Sibusiso Khuzwayo

Sibusiso Khuzwayo is a KwaZulu-Natal-born writer and director. Beginning his career as an editor, Khuzwayo worked on multiple series including REAL GOBOZA, ONE DAY LEADER, and LIVE AMP. Transitioning into directing, Khuzwayo helmed shows such as BIG BROTHER, 100% YOUTH, and FUTURE LEADERS.

In 2018, he wrote and directed his first short film, THE LETTER READER, which won Best Short Film awards at the SAFTAs, Rapid Lion International Film Festival, and Africa Movie Academy Awards. Khuzwayo is a sought-after writer for television and has worked on THOLA (SABC 2), KINGS OF JOBURG (Netflix), and BARE (Netflix) where he also directed. He has developed three feature films with funding from the NFVF and KZN Film Commission. Recently, Sibusiso’s original drama series CODE 13 was commissioned by Multichoice for Mzansi Magic’s prime Sunday 8pm slot. Khuzwayo co-produced the series of thirteen episodes with Seriti films.

Sibusiso Khuzwayo has many original projects in development and is a writer and director for hire. Sibusiso is represented by Aoife Lennon-Ritchie

 

 

Eric Larson

A graduate of NYU, Eric Larson is an Emmy Nominated animator (Principles of Pleasure – Netflix), director, designer, and writer who has worked on projects for companies including AppleTV, Adult Swim and Facebook.

Most recently, Eric worked on the animated documentary short I HAD NOTHING (dir. Elyse Kelly, Neon Zoo) which is an official selection of this year’s Annecy International Animation Film Festival. The film follows the story of V, a queer Congolese woman, and the struggles she faces seeking asylum in the U.S.

A creator of original projects in adult and kids live action and animation, Eric is also a writer and director for hire.

Represented by Aoife Lennon-Ritchie

Gabe Gabriel

Gabe Gabriel is a queer South African writer and director based in Cape Town. His directorial debut, NO HIDING HERE, a gay romcom which he also wrote, was for Showmax and dropped on the streamer in 2021. Gabe followed this with his semi-autobiographical film, RUNS IN THE FAMILY (Best SA Film, DIFF 2023) which he wrote and starred in and which was directed by Gabe’s father Ian Gabriel. The film bowed on Netflix in 2023 and went on to be nominated for Outstanding Film (tv or streaming) at the 35th GLAAD Awards in the same category as such heavyweights as NYAD and RUSTIN. Gabe is currently writing his next feature GRANNY LEE for Fae Pictures (US) and KAE (SA). The film was one of six selected projects for Film Independent’s Fast Track. In TV Gabe was one of six African creators selected to develop an original TV show concept for the Netflix / Realness Institute’s Episodic Lab where he developed CRUST. He wroteTHE MANDALA MURDERS for Yash Raj Films and Netflix (in post) and he created and is writing series SABELA GOLD for Giant Films and Nagvlug Films. Gabe is the 2024 director recipient of the BFI’s More Films For Freedom fund through which he is directing a short to be screened at 2025’s BFI Flare Festival. He continues to develop projects for both film and TV, on spec and with producers, both on home turf and in the US.

 

Represented by David Kayser

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Fabien Martorell

Fabien Martorell is an acclaimed international director with 18 awards and 25 nominations across the United States, United Kingdom, and France. Martorell splits his time between Los Angeles and Johannesburg, and has roots in suburban Lyon, France. Specialising in thriller, crime, and action films and series, he is renowned for his meticulous and detail-oriented approach to directing. His sophisticated eye and distinctive aesthetic and composition style set him apart.

Martorell co-wrote and directed COLLISION (Netflix, 2022) which debuted at no.3 worldwide on the platform, no.1 in South Africa, no.4 in the US and France, and was in top 10 in nearly 70 countries. His second action feature CITY OF GOLD (Netflix, 2024) is forthcoming.

Also a director of documentary features, Martorell’s first documentary feature TROMATIZED: MEET LLOYD KAUFMAN, about legendary and eccentric Lloyd Kaufman, president of Troma Ent. and creator of the Toxic Avenger was awarded the Best Biographical Documentary award at the 2009 New York International Independent Film Festival. The film featured Stan Lee, Roger Corman, John Badham, Eli Roth, Trey Parker, Mark Damon, Steven Paul, James Gunn and Tiffany Shepis. Martorell is in post-production of his second feature documentary, THE GUNS STORY, with legendary guitarist Tracii Guns (L.A. Guns, Guns N’ Roses), Iggy Pop, Lemmy Kilmister.

