BLUEY
(localised into Afrikaans, Swahili, isiZulu and Nigerian Pidgin)

United Kingdom, South Africa

Production company: Ludo Studio
Platform: CBeebies (DStv channel 306) and selected episodes on YouTube

Synopsis:  Bluey follows an energetic six-year-old Blue Heeler puppy, her sister Bingo, and parents Bandit and Chilli. Through imaginative games and everyday family adventures, the sisters explore friendship, emotions, creativity and growing up. Filled with warmth and humour, the series celebrates childhood, play and the wonderfully ordinary moments of family life.

Recognised for: Bluey demonstrates how localisation can make globally loved children’s content accessible to African audiences. Localised into Afrikaans, Swahili, isiZulu and Nigerian Pidgin, the series allows young viewers to experience stories in familiar languages, supporting recognition, belonging and early learning while celebrating Africa’s linguistic diversity through inclusive children’s entertainment.

HADU

Nigeria

Production company: Smids Animation Studios
Platform: YouTube

Synopsis:  Set in 1990s Nigeria, Hadu is a heartfelt animated short following young Simi and her spirited grandmother. Through shared meals, stories and everyday adventures, their bond celebrates family, culture and intergenerational connection. When life takes an unexpected turn, Simi discovers that love transcends loss and that traditions, wisdom and memories continue shaping who we become long after loved ones leave.

Recognised for: Hadu celebrates cultural diversity through an authentic and uplifting portrait of Nigerian family life. Set in 1990s Nigeria, it moves beyond stereotypes to celebrate everyday African experiences, traditions, values and intergenerational relationships. Through universal themes of family, love and loss, the film preserves cultural heritage, fosters empathy and understanding, and allows young audiences to recognise both the richness and uniqueness of Nigerian life and the shared humanity that connects us.

JABU'S JUNGLE

South Africa

Production company: Pixcomm
Platform: SABC1

Synopsis:  Jabu’s Jungle is an engaging early childhood educational series following Jabu and his magical talking drum as they explore Africa’s vibrant natural world. Each adventure introduces a different African animal while encouraging curiosity, problem-solving, teamwork and environmental responsibility. Blending music, learning and authentic African storytelling, the series helps prepare young children for school while nurturing a love of wildlife, discovery and culture.

Recognised for: Jabu’s Jungle places authentic African stories, cultures, languages and environments at the heart of early childhood education. Created to address the lack of culturally relevant African content, it allows children to see their communities reflected on screen. Through adventure, wildlife and environmental stewardship, the series celebrates resilience, creativity and heritage. Its multilingual reach, including becoming the first animated series in SiSwati, demonstrates its lasting impact on representation and inclusion.

EYES OF WAKANDA

United States of America 

Production company: Disney+, Marvel Animation, Marvel Studios, Proximity Media
Platform: Disney+

Synopsis:  Eyes of Wakanda is an animated action-adventure series exploring different periods of Wakandan history. Following the elite Hatut Zeraze warriors as they recover powerful Vibranium artefacts around the world, the series blends African mythology, history and Marvel adventure while exploring heritage, identity, duty and the responsibility of protecting Wakanda across generations.

Recognised for: Eyes of Wakanda offers meaningful representation by placing African-inspired heroes, histories and identities at the centre of a global adventure. For older children developing their sense of identity and belonging, seeing Black characters portrayed as powerful, intelligent and heroic can foster pride and imagination. Through heritage, leadership and responsibility, the series presents African identity as one of possibility, excellence and global significance.

WANDI AND KABZ

South Africa

Production company: StoryLine Productions
Platform: Disney+

Synopsis:  Wandi and Kabz follows two best friends whose lives are transformed by a mysterious pocket watch connecting them with legendary African historical figures. Travelling through time, they encounter leaders and visionaries, from Mansa Musa to Madiba. Blending humour, imagination and adventure, the series makes African history accessible while inspiring young audiences to explore their heritage with curiosity and pride.

Recognised for: Wandi and Kabz places Black African children at the centre of an imaginative adventure celebrating African history, culture and identity. By bringing historical figures to life through engaging storytelling, the series inspires pride, curiosity and critical thinking. Its Afrocentric perspective challenges stereotypes, broadens representation and presents Africa through leadership, courage, innovation and possibility for young audiences.

AMAZINA MBUYAGA 

Uganda 

Production company: Aliyahmilly Productions, European Union Fund, Art Transparent Foundation and Nafasi Artspace
Platform: YouTube

Synopsis:  Amazina Mbuyaga follows Ugandan contemporary dancer Joseph Tebandeke as he redefines movement, creativity and belonging while living with a disability. Through powerful choreography and personal reflection, the film explores dance as a language of resilience and self-expression. Challenging perceptions of disability, Joseph invites audiences to see the body through possibility, celebrating dance’s power to connect, liberate and transform.

