Women In Film: Meet Ydalie Turk and Casey Diepeveen, Producer duo, and founders of Holding Thumbs Productions

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 Ydalie Turk and Casey Diepeveen, 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 ignited your passion for filmmaking?

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Local female filmmaking duo in Italy: Holding Thumbs Production

Ydalie Turk: My family were big movie watchers when I was growing up, so I’ve been a little obsessed with fi lm as far back as I can remember. I loved drama and English at school, then I studied acting and playwriting. A career in film/theatre felt almost inevitable, albeit entirely implausible, it truly is my favourite thing.

Casey Diepeveen: I totally fell into the film industry! I was managing an Arts Activism NGO and producing plays until COVID forced me to explore different mediums. I collaborated with theatre makers to create a short experimental theatre-film about human connection, and haven’t looked back.

Describe your creative partnership?

Both: Our process changes constantly and is entirely project dependent. As a general rule it’s story first (an original idea, or a book that we both loved). Next, the creativity attached – there might be a director we admire and would love to work with. Lastly, viability. No matter how much we love an idea, if it doesn’t feel like we can get it to production we won’t take it on board. The end goal is always to get something made. Regarding responsibilities, Ydalie is story focused and Casey takes on strategy.

You recently produced a debut feature film, Trifole. tell us about that?

YT: It was developed with Gabriele Fabbro, the director and co-writer. Gabriele and I have a long-standing collaboration, since studying together in LA; this was our second feature film as writing partners. I’m fascinated by characters with unique vocations that drive them into very specific lifestyles, and that’s true hunters to a tee. So, when Gabriele said she’d spent time with some in Northern Italy, I was all in. From there, the story developed. But it’s really about tradition, family, nature and a young girl finding herself after being disillusioned by modernity.

CD: From the minute I touched down in Turin for our pre-production preparations in September 2024, I was invited into creating films “the Italian way”. Every business meeting was paired with the fi nest foods and wines, I had at least three coffees at every location we scouted, the cinematographers and art directors we worked with were bursting with references to critically acclaimed Italian films, and everyone from the mayors of small rural towns to researchers to the local tourism board to the village pets were 100 000% committed to making the international team feel at home, like family. I am beyond grateful for the experience.

Trifole’s showcase in Italy was a major milestone. What’s the significance of this international recognition?

Both: The Italy connection came about through our relationship with Gabriele, who is Italian. Essentially, we cold-called the whole of Hollywood trying to get the film distributed and finally were lucky enough to land a distribution deal with UBU. While premiering in Italy was really special, it’s important to us that our work resonates universally, especially in SA, and we’re looking forward to it being released globally. It’s premiering in America early 2025; look out for it in SA shortly after that.

What’s your favourite part of the filmmaking process?

YT: I love the writing; it’s extremely challenging but also exciting, and I love the routine and structure of the process. And being on set – I feel at ease on set irrespective of the job I’m doing. It’s a very collaborative space and seeing hundreds of people come together for what might end up being only two minutes of a movie is really something.

CT: I love the story development phase, dreaming and strategising about everything the story can be, who it might reach, who we might cast, where it can go, and the value it might have in changing perceptions of the specific subjectmatter. I’m a strategy gal.

What’s next? Any new projects?

Both: Yes! We have a few we’re really excited about. Olive, directed by Madeleine Bazil, is a documentary on Olive Schreiner, the activist, writer, and women’s rights advocate. Agulhasvlakte, a feature film about estranged sisters reconnecting on their family’s protea farm, based on a play by Herschelle Benjamin. Finally, we’re also working on a dark comedy, set in Cape Town.

Which female filmmakers inspire you?

Both: So many! Just a few we love: Amy Jephta, Michaela Coel, Joanna Hogg, Nadine Labaki, Layla Swart, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Alice Rohrwacher, Cait Pansegrouw, Jessica Chastain. All doing very cool things we admire.

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