Represented by Aoife Lennon-Ritchie

Keitumetse “Kit” Qhali

Keitumetse Qhali (Director Kit) is an award-winning South-African director, writer and producer. In 2019 she was named one of the 200 Young South Africans by the Mail & Guardian followed by the Forbes 39 under 30 Professionals of 2020. During that year, she was also featured in Facebook Africa’s 13 Most Influential Women in Africa. Keitumetse recently directed two episodes (including the opener) of BLOOD AND WATER S4 for Gambit Films and Netflix. Her short film THE INITIATE was acquired by Showmax in 2018 and went to open at the Cascade Film Festival in Portland, Oregon. In documentaries KICK IT received a SAFTA in 2019, and TIES THAT BIND US was nominated for a SAFTA in 2020. Doc SOWETO SPINNER was selected as part of the limited Hot Docs Alumni Funding and Workshop Programme, 2020. In shortform Keitumetse is known for music video RANDS AND NAIRAS for Nigerian rapper Emmy Gee. Nominated for Channel O Most Gifted Music Video of the year, the work went on to receive Most Gifted Video at the Nigerian Entertainment Awards in 2014. In 2019 she was nominated for a Loerie Award for the Edgars winter campaign WINTER BLUES and later won a CICLOPE award for her Barloworld commercial FIERCE GIRL. Following this, she directed the pioneering MADE FOR AFRICA BY AFRICA campaign for Netflix Africa and went on to direct the global trailers for two more Netflix shows BLOOD AND WATER and JIVA followed by a documentary on the Jiva Netflix Production.

 

Represented by David Kayser

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Sihle Hlophe

Sihle Hlophe is a multi award-winning director recognised with a number of accolades including the SAFTA for Best Achievement in Directing in 2023 for her feature doc (which she also produced) LOBOLA, A BRIDE’S TRUE PRICE, two African Movie Academy Award nominations and over 60 global film festival selections. Sihle is currently directing three feature-length documentaries, CELEBRATING WINNIE THROUGH SONG (SA, Nigeria), MY FATHER, CHRIS HANI and ROAD TO JERUSALEMA (SA, Israel, Palestine). Previous docs include LINDELA UNDER LOCKDOWN (2020), winner of the Best Documentary at the Cameroon International Film Festival and Best Documentary Short Award at the SAFTAs and SAFTA nominated short CELEBRATING HERSTORY THROUGH SONG (on which Sihle also produced). In scripted Sihle has directed two made-for-TV films PEARLS OF WISDOM (2021) and EXPIRY DATE (2022) for Showmax and the SAFTA-winning 13-part mockumentary AFRICAN DREAMS for SABC1 (2021). Sihle has worked as a scriptwriter and storyliner on award winning TV shows such as LOCKDOWN, SCANDAL, MUTUAL FRIENDS and BROKEN VOWS and co-produced short SADLA which premiered at Sundance 2020. Sihle is an alumni of the IDFAcademy (the Netherlands), the North-South-South Student Exchange Program (Finland), the Hot Docs Blue Ice Group Story Lab (Canada) and the Torino Story Lab (Italy).

 

Represented by David Kayser

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Marvin-Lee Beukes

Marvin began his career in front of the camera starring in series such as LEAGUE OF GLORY (Daryl Roodt, Reghard vd Bergh), WATERFRONT (Jaco Bouwer), DIE BYL (Reghard vd Bergh) and DAM (Alex Yazbek), WONDERLUS (Johan Cronje), UITVLUGHT (Reghard vd Bergh) and GRIEKWASTAD (Jozua Malherbe). His first project behind the camera was short film SOOS GISTER, which he wrote and directed and premiered at Silwerskermfees 2017. After three years writing for BINNELANDERS and 200 episodes later Marvin pivoted to premium scripted fare starting in the writer’s rooms for SKEMERDANS (d. Amy Jephta), and QUEEN OF HEARTS: THE STORY OF MADEEGHA ANDERS AND DIE VERDRINKING VAN NINA VERSTER (d. Amy Jephta, Johan Cronje), as well as co-writing the TV film ONE NIGHT KWA MXOLISI with Johan Cronje (d. Sisanda Henna) all for Nagvlug Films and M-Net and Showmax. Marvin’s first long-form directing was on EVE’S CHRISTMAS, (co-directed with Ephraim Gordon), followed by TICKETS (on which he wrote and directed solo) for Red Pepper Productions and Prime Studios. FRANKIE AND FELIPE followed (p.Film factory and Sturvy Pictures) which premiered at Silwerskermfees in 2023 and had a theatrical run in 2024 Q1. Marvin is currently directing long-running drama for eTV, writing a series for Pretty Neat TV for kykNET and writing a second season (of which he directed on the first) for Wolf Light and Gambit Films and a streamer and on which he’ll be directing. His episodes of BLOOD LEGACY recently bowed on Netflix. He has a handful of spec screenplays he is developing and which will soon be seeking producing partners.

