On mixing creative forms and finding my palette
I am interested in pushing non-linear, narrative storytelling, and understanding its role in society today
This started as my MA research project and when lockdown was announced in 2020, I didn’t think it would be filmed, but then it was selected to be part of the National Arts Festival (NAF) curated programme and it was filmed. For the longest time I have beem collaborating with filmmakers and in doing that, I ended up learning the cinematic language. Igama?, for example, had five cameras tracking the characters’ nuances, and giving voice to non-linearity. That process for me was incredibly intense, with regards to playing in that format and us having to grapple with the idea we were trying to express. I worked with great cinematographers who were able to understand my form of writing and directing.
Gabi Motuba, Tefiti – Goddess of Creation
Gabi’s music has been crucial to my process. It’s taken a huge learning curve to be able to intepret it visually in the way that we have — and we still want to go in developing it. Musicians who are experimenting on that scale deserve to be seen. Gabi is on an important path in terms of the communal themes she is exploring. Finding self is a strong thread in her work, as it was in Igama? There is a synergy with where I am as a creator. I’m not sure what my palette is at the moment as a filmmaker, but I am hoping we collaborate more. I know I am interested in pushing non-linear, narrative storytelling further and understanding its role in postcolonial society today. I’m grateful to Thina Zibi and Gabi Motuba for trusting in my pen.
Lesedi: The Rise of Lulu Mlangeni
I was approached by the NAF to film Lesedi: The Rise of Lulu Mlangeni. Lulu had wanted to make a documentary, but the NAF wanted to pair her with filmmakers who were able to adapt it into a film format. She wanted to create a new body of work called Kganya, but she wasn’t able to get there. The artistic director, Rucera Seethal, had seen a documentary that we had made — a musical documentary called Living Your Dream. With Lulu, we ended up doing a documentary of about 30 minutes. It was during that period that I moved to the floor, as a collaborative director and co-writer. Being able to translate the language of dance into film was something that seemed to come naturally. I understood exactly what needed to be done for Lulu. We broke it down into five chapters that were metaphors for the technique of dance. That process, for me, was very well thought through. We did everything we could with the tight budget. It was a great hybrid format. Thina Zibi inspires me as a filmmaker — I love her palette.