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16 Jul 2025

Ian Gabriel

By Torchwood

Ian Gabriel is an award-winning film, television, and commercials director. The owner of Giant Films, Gabriel was the first director of colour in South Africa to open an independent director-owned film production company.

Gabriel’s debut feature film FORGIVENESS was a Golden Leopard nominee at the 57th Locarno International Film Festival where he also earned the Human Rights Award. His next feature FOUR CORNERS was South Africa’s official selection for Best Foreign Film at the 86th Academy Awards. It won both Best International Feature and Best Feature at the Santa Fe Independent Film Festival and 6 SAFTAS including Best Picture.

Ian directed the family crime series LUDIK starring Arnold Vosloo which launched in the top ten on Netflix in 2022. He directed the father-son road trip comedy RUNS IN THE FAMILY (Netflix 2024) which stars his son Gabe Gabriel and Ace Bhatti.

Ian recently completed principal photography on DEATH OF A WHISTLEBLOWER starring Noxolo Dlamini and Irshaad Ally, and he is in prep for production on GRANNY LEE a ‘disco resistance’ drama based on a true story starring Soli Philander. In development are projects including historic epic tv series SABELA GOLD, in partnership with Amy Jephta’s Nagvlug Films and Joslyn Barne’s Louverture Films; and the feature film project PAPWA the true underdog story of the South African Indian grand slam golfer, with Rafiq Samsoedien producing. Ian is also a director for hire.

Represented by Aoife Lennon-Ritchie

20 May 2025

Jono Hall

By Torchwood

Jono Hall is an award-winning director and writer. With a start in journalism, Jono has 20 years experience as a commercials director and director of music videos, and as a writer of short films. documentary shorts, and of short stories and essays.

Hall directed an episode of the forthcoming thriller series MARKED (Netflix, 2025). And his award-winning short film, the grounded speculative psychological thriller AWAKE is currently on the global festival circuit.

Jono has a number of original films and series in development and is a writer and director for hire.

Represented by Aoife Lennon-Ritchie.

13 Aug 2024

Sibusiso Khuzwayo

By Torchwood

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 SCANDAL (e.tv), 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

06 Jun 2024

Eric Larson

By Torchwood

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

06 May 2024

Fabien Martorell

By Torchwood

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, 2025) 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

14 Feb 2024

Arnold Mwanjila

By Torchwood

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

12 Sep 2023

Samantha Nell

By Torchwood

SAMANTHA NELL

Writer and Director Samantha Nell’s debut feature as a director, the edgy romcom DO YOUR WORST, premiered in the top ten on Netflix in 2023. She is currently developing her second feature MILES FROM NOWHERE. Samantha has an MFA from New York University’s Tisch School of Arts Asia in Singapore and has participated at several development labs including the Realness Screenwriter’s Residency, La Fabrique du Cinema du Monde, TIFF Talent Lab and Locarno Filmmaker’s Academy.

Samantha participated in the Cannes South Africa Film Factory in collaboration with Michael Wahrmann from Brazil and their short film THE BEAST premiered at the Directors’ Fortnight in the 2016 Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for a Brazilian Academy Award. Her most recent short film LOVE MOTEL, shot on location in South Korea, premiered at Durban International Film Festival in 2017.

Nell has produced short films on four continents and in 2012 her short film STIFF was selected for the Focus Features’ Africa First Program. It premiered at the 2014 Palm Springs International Shortsfest and won Best Short Film at the Africa International Film Festival in Nigeria.

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

Represented by Aoife Lennon-Ritchie

19 Jun 2023

Willem Grobler

By Torchwood

Screenwriter and director Willem Grobler wrote the Netflix feature film HEART OF THE HUNTER directed by Mandla Dube. The film is co-written with Deon Meyer is based on Meyer’s international best-selling novel of the same name. It made history in April 2024 by becoming the first English language African film to top the worldwide Netflix charts. It was viewed 11 Million times in the first week, and was in the top 10 in 75 countries. Next up Willem is adapting Deon Meyer’s novel FEVER as a limited series, and Dibi Breytenbach’s novel BUIT as a feature and he is reuniting with director Mandla Dube to collaborate on a passion project.

Grobler’s award-winning short film HUM screened at festivals around the world, premiering internationally at the 2017 Philip K. Dick Science Fiction Film Festival in New York, and in Europe at the 2018 Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival in France.

Willem has written and directed a number of drama projects for local broadcaster M-Net including Christmas dramedy A BOERE-KRISMIS (2020) and Valentines Day romantic comedy OM EN OM (2023), SPOORLOOS (2018) and two seasons of the acclaimed South African true crime docuseries STRANGERS YOU KNOW (2021 – 2022). A feature length version of HUM is in development at M-Net with Willem adapting and directing.

A Durban Talents and Gotham Week alumnus, Willem is developing his original projects and is a writer and director for hire.

Represented by Aoife Lennon-Ritchie

06 Mar 2023

Daniel Snaddon

By Torchwood

Daniel Snaddon is a Bafta- and Emmy-winning and Academy Award-nominated film director, artist, and illustrator of Scottish-South African and Chinese-Australian descent. He has worked in the animation and film industries for fourteen years, best known for his work with Triggerfish Animation Studios and with Magic Light Pictures’ animated BBC Christmas specials. Among these, Daniel served as animation supervisor on the Academy Award-nominated ROALD DAHL’S REVOLTING RHYMES, co-director on the BAFTA nominated STICK MAN, and as director on both the Annie award winning THE SNAIL AND THE WHALE and the International Emmy winning ZOG.

Recently Daniel directed his fourth Magic Light Pictures Christmas special THE SMEDS AND THE SMOOS based on the book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler (authors of THE GRUFFALO). Daniel served as the founding director of CTIAF, South Africa’s premiere animation festival, for 4 years.

Along with James Clarke and Daniel Clarke, he created the graphic novel KARIBA, which was funded through a campaign on Kickstarter, the most successful of its kind in Africa. The graphic novel has since been published in several languages in multiple territories.

Represented by Aoife Lennon-Ritchie

21 Feb 2023

Ari Kruger

By Torchwood

Ari Kruger is the co-creator and director of the hugely popular web-series SUZELLE DIY which has garnered over 22 million views on YouTube and been broadcast nationally on Comedy Central. He is also the co-creator and director of the sensational mockumentary series TALI’S WEDDING DIARY, which was awarded five South African Film & Television Awards, including Best Director for a Comedy Series. Both productions epitomise his impeccable comic timing and talent for creating memorable characters. Ari has attracted notable attention with his short films, having been a finalist at the world’s largest short film festival Tropfest in 2011, in competition with the likes of filmmakers like Joel Edgerton. His films have screened in festivals across the globe with two of his short films having been selected as Vimeo Staff Picks. His latest short film WAITING FOR GOLDMAN is currently racking up awards on the festival circuit, winning Best Dark Comedy at IndieX Film Festival and Independent Short Awards in Los Angeles. Ari won best director for TALI’S BABY DIARY (the sequel to WEDDING DIARY) which also won Best Comedy series at the 2022 SAFTAS. The third installment of the hit series TALI’S JOBURG DIARY dropped on Showmax in 2022 and has been received with critical acclaim and received Best Comedy and Best Writing and Best Directing at the 2023 SAFTAs. Ari and his wife Julia Anastasopoulos are the co-owners of Sketchbook Studios, a production company in Cape Town where they produce original content, television series, features and commercials. Ari is currently in post on a crime-comedy series and working on another crime-comedy series for a global streamer.

Represented by Aoife Lennon-Ritchie

Ari Kruger CV

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