a STEPS project engaging diverse audiences in open discussions about the impacts of Covid-19 on South African communities, of whichLindela Under Lockdown(dir. Sihle Hlophe) won the Best Documentary Short award at the 15th edition of the South African Film & Television Awards. Recently, she has worked as a film reviewer for the documentary program at the 42nd edition of the Durban International Film Festival.
Becoming a board member would allow me to participate in important discussions affecting the Documentary Filmmakers’ Association and its members. This invaluable opportunity would allow me to optimise strategic orientation, partake in wider creative endeavours, and develop the scope of South African documentary filmmakers. Film is a tool through which light can be shed on the shadows of society. Together, filmmakers and audience can brighten society’s shadows.
Working at STEPS has granted me the opportunity to further my career as a young, hard-working and invested professional in this industry. Regarding intellectual property, networking with local and international organisations of shared interest, enhancing the profile of the film industry and liaising with broadcasters and founders, STEPS has given me the experience to meet these integral DFA objectives. I am looking to support a positive change in our industry through giving a voice to those silenced and marginalised within our continent. Inviting a plurality of voices to share their stories, both in front of and behind the camera, engenders the appropriate spread of identities within the film industry.
Bonné de Bod is a South African television presenter and documentary film producer. She is best known for her work on ‘STROOP – journey into the rhino horn war`’. The film has garnered global attention with its selection for over 40 film festivals, winning 30 awards. ‘STROOP’ has been made available on major digital platforms and has been broadcast in 8 languages and over 80 countries. “Bold and fearless” is how Bonné’s work on ‘STROOP’ has been called by South Africa’s media. She is also noted for her field reporting work on the long-running nature television series 50/50 for seven seasons on the national broadcaster. Recognition for her television presenting include a Jackson Wild Media Award nomination for Best Host/Presenter in 2019, a SANParks Kudu Award for Best Journalist in the years 2015, 2019 and two Impact DOCS for Best On-Camera Talent and Best Narration/Voice-Over Talent in 2021. Her latest documentary film ‘Kingdoms of Fire, Ice & Fairy Tales’ is having a successful run on the festival circuit at the moment and was nominated at this years SAFTAS.
Of course if am chosen to be on the board, I would like to focus on the film festival route for documentary filmmakers. I found as a first-time filmmaker when I was making ‘STROOP – journey into the rhino horn war’ (with DFA member, director Susan Scott) that it really was challenging accessing the correct information for your type of genre of documentary to get your film seen at festival and ultimately bought or signed for distribution. This huge effort at first seemed a real chore but as time went on and we took the film on to festival runs in the US and Europe, as well as here at home, I learned an incredible amount and was always very mindful that I didn’t want this information to exist in a vacuum but to share it. One always wishes your film can make the A-list festival run but I learned that there is a wonderful way to have your film journey in the B and C-tier festivals and still be able to get to market and ultimately sold. So having been through this and seeing how powerful it is for independent filmmakers to be in charge of their own festival run, this is something I would love to learn more on, share what I have learned and help other DFA filmmakers in a similar situation to myself. In addition, having made great connections with festival directors, I would love to find ways to get more collaboration between the DFA and festival directors around the globe.
Cheryl Uys-Allie started her documentary film career in news as a field producer across Africa and the Middle East for Sky News, ABC, Reuters, TV Record (Brazil) and Aljazeera. Over the past 20 years she has produced and / or directed news stories and documentaries covering civil wars in Angola, Mozambique, the genocide in Rwanda, Tsunami in Sri Lanka, to 9/11 response in the ME & Afghanistan. She has since launched TV channels for DStv in Angola and Zambia and is currently the Africa Director for the MultiChoice Talent Factory training passionate young filmmakers across the continent, launching 3 film academies in Nigeria, Kenya and Zambia in 2018. She is committed to building partnerships focused on developing the film industry across Africa. Cheryl would like to get involved in international strategic relations, professional development or festivals.
Gabriella Blumberg completed her BA in Film and Television at the University of Witwatersrand cum laude in Johannesburg whilst concurrently attaining two diplomas with distinction in Speech and Drama Teaching through the Trinity College London. During her MA in Directing at the MET Film School London (2018) she directed creative content and award winning short films.”I Am Here” (2021) is Gabriella’s debut as a feature film Producer. This remarkable story has won the Audience Award for Best Documentary at the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival and continues to be a festival favourite. “I Am Here” has attracted large audiences at both Encounters and DIFF.Gabriella has 5 years experience in the film industry. She is passionate about filmmaking and storytelling that has impact and cause which is why she is often involved in video productions for the breast health sector and other non profit organisations.
