The 32-year-old - who has collaberated with among others, BBC, Arte, TV2 Denmark and has brought home a special mention at the Toronto Film Festival, a Forum Selection from the Berlin Film Festival, as well as a Best Director title from the Montecatini Film Festival (Italy) and Best Documentary nod from the Ismaliia Film Festivals - will work closely with Frieze Films producer, Jo Barber. He also recently opened his first fine art exhibition, "Nocturnal Fragments", at Johannesburg's Resolutions Gallery of Digital Art which explored township-scapes as fragments of luminosity at night without the human element.
“Waiting for Valdez” was a highly stylized short film made for M-Net that received a lot of attention early in his career. From there he has produced a number of landmark documentaries and short films including “An Old Wives Tale” and “Don't fuck with me I have 51 brothers and sisters”.
Interestingly, Phakathi has elected to mark the beginning of his new career with a new name, "Malo 8". He explains: “This foray into the world of advertising and marketing communication thrills me, and challenges me. Embarking on the path, I see myself unreservedly opening my mind to new experiences and achievements and a new name is appropriate.”
Welcoming Malo 8 to Frieze, Barber said she was looking forward to the energy and new perspective he would bring to a shoot.
“Malo is, by joining Frieze Films, giving the advertising community an opportunity to work with someone who is expressive about South Africa in a unique way and also experienced in film and extracting sensitive, real performances.
The last word belongs to the director himself: “I know that one of my strengths as a director of films and documentaries is the ability to look at an event through the eyes of my subjects and then portray these events in a way that has the most impact on my audience.
“I'm certain that this skill will be put to good use in the advertising industry and I'm looking forward to the challenge of getting to know some of South Africa's favourite brands a little better, and collaborating with agencies and creative directors to bring their visions and storyboards to life.”
