The Independent Mzansi Short Film Festival (IMSFF) which takes place from 25 to 29 June at the Maxi Cineplex in Hatfield, Pretoria, has announced the industry professionals which will be judging the short film entries.
Nthabeleng Phora
As a co-ordinator of skills training and audience development at the Gauteng Film Commission (GFC), Phora has played an important role in uplifting and involving women, children, youth and people with disabilities in the television and film industry. She has also assisted on a number of GFC broadcast and job creation initiatives.
Sechaba Morojele
Morojele, a South African actor, director, scriptwriter and producer, has over ten years’ experience in the industry and holds an a MFA in film directing from the American Film Institute, where he created a thesis film Ubuntu’s Wounds which won numerous awards.
Warren Holden
A lifelong film enthusiast and editor of Screen Africa magazine, Holden is an aficionado of film history, theory and criticism, and a passionate supporter of the local industry. After graduating from the South African School of Motion Picture Medium (AFDA) in Johannesburg, where he specialised in writing and directing, he worked on a number of short-form productions before moving into the fields of journalism and publishing.
Pieter Oosthuizen
As Chief Visionary Officer for MadRobot, a Pretoria based film product placement agency, Oosthuizen offers expertise on a number of film disciplines including the business of film. He completed his Red Seal and B-Tech degree in Film and Television Production at the Tshwane University of Technology film programme and won the award for best B-Tech scriptwriter.
Leon van Nierop
A writer, journalist, presenter, actor and film critic, Nierop created a number of radio and television series including: Ballade vir ‘n Enkeling, Stralejakkers and Ratels. He has also written two film analysis books, is part of the South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTA) jury and writes extensively on film for several publications.
C.A. van Aswegen
After graduating Cum Laude from AFDA in 2003, van Aswegen went on to edit various feature films, documentaries, commercials and music videos. He received a SAFTA nomination for Best Documentary Feature for his work on Betrayed and won a SAFTA for his documentary Jammer As Ek So Bitter Is…
Tom Marais
Indie filmmaker Marais has spent fourteen years in the industry and has a passion for visual story telling. He won a SAFTA award for Best Cinematographer for TV Drama and is part of the South African Society of Cinematographers. His feature film work includes Bakgat!, Bakgat! 2 and Hard To Get.
Bruce Retief
Composer and orchestrator Retief has composed music for documentaries which aired on the Discovery Channel and National Geographic. He is also responsible for the score in Adventures in Zambezia, a locally produced animated feature, which was recorded with the Hollywood Symphony Orchestra in Los Angeles.
Rehad Desai
After entering the television and film industry as a current affairs journalist, Desai went on to become a renowned historical and socio -political documentary filmmaker. He has produced and directed documentary films which have featured at numerous international film festivals where they were received with critical acclaim.
Anna-Marie Jansen van Vuuren
Broadcast journalist and the producer of Afrikaans current affairs shows at Radio Sonder Grense, Jansen van Vuuren has specialized in reporting on the South African film industry for the past five years. She has also written three South African children’s television series, two feature films as well as scripts for various factual inserts and documentaries.
Rolanda Marais
Currently working as a freelance actor in television, radio, film and theatre, Marais has a passion for acting and telling authentic South African stories. After graduating from the University of Cape Town with an Honours degree in Drama and Afrikaans and Dutch literature, she proceeded to work in many local theatre productions as well as various international TV and film projects.
Kelly Dillon
Dillon is a key member of Triggerfish Animation Studios and fulfills the role of production manager, head of digital and contributing story team member. She is also in charge of running the studio’s digital department and devising transmedia strategies, which disperse stories onto multiple digital platforms.
Ntshavheni Wa-Luruli
After completing a BA degree in Dramatic Arts at the University of the Witwatersrand and a MFA degree in Screenwriting and Directing at Columbia University, Wa-Luruli worked as an assistant director to US director Spike Lee on Malcolm X and Jungle Fever. He has since written scripts for a number of feature films and TV series and lectures at the Department of Journalism, Film and Television at the University of Johannesburg.
Liza Bernard
Bernard is a production designer, art director, props master, wardrobe mistress and set dresser. Her filmography includes work on a variety of TV series, music videos, game shows and adverts as well as feature films; Stilte, Roepman, Platteland and Darrell Roodt’s Little One, which was nominated to be South Africa’s entry at the Oscars.
Sphumelele Sibeko
Commissioning editor for the Mnet Mzansi channels, Sibeko is involved in content across reality, game shows, drama, sitcom and Lokshin Bioskop program genres. She previously worked as a creative producer for Penguin Films, where her focus was branded entertainment, content development and production.
Johan Prinsloo
Johan has shot a number of short films and music videos for bands and commercials and received the award for Best Cinematography at the 2011 AFDA Awards for Die Windpomp. In addition he has worked as a camera operator on television shows such as The Ultimate Braaimaster and Charly’s Cake Angels.
Visit the IMSFF website for more information.