Represented by David Kayser

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Arnold Mwanjila

Arnold Mwanjila is an award-winning writer and director based in Nairobi, Kenya. An alumnus of Mira Nair’s Maisha Screenwriting Lab in Kenya and of Talents Durban / Berlinale Talents, he graduated from Columbia University with a degree in Film Studies and Economics.

Arnold has written and directed for various home-grown award-winning TV shows, including NJORO WA UBA and VARSHITA! on Showmax / Maisha Magic East, and is the creator, head writer and director of the sitcom WALIOBAKI.

He is the Writer & Director of three Showmax / Maisha Magic East films, AISHA, SIRI and NAKUCHEKI. AISHA was nominated in seven categories at the 2017 Kalasha Awards, winning two.

Currently streaming on Netflix, Arnold’s feature film screenwriting and directing debut, TALIYA, a dark fantasy drama about an ambitious fisherman who ensnares a mermaid-like water spirit and exploits her as a grand magical theatrical exhibit, has screened at various festivals around the world including the New Filmmakers Los Angeles festival where it bagged the Best Screenplay Award at the Best of NFMLA Awards, 2022.

Arnold has most recently written for Team Sayari, a kids magazine show for DISNEY/NATGEO, and is a  Baboon Animation staff writer on various projects including FUNNY FLUX’S QUANTUM HEROES DINOSTER.

Arnold also serves as the head writer at USIKU GAMES where he contributes to the creation of fun, casual, web and mobile games including the upcoming ELECTRIC BLUE: GECKO DASH! for On The Edge. Other game clients include Johnson & Johnson, GIZ, the Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK), the Centre for Rights Education and Awareness Kenya (CREAWKENYA), the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA), among others.

He is currently in production on an animated short film. And his next feature film, a sci-fi action adventure for kids, has been optioned and is in advance development.

A writer and director for hire, Arnold is developing many original projects across TV, film, and games.

Represented by Aoife Lennon-Ritchie

Rene Van Rooyen

Rene graduated cum laude in directing and screenwriting from AFDA. Her short NANTES screened internationally and won SA’s Silwerskermfees prize for best director and best picture. Her short PATHOLOGY was selected by SA’s NFVF Female filmmaker program and premiered at Durban International Film Festival (Africa’s premiere film festival). Her feature adaptation of Dalene Matthee’s novel TOORBOS was SA’s selection for Best International Film for the 2021 Academy Awards and backed by Multichoice and the NFVF. It is currently available on Showmax. The film was one of 5 selected from 60 projects across Africa to partake in Cape Town Int’l Film Festival & Market Work in Progress program.  Through her production company Red Letter Day Pictures, she has co-written and co-produced HOLLYWOOD IN MY HUIS and VASELINETJIE which won Best Picture at the Silwerskermfees and Best Humanitarian Film at Sedona IFF. Rene just finished post on CATCH ME A KILLER starring Charlotte Hope (GoT) for producers Simon Howley, Brett Wilson and financier Night Train Media. She is concurrently setting up (as producer, director) a 52 episodic family drama for M-Net called SUMMERTIDE.

Eileen Tracey

Eileen Tracey is a versatile Northern Irish screenwriter and director that has a flair for comedy and drama. She has a background in visual arts and film distribution, working for renowned companies like Lionsgate and StudioCanal. She holds a master’s degree from Goldsmiths and studied TV writing at the National Film and Television School, where she received a bursary to study. Her work has been recognised by prestigious orgs such as BAFTA Rocliffe (shortlisted for her comedy pilot CELESTE) and RTS including the short film ONE FOR THE ROAD (on which she co-wrote and directed), a collaboration with a community facing climate displacement, and A PARTICULAR FRIEND, a drama about conversion therapy survivors. Eileen is currently working on several comedy pilots and feature scripts, as well as offering her expertise as a script editor. She is developing an original comedy idea as a short and pilot with Hat Trick Northern Ireland for BBC Comedy. Eileen is a talented and promising filmmaker with a unique voice and vision who specializes in comedy, horror and drama genres.

represented by, David Kayser

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