(Mzwandile
Makhanya)
University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) Film and
media studies lecturer in the School of Arts, Mzwandile Makhanya has been
nominated for a 2019 Simon “Mabhunu” Sabela Film and Television Award in the
Best Student Film category.
The awards, which started in 2013 to
promote KwaZulu-Natal talent, are named after Sabela who was South Africa’s
first black film director.
The nominated movie Ubizo is about a shy and self-conscious theatre caretaker who has
to overcome his greatest fears in order to fight for his biggest dream of
becoming a professional dancer.
“The idea for the movie came from my 2018
film honours student Natalia Bombala who was at UKZN on the Erasmus Mundus
Programme on an exchange programme from the Humboldt University in Berlin,”
said Makhanya.
“As a lecturer, I was listed as a
co-producer. The movie was produced as part of the honours course, which is a
very participatory programme with the whole class getting very involved in each
student’s film production.”
His advice to other aspiring filmmakers is
to never give up. “Without commitment, you will never start. But more
importantly, without consistency, you will never finish. It is not easy. Keep
working, keep striving. Fall down seven times, get up eight! Ease is a greater
threat to progress than hardship.”
Asked about his future plans, Makhanya
said: “The vision is to produce films that will put KZN on the national and
international map.”
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