Women In Film: Meet director,scriptwriter and actress, Nozipho Nkelemba

Each time a woman breaks the mould, she invites others to do the same. Storytelling has long been a catalyst for change, sharing women’s experiences through film, music and literature. We celebrate Nozipho Nkelemba who have made an indelible mark on the South African film industry, telling stories that speak to women’s hearts and the human condition

What sparked your interest in filmmaking?

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Performance sparked my flame for film. Storytelling and entertainment are an inherent part of my upbringing because of the kind of family I come from. We are (particularly on my maternal side) heavily influenced by black history, culture, music, literature and art; these things have always been of value to us so performance came really easily to me. I’ve also loved movies and TV for as long as I can remember. My father would rent out films from VideoTown and I would record countless episodes of TV sitcoms, and my older brother would take me to the cinema to watch movies with his girlfriend. My mother and aunts sing choral music and their father was the conductor of their choir. My father’s older sister did voices for radio dramas. So my interest in filmmaking is childhood influences and my love for performance, combined with some divine intervention.

You’ve gone from actress to director and scriptwriter. Was it deliberate, or an organic evolution?

In hindsight and now that I have the understanding to put it into words, I can say with confidence that it was part of the plan, even when I couldn’t recognise or label the transition at the time. I’ve always been (for a lack of a better word) a showman, and my interests in filmmaking peaked past performance because I always wanted to know what everyone else’s role in the ecosystem was; and I’ve always been fascinated by team work making the dream work. I enjoy the magical moment that happens when all creative elements come together to make something that moves audiences. I don’t believe I’ve walked away from acting for good; I do think that directing, running shows and philanthropy have always been it.

Did you face any challenges during this journey?

Internally, with myself, as well as externally, because everyone had already boxed me into this one thing. To this day, sometimes I’m still boxed in. Filmmaking is about creative entrepreneurship, and the transition I made from one filmic discipline to the next should be normalised, because not all creatives in filmmaking are limited to or only interested in one medium. The landscape requires individuals to have multiple skill sets to move around.

The ultimate dream of any filmmaker is to have something made, which may require you to go beyond being just a costume designer or screenwriter. I did a lot of unpaid interning for different directors who very generously shared their knowledge with me, and I would spend lots of time observing, from the other side of the camera, what all the other people on set and in production were doing. Some peers looked at me like I was crazy to give up the perks of being acting royalty to becoming a runner. It was all part of the master plan.

You recently directed the hit series Blood Legacy – tell us about that.

I do work for Gambit Films, and that’s how Blood Legacy landed on my lap. When I saw what it was, I took it and ran! It was an opportunity to make something we’ve never had as South Africans, so I took it with both hands and ran. It was a difficult production to shoot, with a lot of challenges; but as they say, the hard ones are always the best ones!

Walk us through your pre-production process?

I like to immerse myself in the material over and over again, so it becomes ingrained in me. I live, eat, breathe and feel the story until I can figure out how best I can tell it. I imagine the pictures as I read, the material must be stimulating to me in order for the visions to come. This is building a look and feel. Then I start applying technical things to make sure it can work, including who I see playing the role, where the scene should be staged, location recces, assembling camera and production design technicians according to the vision and the skills required. Drawing stick men, floor plans and/or story boards. That’s some of the prep I do.

What’s the future of film in SA?

We’re on the brink of a tipping point; the winds of change are blowing once again. I think this time it will be for the better. A lot of South African filmmakers have suffered this year, taking big knocks; work’s not as readily available as it was before. We’re taking back our power, and politically, something has to give. The future is bright. We just need to be smarter, wiser and more vigorous about how to get there.

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