Craighall Park resident in Amaphiko Film Festival

Craighall Park resident, Surprise Ngwenya has been selected along with 29 other filmmakers as a participant for the first-ever Red Bull Amaphiko Film Festival.

The festival aims to celebrate the power of film as a driver for social change while creating a platform for collaboration between aspiring filmmakers and industry professionals. These aspiring filmmakers will be mentored by the industry’s best including Teddy Matera, Ernest Nkosi, Vincent Moloi, Lebogang Rasethaba, Dumisani Phakathi and more.

As a child growing up in Kabokwebi in Mpumalanga, TV was his only friend, Ngwenya explained. He was fascinated with how it worked, by how it was made. He wanted to act, and so he went to the South African School of Motion Picture, Medium and Live Performance (Afda) to try and achieve that goal. As soon as he arrived, however, the plans changed.

“I fell in love with the people behind the scenes. When you’re an actor you just go up and say a line. When you’re behind the scenes, you can let your art speak for itself.”

He was drawn to being a director of photography (DOP) because he likes to be the one responsible for the image and for what the viewer sees. “If every image is treated like a painting, you are Picasso. DOPs don’t just press record, they are responsible for the mood of the entire shot,” he explained.

At the moment he works in retail, saving every cent to try and get the lenses and the tripods he needs. Access to equipment is proving difficult, but he’s biding his time, honing his craft, and waiting for his chance to come.

“Currently, I’m looking for guidance from professionals, and I can’t wait to meet them at Amaphiko. Hopefully, they can help me improve in the areas that I lack and show me what I need to do to make myself a success.”

Taking place from the 28 to 30 October at the Eyethu Lifestyle Centre and Cinema in Soweto, these aspiring filmmakers will be immersed in all aspects film related – from scriptwriting, pitching, business and more.