As a board member I will focus my energy on sharing resources with upcoming filmmakers. When I started producing my first feature documentary, the industry and the path to making a successful film seemed elusive and confusing. I hope to create spaces where knowledge can be easily accessible and shared. Gabriella is interested in
Festivals
DocLove film screenings
DocShare knowledge share webinars
In 2020, Karin Slater was invited and honoured as a lifetime member of The Academy and acts as a judge of the Oscars Documentary Branch. Her deep interest in nature has led her to documenting the lives of interesting people and wilderness areas across the globe over the last 30 years of working as a documentary filmmaker and cinematographer. She’s raised two leopards and lived with a lioness, cheetahs and tigers while making wildlife documentaries. Her films have screened at Sundance, Berlinale, Hot Docs, Wildscreen, Museum of Modern Art in New York and she has won numerous awards including the Trailblazer Award for innovative and creative work in the field of documentaries at Mipdoc, Cannes 2008 and at the New York Film and Television Awards in 2016, Best Feature Length Documentary at the Innovative Film festival in Switzerland in 2019. She has been commissioned by National Geographic, Animal Planet, BBC, Disney, Discovery and Al Jazeera. She’s also a published photographer and teaches the art of documentary filmmaking. What I’d like to do at DFA: I’d like to bring in past students from the 7 years I worked as Head mentor at Big Fish, into the DFA and create opportunities. I’d like to create mentorship/supportive opportunities for experienced and emerging filmmakers. I’d also like to open the DFA to the Wildlife documentary world.
Khanyi Magubane is a seasoned Radio Broadaster, TV and Film Producer, Entrepreneur and Speaker/MC with 20 years media experience. As a journalist, she begun her career at Talk Radio 702 in 2000 and has wokred with YFM, SAfm left the SABC in March 2019. Magubane is running a media and communications agency, Zinokwanda Media and Communications. Khanyi has produced extensively for television across formats from socio-political documentaries, Talk Shows and made-for-tv films. In 2019, Magubane was the Executive Producer of a Mzansi Magic original movie Thembeka Wami following the 2016 features for Mzansi Amukelani and Kwanele. She has produced TV content extensively for the SABC. A trained public speaker, Magubane is also an experienced Programme Director and panel facilitator for conferences and special events. She has experience with both corporate and entertainment events.
Should I get nominated on the DFA board my vision is to advocate and fight for greater inclusion of the documentary genre in spaces like Mzansi Magic /Mzansi wethu/ 1Magic and other channels that reach a greater audience who do not currently commission documentaries at the moment.
I believe as a documentary filmmaker I can influence greater inclusion of the genre by having the powerful support of the DFA. Channels like SABC 1 and 2 have long had a documentary slot and I think this should be extended even in spaces where we as documentary film makers don’t have a presence. I am without a doubt sure that documentaries are what we need, side by side with fiction, to tell our stories in a real, undiluted manner. Whether you are talking about socio political, socio economic or entertainment/contemporary stories, we need to fight for greater inclusion of the documentary genre.
Lauren Clifford-Holmes is a multi-skilled filmmaker and photographer, who has shot and edited video and ran multimedia teams for top investigative news organisations and NGOs in South Africa, before moving into the documentary film world. She is currently sole director of LCH MEDIA (PTY) LTD working with local and international production houses in different production management, line producing and producing roles. She is experienced in multiple aspects of the film production process, from creative conceptualisation to project delivery and has worked on feature length documentaries and documentary series for broadcast around Africa and the globe.
Lauren worked on the globally-recognised feature documentary, WHISPERING TRUTH TO POWER, as production manager with Fireworx Media. In 2018 she co-founded StoryScope with three partners, taking on the role of Head of Production of documentary and advocacy projects. She produced a 15-episode contract for CGTN’s FACES OF AFRICA documentary series and worked as Line Producer on the award-winning investigative documentary INFLUENCE. She is currently the Series Producer at Ten10 Films on a true-crime doc series for SVOD, releasing in 2022 and project coordinator and Key Expert on a contract for South Africa’s National Treasury and the European Union Delegation to South Africa.
I am a storyteller at heart and am driven to make films and take photographs that inspire, that make a difference, create debate and challenge the status quo. Lauren is interested in:
Advocacy, Capacity Building and Fundraising, Website, Festivals and docLOVE film screenings
Morgan Morris has worked on the back of recycling trucks, in the deep caverns of fishing trawlers, and in bunkers of places he’d rather forget. Over the past 25-plus years he has scrounged a living as an employed and freelance writer, covering primarily science, business and public health topics. But filmmaking has always been his first love, so in 2018 he returned to his UCT to start his master’s in documentary arts. Morgan is currently at work on his debut film project, ‘The Girl Who Went to Norway and Came Back’, a short doccie about a community activist in his hometown, Bonteheuwel. Over the 2020 lockdown, he also started writing the screenplay for a zombie series he’s been sitting on for three years.
