More than 500 aspiring filmmakers stepped behind the scenes at this year’s iLembe Short Indie Film Festival (ISIFF), held from May 29 to 31 at the Luthuli Museum in Groutville.

The three-day celebration of youthful creativity brought some of South Africa’s most recognised faces in film and television to iLembe, including actors Nelisiwe Sibiya, Nkanyiso and Nelisa Mchunu, Siyabonga Godfrey Dlamini and award-winning director Bonie Sithebe – all familiar figures from some of the country’s most popular telenovelas.

The festival kicked off with a ‘Careers in Film Tour’, during which these industry professionals visited high schools across the iLembe district, including Mbekamuzi, Nonhlevu, Groutville and Albert Luthuli, to introduce pupils to the many career opportunities available in the film industry.

This was followed by two full days of workshops, panel discussions and film screenings designed to immerse pupils in the world of filmmaking.

One of the highlights came during a Saturday masterclass, when Amukelwe Maphumulo, a pupil from Nombika Secondary School in Mandeni, pitched her own story idea during an exercise.

Fellow pupils eagerly stepped in to help bring her vision to life, taking on roles as scriptwriters, directors, make-up artists and location scouts – allowing them to experience a full theoretical production process from start to finish.

Festival director Zanelizintombi Nhlapo said ISIFF is part of a long-term vision to build a sustainable creative economy within the region.

“Our aim is to make iLembe a filming destination – one that proudly showcases our rich Zulu heritage,” said Nhlapo.

“We want to equip local talent with the skills they need to work on professional film sets and empower local businesses to support productions that choose to film here.”

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