Swimming from Soweto to stardom
Soweto-born actress, author and conservationist Zandile Ndhlovu is in New York for the media launch of her award-winning new children’s book, Zandi’s Song.
The book reflects her personal journey as a young girl to protect the oceans around her and was launched this week on Amazon, with global distribution rights in English.
Ndhlovu also stars in Shaped By Water ,a short film that had its world premiere last weekend at the 27th Sonoma International Film Festival in Sonoma, California.
The actress worked with director and South African filmmaker Dean Leslie, who specialises in leading small film crews in challenging environments for documentaries, and Corinna Halloran, who produced the film for 11th Hour Racing as a multi-part series presented in collaboration with environmental NGO Protect Our Winters.
Shaped By Water was inspired by Ndhlovu’s personal story of her journey to Bali in 2016 at the age of 28. She later became the first black female free-diving instructor from South Africa, and is the founder of the Black Mermaid Foundation, which aims to make the oceans more accessible to people of all backgrounds in South Africa.
Filming for long hours at sea was the most challenging part of making the documentary for the actress. “As you know, in Cape Town our waters can get really, really cold,” Ndhlovu told the Sunday Times. “Diving for about 10 hours a day in 9-13°C waters was the hardest thing. Getting into the water over and over again got so cold.
“But the team was supportive, and there was a plan. There was this hot-water bottle that would be flushed into my suit between dives so I’d be able to keep warm with hot tea and coffee. It was really a team effort to film the underwater scenes.”
As part of her press tour, Ndhlovu made an appearance on Monday on US television show CBS Mornings, where an elaborate set featuring her new book took up an entire section of the studio.
In her interview, the blue-haired beauty said: “I often say we need to expand our narrative. There’s a narrative that says black people can’t swim. But that is not necessarily true. The water belongs to everybody. And I think we have a journey in expanding our own dreams, expanding our own worlds. Representation is so beautiful as a journey into the ocean, because there’s a healing and a connectedness.”
Ndhlovu, who is on the BBC’s 100 Women 2023 list, said: “I think it’s been such an incredible opportunity to have the Black Mermaid Foundation make its way to the US, but [equally important is] also just the greater message of the importance of ocean conservation and ensuring that we equip the young ones to be strong in advocacy through education and through creating access to the ocean space. I’m incredibly proud of the work that we’ve been able to achieve.
“And, from me to my fellow South Africans, I think there’s something about just believing in your dream and [going] through with it.” Shaped By Water will premiere in South Africa on April 20 at the Cape Town Adventure Film Festival.