Recognised for: Amazina Mbuyaga celebrates disability inclusion through Ugandan dancer Joseph’s story, challenging deeply rooted misconceptions about disability. Rather than presenting disability as limitation, the film centres talent, creativity and self-determination. Using dance as a universal language, it transcends cultural and linguistic barriers, challenges prejudice and invites audiences to reconsider assumptions while championing authentic, dignified representation.

AMIGO THE GRIOT 

South Africa

Production company: Azania Rizing Productions
(the film was funded by the NFVF).

Platform: Screened at Joburg Film Festival, Encounters International Film Festival

Synopsis: Set in Eersterivier, Cape Town, filmmaker Kurt Orderson reconnects with blind Afrikaaps Hip Hop storyteller Mario “Amigo” Laaistock after a decade. Blending vérité, music and poetic interludes, the film retraces Amigo’s coming-of-age journey through memory, sound and community. Together, they revisit the pivotal event that changed his life, opening a deeply personal exploration of identity, restorative justice, forgiveness, friendship and the process of healing.

Recognised for: This film centres authentic disability representation through Amigo. Rather than framing blindness as limitation, it embraces Amigo’s distinct way of experiencing and narrating the world. Through sound, memory and language, the documentary champions creativity and self-representation while exploring identity, justice, forgiveness and healing within Eersterivier’s vibrant and culturally rich Afrikaaps Hip Hop community.

CONCERTO 

South Africa

Production company: What a Coincidence Productions
Platform: Various Film Festivals including Encounters International Documentary Film Festival 

Synopsis: Concerto follows acclaimed South African pianist Nina Schumann as she prepares to perform Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 for the first time in three decades. Living with focal dystonia and Parkinson’s disease, Schumann confronts profound changes to her abilities. Interweaving present-day preparations with archival footage, the documentary explores resilience, identity and the enduring power of music when passion transcends physical limitation.

Recognised for: Concerto offers authentic disability representation, portraying acclaimed pianist Nina Schumann with dignity, honesty and agency as she lives with focal dystonia and Parkinson’s disease. Rather than defining her by diagnosis, the film celebrates her resilience, adaptability and artistic passion. Through sensitive storytelling, it challenges perceptions of physical perfection, broadens understanding of disability within the arts, and affirms that creativity, identity and purpose can endure beyond physical limitation.

MELUSI 

South Africa 

Production company: AFDA Student Film
Platform: Screened at Joburg Film Festival 

Synopsis:  Melusi is a heartfelt rural drama set in KwaZulu-Natal, where young shepherd Melusi dreams of leaving home for Johannesburg. Desperate to fund his journey, he steals a sheep intended as an Ingoma competition prize, triggering consequences that fracture family and community relationships. As ambition collides with tradition, Melusi must confront difficult choices about his future and ultimately reconsider what identity, belonging and home truly mean.

Recognised for: Melusi approaches disability representation through Nkokheli, a respected community leader. His disability forms one part of a complex character rather than defining his identity. Woven naturally into a story of family, tradition and belonging, his experiences encourage audiences to view disability with empathy rather than pity, while affirming dignity, inclusion and the importance of authentic disability representation within African storytelling.

NKANYEZI

South Africa

Production company:  SA Film Academy, HomeBrew Films, Filmscape & Bear Minimum Pictures with funding from NFVF 
Platform: Screened at Joburg Film Festival

Synopsis: Inspired by real events, Nkanyezi follows a woman with a physical disability who discovers love and begins imagining an independent future. When her controlling mother threatens to dismantle those dreams, Nkanyezi is forced to confront the limits of protection and make a life-altering decision.

Recognised for: Nkanyezi explores the fundamental right to determine one’s own future. Inspired by real events, it follows a young woman with a physical disability who falls in love and begins imagining an independent life. Challenging assumptions around vulnerability and dependency, the film presents Nkanyezi as a woman with desires, dreams, sexuality and agency, while confronting a vital question about family and freedom: where does protection end and control begin?

THISABILITY

South Africa

Production company: Sacambaya Films, RED Creative Collaboration with funding from NFVF and ECDC
Platform: Has not been screened yet

Synopsis: ThisAbility is a gripping South African crime thriller following Abongile, a 19-year-old Deaf teenager who becomes trapped within a violent taxi syndicate after witnessing a murder. Discovering her brother is the gang’s enforcer, she must fight for survival. Through South African Sign Language, immersive sound design and suspenseful storytelling, the film reframes Deafness as strength, resilience and ingenuity.