I am a 55-year-old novice to the film industry. Luckily, if embarrassingly, I am still child-like in my wonder, and thrilled by the novelty of it all. What’s more, the things I have learnt over the past few years about the industry has simply vitalised that enthusiasm: the untold number of especially young South African filmmakers out there, chomping at the bit to make films; and the seemingly boundless capacity of the industry as job-creator and economic powerhouse. I have also been fascinated and depressed by the bureaucracy that goes with the business of filmmaking: applying for funding has been an eye-opening process, and I can understand why many young filmmakers would balk and stumble at this hurdle. I love films, and am increasingly smitten by the potential of documentary films, and would find nothing more satisfying than to encourage other newbie filmmakers in the country, and help them get a toehold in an industry that, to this novice, still seems very exclusivist and impenetrable. Morgan is interested in local strategic relations and advocacy
Shameela Seedat is a former Fulbright scholar who worked in law for over 10 years before turning to filmmaking.Her first feature-length documentary WHISPERING TRUTH TO POWER won multiple awards, including from Hot Docs FF, FESPACO , the Luxor Afrcan Film Festival and from the African Studies Association. Her second feature length documentary AFRICAN MOOT is currently in post-production. Shameela has also directed several programs for local and international television stations, as well as a series of ten short films on social justice activists in South Africa . She was the 2019 Film Resident Activist at the Tshisimani Centre for Activist Education, and served on the documentary film jury at the Sydney Film Festival in 2018 and on the Documentary Film Association (DFA) Citizen Journalists Jury in 2020. Shameela has published widely on law and social justice in various journals, newspapers and book chapters. Shameela is interested in:
Festivals
International strategic relations and advocacy.
Tshililo waha Muzila has worked on internationally acclaimed Productions both as D.O.P, Director, Editor, Post Production Supervisor and now currently producing feature-length Documentaries such as Heart-line (Ghana), Homesick (Hong Kong & SA), Tropika Island of Treasure (Thailand & Mexico), Clash of the Choirs, My World, Our Moments, Sheroes, The Perfect Sishebo Show, The Kids are Alright and The Longest Date as DOP. His professional Directing career started in 2008 with an SABC 2 Human Interest Factual series ‘Heartcore’. This led to a first Tshivenda Reality Pilot project called Vhusiku Hothe Comedy Show, a self-funded project which he co-produced and directed. Tshililo has also directed doccie series for both SABC & eTV including Freedom is not Free and Forging Ahead, a 3 times SAFTAs nominated doccie-series, 100% Youth and recently formatted and directed a SAFTA 2021 Best Travel Magazine Series, Come Again Season 4. I am also producing 2 documentary series for SABC 2 – My Father My Hero Season 2 and Kha ri Tshine-Ma Africa Dance Season 1.
My hope is to advocate for post production mentorship programmes aimed at empowering and encouraging young Black Editors to penetrate the discipline within the factual space, especially long format documentary projects.
Khanyi Magubane is a seasoned Radio Broadaster, TV and Film Producer, Entrepreneur and Speaker/MC with 20 years media experience. As a journalist, she begun her career at Talk Radio 702 in 2000 and has wokred with YFM, SAfm left the SABC in March 2019. Magubane is running a media and communications agency, Zinokwanda Media and Communications. Khanyi has produced extensively for television across formats from socio-political documentaries, Talk Shows and made-for-tv films. In 2019, Magubane was the Executive Producer of a Mzansi Magic original movie Thembeka Wami following the 2016 features for Mzansi Amukelani and Kwanele. She has produced TV content extensively for the SABC. A trained public speaker, Magubane is also an experienced Programme Director and panel facilitator for conferences and special events. She has experience with both corporate and entertainment events.
Shameela Seedat is a former Fulbright scholar who worked in law for over 10 years before turning to filmmaking.Her first feature-length documentary WHISPERING TRUTH TO POWER won multiple awards, including from Hot Docs FF, FESPACO , the Luxor Afrcan Film Festival and from the African Studies Association. Her second feature length documentary AFRICAN MOOT is currently in post-production. Shameela has also directed several programs for local and international television stations, as well as a series of ten short films on social justice activists in South Africa . She was the 2019 Film Resident Activist at the Tshisimani Centre for Activist Education, and served on the documentary film jury at the Sydney Film Festival in 2018 and on the Documentary Film Association (DFA) Citizen Journalists Jury in 2020. Shameela has published widely on law and social justice in various journals, newspapers and book chapters.
Tshililo waha Muzila has worked on internationally acclaimed Productions both as D.O.P, Director, Editor, Post Production Supervisor and now currently producing feature-length Documentaries such as Heart-line (Ghana), Homesick (Hong Kong & SA), Tropika Island of Treasure (Thailand & Mexico), Clash of the Choirs, My World, Our Moments, Sheroes, The Perfect Sishebo Show, The Kids are Alright and The Longest Date as DOP. His professional Directing career started in 2008 with an SABC 2 Human Interest Factual series ‘Heartcore’. This led to a first Tshivenda Reality Pilot project called Vhusiku Hothe Comedy Show, a self-funded project which he co-produced and directed. Tshililo has also directed doccie series for both SABC & eTV including Freedom is not Free and Forging Ahead, a 3 times SAFTAs nominated doccie-series, 100% Youth and recently formatted and directed a SAFTA 2021 Best Travel Magazine Series, Come Again Season 4. I am also producing 2 documentary series for SABC 2 – My Father My Hero Season 2 and Kha ri Tshine-Ma Africa Dance Season 1.