Latest news with #RoyalCapeYachtClub
News24
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News24
The skipper of her own story, how Azile found power and peace at sea
Screengrab The Academy tells the story of Azile, a young woman who overcomes personal and social obstacles through sailing. The film explores transformation within traditionally exclusive spaces like the Royal Cape Yacht Club, showcasing real, authentic change. Julia Jansch's partnership with Disney+ highlights the power of personal storytelling on global platforms and marks a big win for South African creatives. At the edge of the Royal Cape Yacht Club, tucked away in a modest shipping container, a quiet revolution is happening. It's not about winning races or chasing Olympic medals, it's about giving young South Africans the tools to build a better life, starting with learning to sail. In her latest documentary The Academy, South African filmmaker Julia Jansch tells the story of a sailing school that's doing more than teaching water skills. It's helping young people from underserved communities discover confidence, direction and a sense of purpose. The film focuses one young woman's experience as she joins the programme, works through her own personal trauma, and gradually finds her place both on the water and in life. 'I'm drawn to stories of people overcoming difficult situations,' says Jansch. When I heard about this young woman and the sailing school, it felt powerful, real, and worth telling. Julian Jansch Azile, the young woman at the heart of The Academy, didn't grow up anywhere near boats or yacht clubs. She came from tough circumstances, with limited opportunities. At first, she struggled with discipline, responsibility, and self-belief. But over time, she grew, not just as a sailor, but as a person. One of the most moving parts of the film is her relationship with her mother. It's honest and raw, showing how generational wounds take time to heal. But there's also growth. As she begins to believe in herself, that confidence spills over into other areas of her life. 'It wasn't just about learning to sail,' says Jansch. 'It was about emotional healing, learning to lead, and changing the way she saw herself.' The sailing school itself isn't a glossy, private operation. It runs out of a container, with secondhand gear and borrowed boats. But it's a space filled with care and intention. Young students are taught teamwork, leadership, and technical skills. They're trusted to take control of a boat and by extension, their lives. There's a sense of family there; it's tough love. It's structure. And it's the first time many of these young people are being told they're capable of something big. Julia Jansch The film also highlights the unlikely relationship between the academy and the Royal Cape Yacht Club, a space historically closed off to most South Africans. Jansch says she was struck by how genuine the efforts were to open doors and shift perceptions. 'This didn't feel performative,' she says. 'There's real effort being made to make sailing more inclusive, more diverse.' The Academy is Jansch's first original production under her own company, and it's already made an impact internationally. It was picked up by a major global streaming platform Disney+, and has received early praise for its sincerity and strong storytelling. Disney+ is one of the most respected and widely watched platforms, seeing our film there has been both humbling and affirming. Julia Jansch 'We didn't have a script or a plan,' she says. 'We just followed the truth of what was happening. That's what makes it special.' As for Azile, she's since completed her studies and continues to sail. Her story is one of strength, growth, and proof that given the right tools, anyone can change their path. Jansch hopes the film will encourage more support for programmes like this and more stories from underrepresented communities. 'She's not famous or flashy,' says Jansch. 'She's just someone who worked hard, stuck with it, and proved what's possible.' Next up, Jansch is working on a documentary about car spinning culture on the Cape Flats. Like The Academy, it focuses on youth, identity, and the power of passion. But for now, she's proud to share this story of quiet transformation and hopes it inspires more of the same.
IOL News
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Sailing towards change: Julia Jansch navigates Azile Arosi's inspiring journey in 'The Academy'
Azile Arosi's inspiring journey from Khayelitsha to the world of skipping is wonderfully captured in 'The Academy'. Image: Supplied While Mandela Month is a time for reflection, kindness and generosity, it is also a reminder to help combat poverty and inequality. And 'The Academy' on Disney+ reveals how some of the issues are being championed in pioneering ways. As part of the streaming platform's 'People & Places: Shorts' collection, it celebrates individuals who have made giant strides in their profession despite facing numerous socio-economic obstacles. Award-winning film-maker Julia Jansch. Image: Supplied Under the direction of award-winning film-maker Julia Jansch, the short feature spotlights Azile Arosi. This young woman from Khayelitsha discovers healing and purpose through sailing at The Academy, a transformative training program offered by the Royal Cape Yacht Club. In a recent chat with Jansch, she shed light on how the project came about. 'I made a movie called 'My Father the Mover', which won at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2020. And a guy called Mandilakhe Yengo was my producing partner on it. When it won at the festival, there was a big grab to acquire it. Disney was one of the companies. I spoke with Marjon Javadi, the head of documentary film and series, there. 'She said to me, 'Do you know other movers like, you know, the film was about a gqom dancer called Stoan Move Galela teaching kids how to kind of find their superpowers through gqom dance. 'Because'My Father the Mover' was very, I guess, up Disney's alley in terms of its feeling of hope and upliftment, especially during Covid, where nobody could move.' The request immediately sparked an idea Yengo had planted in her mind, mentioning his brother-in-law, Lindani Mchunu, who was at the helm of The Academy, which is a sailing institution established at the Royal Cape Yacht Club. A behind the scenes shot of the making of 'The Academy'. Image: Supplied Their specific mandate is to teach kids from previously disadvantaged backgrounds how to sail. She added: 'The Academy was a part of the Royal Cape Yacht Club's kind of larger systemic effort to transform from the inside out. 