Afda community play key role in Oscar-winning student film

The film won Gold at the 49th Annual Student Academy Awards in the Narrative: Domestic Schools category.

The film, written and directed by South African-born Phumi Morare for her MFA thesis in Film Directing at Chapman University, was made with the assistance and guidance of Afda Johannesburg, its staff, students and alumni in collaboration with Chapman University. Afda also provided their campus facilities and industry gold standard gear, which included Arri Alexa cameras, lighting gear and grips package.

Shot on location in Soweto, the film tells the story of a young black nurse living in 1985 apartheid South Africa who must face her worst fears when she learns that her younger brother, an activist, may be in danger.

The film, executively produced and supervised by Dylan Voogt and Afda Cape Town alumna Marcelle du Toit (2013) of Stage 5 Films, has received various accolades, including a Student Bafta nomination and selection as a finalist in the 2021 American Black Film Festival's Annual HBO Short Film Competition, not to mention screenings at some of the world's most prestigious film festivals.

Afda alumnus Aphiwe Mkefe (2018), known for his notable performance as the lead actor on the Safta and Durban International Film Festival award-winning feature film Letters of Hope, plays the lead supporting role of Anele on Lakutshon' IIanga.

Afda alumnus Waldemar Coetsee (2005), known for his production design on over 30 South African feature films, including the South African 2020 Oscar candidate film Toorbos, takes the production design credit on Lakutshon' IIanga. This is the second time Waldemar has done the production design on an Oscar winning student film having worked on the Afda Student Academy Award winning film "Elalini" as a third year student in 2005.

Congratulations to Phumi Morare and a round of applause to all the Afda staff, student and alumni on the cast and crew:

• Supervising Producer - Marcelle Du Toit - Afda Cape Town honours alumni (2013)
• Lead Supporting Actor - Aphiwe Mkefe - Afda alumni (2018)
• Production Designer - Waldemar Coetsee - Afda alumni (2005)
• Production Supervisors - Henriette De Villiers - Afda Johannesburg Dean, James Younger - Afda Johannesburg Stores Manager, Jane-Anne Raath - Afda Johannesburg Head of Film School
• B Camera Operator/first AC - Conner McKinnon - Afda alumni (2019)
• First AC / 2nd AC - Ranaa Cevikmen - Afda alumni (2019)
• Second AC - Tholwana "Thulz" Ngwenya and Ricardo Neiva - Afda Johannesburg Cinematography 3rd year students (2019)
• Electric - Bonga Jacobs and Sibongiseni Makhathini - Afda Johannesburg Cinematography third year students (2019)
• DIT - Tumelo Kgongwana - Afda Johannesburg Cinematography third year student (2019) and Mark Buyskes - Afda Johannesburg DIT and Colourist Lecturer

Contributions to the film were also made by:

• Daisy Dube - Afda Johannesburg Campus Coordinator
• Albert Van Rhyn - Afda Johhanesburg Cinematography Lecturer
• Ivan Kinghorn - Afda Johannesburg Sound Lecturer
• Neill Jordaan - Afda Johannesburg Editing Lecturer
• Harmon Cusack - Afda Johannesburg Operations
• Nelly Sambo - Afda Johannesburg Deans Office Administrator