Modiselle gets top US acting recognition
● Model with albinism receives international film festival honours
SA model and actress Refilwe Modiselle claimed the best actress award at the African Film Festival in Texas in the US for her role in the short film White Gold.
Refilwe, who plays the role of Mansa, an African woman living with albinism, struggled to fight back emotions as she described what the award meant to her.
She told TshisaLIVE it was more than just recognition of a “job well done” but it also pointed out the importance of the story told through White Gold.
“When they announced the win, I cried.
“I cried and I cried because I was so grateful to God for what he’s doing.
“For me, this is such a huge milestone.
“It’s not only my first international award as an actress, but it was also validation of the many years that I’ve done the work.
“This is a win for all people living with albinism and it is a win for me; to say you have set the trail for the path going forward,” she said.
Refilwe brought to life the painful story of Mansa, who through a tragic sequence of events, had her arm hacked off because of the misconceptions surrounding albinism.
She said the first person she reached out to after bagging the coveted award was UKbased filmmaker Luke Bradford, who directed the film.
Bradford had always told her that the story and her performance would get her global recognition.
The film had received four nominations at the prestigious festival.
Though she admitted she would have loved local recognition first, she said she was content in “God’s plan”.
“The world is waking up and actually realising that there’s an issue at hand and second, that the world needs to explore diversification, different narratives and representation of blackness as far as storytelling is concerned.
“I know that it’s not going to be easy, but this recognition says to the world that we are here.
“It says we [as people living with albinism] are people who are capable and talented,” she said.