Latest news with #NationalFilmAndVideoFoundation
The Herald
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Herald
‘Doc in the Bay' empowering emerging filmmakers
A group of 15 aspiring filmmakers from the Eastern Cape are being given the opportunity to sharpen their skills and bring their stories to life, thanks to an intensive documentary training initiative under way in Gqeberha. Now in its second year, the Doc in the Bay programme is equipping participants with the tools and hands-on experience needed to produce short-form documentaries of broadcast quality. Running from late June until July 25, the programme blends theory with practical application — guiding emerging talent through every step of the filmmaking process, from concept development to post-production. Project manager Warda Mallick said the programme served a critical need within local communities by empowering storytellers to share authentic narratives rooted in the region's diverse cultural and social fabric. 'An initiative like this fills a vital gap in our communities, enabling local voices to create and share authentic content which showcases our unique stories and perspectives,' Mallick said. 'Participants will receive remuneration for their time and also gain the skills and knowledge needed to raise funds and monetise their work.' Training is delivered by a panel of respected industry professionals, including national and international producers. Online masterclasses cover key aspects of the craft, with participants also working towards an NQF Level 5 accredited qualification in producer unit standards. The programme forms part of the National Film and Video Foundation's Presidential Employment Stimulus Programme and has already made an economic impact by creating work opportunities for about 50 individuals and businesses in the film sector. Clayton Thom of Shoot97 Productions, one of the partners involved, emphasised the long-term value of the programme. 'By developing producers and crew to broadcast standards, the programme addresses a crucial gap in the local film industry,' he said. 'It empowers filmmakers to secure funding, produce high-quality content and monetise their work — ultimately driving industry growth and job creation.' The programme will culminate in a celebratory screening and awards event, where the finished films will be showcased — marking not only the end of training, but the beginning of a new chapter for Gqeberha's emerging film voices. The Herald
Mail & Guardian
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Mail & Guardian
SIHLE HLOPHE: Challenging stereotypes about working mothers
'Children are a contribution, not a disruption': Sihle Hlophe. In an economy driven by deadlines and bottom lines, it's easy to overlook the invisible labour of motherhood. Yet for women like Sihle Hlophe, a filmmaker, mother, and storyteller, the definitions of value and productivity are being rewritten. Sihle is shaping the cultural landscape with her art and reframing traditional economic narratives that have undervalued the contributions of mothers. 'We've been told that doing what is natural to me as a woman, will affect my bank account. It's almost framed in a negative way in a capitalistic society — something that will be an inconvenience and affect productivity.' For her, identity is layered, and motherhood doesn't need to impede career ambition. 'Having a child is not a disruption,' Sihle adds. 'It's a contribution.' 'My mom was a teacher. She taught me how to read from a young age before I went to school, and also, she really nurtured my imagination,' she recalls. 'She encouraged me to see the magic in small things. She'd say, 'Look at these Rice Krispies: snap, crackle and pop. They're going to pop out of here!'' That influence now fuels a career spent exploring the human experience on screen. 'It's my inner child that comes out to play when I'm creating.' As an independent filmmaker, Sihle contributes to a creative industry that is both culturally vital and economically significant. According to the National Film and Video Foundation, South Africa's film industry is projected to generate R5.2 billion by 2025, and it supports thousands of jobs. But that economic contribution isn't limited to measurable outputs like box office numbers. It includes the less visible, unquantified emotional labour, caregiving, and community-building that mothers like Sihle navigate daily. 'When it comes to telling stories, obviously I am fascinated with the human condition and with what motivates us to do the things we do as human beings,' she says. Still, breaking through entrenched norms is no easy feat. 'Women are bombarded with all these negative messages that either we don't know how to create wealth … or that we won't be able to be mothers and be happy and be creative and productive and do all the things we want to do,' she reflects. That narrative serves an economic system that rarely accommodates, let alone celebrates, motherhood. But by living a different reality, Sihle offers a counter-narrative: that creativity, motherhood, and economic contribution can coexist — not in spite of each other, but because of each other. It's no coincidence that she agreed to this feature after seeing another woman directing while eight months pregnant. That image — a woman commanding a set while carrying life inside her — wasn't just symbolic. It was economic subversion. 'It speaks to the fact that giving birth doesn't have to affect my bank account,' Sihle says, 'That belief takes away from the beauty of the divine feminine and the magic of creating life.' In reclaiming that magic, Sihle and others like her are also reclaiming value: cultural, personal, and financial. So when she appears in front of the camera, often more comfortable behind it, it's not just for the shot. It's a statement. That she belongs. That mothers belong.
