25 August 2026
WHAT'S COMING UP
WHAT'S COMING UP
HER LENS: Stories of Memory, Identity & Becoming
HER LENS: Stories of Memory, Identity & Becoming
This Women’s Month, we celebrate women filmmakers and artists who are shaping how we see ourselves, our histories and the world around us.
Her Lens: Stories of Memory, Identity & Becoming brings together four distinctive South African films connected by questions of identity, memory, heritage, creativity and the ways women preserve and reimagine the worlds they inherit.
From Taste of the Land, where indigenous foodways become an expression of memory, cultural preservation and our relationship with the land, to Humdrum, an intimate exploration of the emotional realities hidden beneath everyday life; Dear Sikhonkwane, a deeply personal love letter to language, legacy and cultural memory; and Ubulongwe, which follows a female artist who transforms ubulongwe — cow dung — into an artistic medium, connecting creativity with land, tradition and cultural knowledge.
Each film approaches storytelling from a different perspective, yet together they reveal the power of women to transform the everyday into something meaningful — food into memory, experience into expression, language into legacy and the earth itself into art.
This Women’s Month, the conversation goes beyond celebrating women behind the camera. It explores authorship, creative agency, cultural preservation and the power women have to determine which stories, histories and experiences are seen and remembered.
Following the screenings, filmmakers and creatives will come together for an honest conversation about directing, producing, artistic practice, cultural identity, creative resilience and the realities of building sustainable careers in South Africa’s creative industries.
Four films. One powerful idea: when women tell our stories, they don't only preserve culture — they reshape it.
Film Screenings
Film Screenings
Taste of the Land explores indigenous African foodways in Johannesburg, revealing how food connects culture, memory, land and identity. Through intimate encounters with communities and traditional knowledge, the film celebrates food as an act of cultural preservation and resilience, reflecting on our enduring relationship with heritage and the land.
Director: Nondumiso Masache
Nondumiso is an award-winning South African documentary filmmaker and SAFTA-nominated producer. Founder of Zenkosi Films, her internationally screened work explores land, identity and environmental stewardship while amplifying underrepresented African stories through powerful, community-rooted storytelling.
Humdrum is a thoughtful exploration of the quiet emotional landscapes that often go unnoticed in everyday life. Through nuanced performances and intimate storytelling, the film reflects on routine, longing, and the search for meaning amid ordinary circumstances. It is a portrait of human resilience and the moments of transformation hidden within the familiar.
Director: Elelwani Netshifhire
Elelwani is a South African writer, director, and producer known for her work across local and international film and television. Founder of Thase Media, she champions women-led stories. Her writing and producing credits include television productions and independent films recognised for their originality and cultural relevance.
Dear Sikhonkwane is an intimate portrait of pioneering SiSwati author and educator Sikhonkwane Steven Mahlalela. Told through those who knew him, the film celebrates his legacy while exploring language, memory and cultural preservation, honouring an unsung intellectual who championed the enduring power of one’s mother tongue.
Director: Sihle Hlophe
Sihle is an award-winning South African director, producer and story development consultant with over 16 years’ experience. Founder of Narrative Republic, her documentaries and films have earned SAFTA and Africa Magic recognition, screened internationally, and championed impactful African storytelling.
In partnership with