'And it's funny because when I met Lindani, he took me into the Commodore's office, and it's a great shot in the film where it's just all these old white men on the wall. And it said everything. Then he took me towards the back of the yacht club, where The Academy was. "And I went into the room and all these young sailors were playing with the rope and making knots, and they were female, they were black, and it was just a totally different face.' Arosi's story struck her as she searched for a protagonist. 'Most of the documentary work I do is social issue-related, and usually I'm looking for an individual story of transformation and transcendence, and what that comes to is figuring out the wound. 'Azile comes from a challenging socio-economic background. She's a female, which is not usual for a skipper. "But beyond all of that surface-level stuff, I was looking for something very, very deep, and having spoken to all the sailors, what I was particularly drawn to was how the sea, specifically in the ocean, had healed a very painful part of Azile and her past.' Jansch continued: 'She had a personal challenge in her early childhood development to deal with; her relationship with her mother was a painful point within her. In her coming to The Academy and learning to sail and being on a ship, she had found healing from this particular wound. "And she says this incredible line in the film, 'The sea will speak to you, but you have to understand what it says to you'.' One of the most challenging moments during the shoot was filming Azile skipping a boat around Robben Island for the first time in a race, during very gusty conditions. Overall, Jansch is proud of her undertaking with this project, and she's already busy with her next production. She shared: 'I love the glories of hope, and I love stories of faith. I love stories of people who have had to go through the fire and who come out the other end, stronger. I look for deeply psychological stories and exciting worlds. I love stories about unsung heroes and ordinary people who are doing extraordinary things. 'And stories that inspire, and I'm particularly charged by people who are seemingly unseen in our world. I would say that's my purpose and life's mission with creating a story. It's African stories for an international audience and sharing our beautiful lessons we've learned on a very kind of internal level, but also on a systemic level.' 'I've been working for the past year on a very interesting documentary, which is set in the world of car spinning. I don't want to give too much away, but it's it's got similar themes and it's a young woman's story as a world,' Jansch revealed. 'And in the same way that the sailing kind of saves Azile, spinning saves the girl. I'm very excited about it. We are in post-production in New York.'
News24
21-05-2025
- Business
- News24
Ramaphosa at White House; Budget 3.0: Today's top 7 stories in 7 minutes
Today's top 7 stories in 7 minutes. News24 brings you the top stories of the day, summarised into neat little packages. Read through quickly or listen to the articles via our customised text-to-speech feature. Baba Jiyane/GCIS White House showdown: Ramaphosa's 'inadvertent' training A South African delegation is in Washington, DC, to negotiate trade incentives with the US, aiming to avoid a return to high tariffs. South Africa will focus on correcting misinformation about the country and presenting a package of incentives, leveraging its mineral resources to attract US investment. Despite past tensions, South Africa hopes to establish a new mutually beneficial bilateral trade framework with the US, potentially replacing or modifying AGOA. Elon Musk's 'friend in South Africa' claims: Falsehoods, stereotypes, misinformation Elon Musk shared unsubstantiated claims about South Africa on X, including allegations of widespread corruption and societal collapse. The claims, presented as anecdotes from a "friend', include assertions about crime rates, traffic light functionality, economic disparities, and inflated hospital costs. These claims are largely false, exaggerated, or unverifiable, and contribute to a pattern of misleading and racially charged narratives. Bodies of Polish couple pulled from the water at the Royal Cape Yacht Club The bodies of an elderly Polish couple were found in the water at the Royal Cape Yacht Club in Cape Town. Police divers retrieved the bodies, and an inquest docket has been opened to investigate the circumstances. Foul play is not suspected at this stage, and a post-mortem will be conducted to confirm the cause of death. Jason Felix/News24 Budget 3.0 | All eyes on SARS as fuel levy rises, tax brackets unchanged, new zero-rated list withdrawn The government plans to raise R18 billion in additional revenue, offsetting the loss from not implementing VAT through measures like increasing the fuel levy and withdrawing zero-rated items. Additional revenue will be generated by not adjusting tax brackets for inflation, increasing excise duties, and potentially through SARS' enhanced debt collection efforts, aiming to recover R20 billion annually. SARS has been allocated an additional R4 billion to improve debt collection, with plans to hire more debt collectors and intensify efforts to recover a portion of the estimated R800 billion in under-collected taxes. READ MORE Big Easy and The Goose: From SA golfing icons to influential White House delegates Ernie Els and Retief Goosen will join President Cyril Ramaphosa's delegation to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House. The meeting will cover topics like BEE laws, discrimination allegations, trade deals, and policies concerning Afrikaner refugees. Johann Rupert and Elon Musk will also be present, with Musk representing Trump's team. Gordon Arons/Gallo Images Van der Linde exit feels a little like the Bulls throwing the baby out with (Bath) water Bernard van der Linde impressed in a recent game against the Dragons, showcasing his abilities after limited opportunities with the Bulls. Despite his performance, Van der Linde is moving to Bath next season due to the competition for the scrumhalf position at the Bulls. Van der Linde seeks more game time and happiness in his career, feeling he hasn't had enough chances to demonstrate his skills at the Bulls. The most diesel bakkie brand now has an EV double-cab Isuzu, known for its diesel engines and bakkies, is launching the D-Max Electric Vehicle in select global markets in early 2026. The D-Max EV features a 66.9kWh battery, dual electric motors producing 140kW/325Nm, and retains a good load capacity of 1 100kg and towing capacity of 3 500kg. While offering comparable power and improved off-road geometry, the D-Max EV has a real-world driving range of 360km, and there's no confirmation yet on South African availability or local production.