Recognised for: ThisAbility redefines disability representation by placing a Deaf protagonist at the centre of a high-stakes thriller. Created by filmmaker Vicki Fourie, who lives with profound hearing loss, the film is rooted in lived experience. Through South African Sign Language, immersive sound design and accessible filmmaking, it challenges stereotypes, champions agency and demonstrates that disability belongs across every cinematic genre.

BAD INFLUENCER 

South Africa 

Production company: Gambit Films
Platform: Netflix 

Synopsis:  Bad Influencer is crime drama exploring social media, luxury fashion and influencer culture. It follows a struggling single mother and an influencer whose lives collide through a counterfeit luxury-goods operation. As their online success grows, so do the dangers. The series explores ambition, friendship, motherhood and survival in a world where appearances can be deceiving.

Recognised for: Bad Influencer incorporates neurodivergence naturally into a mainstream South African crime drama. Through BK’s relationship with her neurodivergent son, disability is presented within everyday experiences of family, parenting, financial pressure and love. Rather than becoming a standalone issue, neurodivergence forms part of a broader narrative, increasing visibility while encouraging understanding and demonstrating how inclusive representation can exist naturally within popular storytelling.

SCANDAL!

South Africa

Production company:  Ochre Moving Pictures
Platform: e.tv

Synopsis: Set within the powerful Nyathi Family Holdings, Scandal! follows the personal and professional rivalries unfolding across its media empire. Among them is Thoriso More, a fearless young woman and successful online DJ who refuses to let blindness define her. As buried truths about the accident that caused her blindness emerge, Thoriso confronts family betrayal while reclaiming her identity, relationships and future.

Recognised for: Scandal! demonstrates a sustained commitment to authentic disability representation through characters such as Thoriso More, portrayed by blind actress Kamogelo Maree. Confident, ambitious and independent, Thoriso is never defined by her blindness. Building on the series’ earlier representation of Deaf character Thando, Scandal! integrates disability naturally into mainstream storytelling, challenging stereotypes while portraying disabled people as complex individuals with aspirations, relationships, strengths and flaws.

SHAKA ILEMBE (Season 2)

South Africa

Production company: Bomb Productions
Platform: Mzanzi Magic

Synopsis: Shaka iLembe Season 2 follows Shaka as he takes his place as Zulu king and begins transforming a divided people into a powerful kingdom. With Nandi at his side, he navigates rivalries, betrayal, shifting alliances and conflict. Against a richly realised backdrop of African cultures and traditions, the season charts the battles, relationships and sacrifices shaping Shaka’s evolution into a legendary leader.

Recognised for: Shaka iLembe advances disability representation through Calvin Ratladi, an actor living with kyphoscoliosis, demonstrating that performers with disabilities belong naturally within ambitious African storytelling. His character, Goloza, is not defined by disability but exists within the series’ richly layered world. Through inclusive casting and meaningful visibility, the production challenges industry perceptions and normalises disabled performers within major mainstream African productions.

EYES TO SEE

South Africa 

Production company: Primitive
Platform: Screened at Encounters International Documentary Festival  

Synopsis:  Eyes To See follows Dr Yvette Abrahams after a 2018 car accident transforms her relationship with body, identity and knowledge. During her recovery and journey towards becoming a traditional healer, she discovers new ways of understanding herself and the natural world. The film explores healing, decolonisation and Indigenous knowledge while examining gender and sexuality as fluid, interconnected expressions of identity.

Recognised for: Eyes To See offers distinctive LGBTQIA+ representation by exploring queerness through an Indigenous African and decolonial lens. Through Dr Yvette Abrahams’ lived experience, identity emerges as fluid and connected to land, culture, spirituality and nature. By moving beyond Western definitions of gender and sexuality, the documentary challenges restrictive binaries and expands how queer African experiences can be understood and represented on screen.

SONDER

South Africa

Production company: Sibisi Studio
Platform: Screened at Encounters International Documentary Festival 

Synopsis: Sonder explores the hidden social worlds of Johannesburg’s single-sex hostels, where traditional Zulu masculinities intersect with brotherhood, desire and queer identity. Against spaces shaped by apartheid’s migrant labour system, the documentary reveals intimate stories of love between men alongside violence and patriarchal expectations, examining how masculinity is performed, challenged and reimagined within communities carrying the legacy of a fractured past.

Recognised for: Challenging notions that homosexuality is “un-African,” the documentary explores intersections of culture, tradition, labour, class and sexuality within the hostel environment. Through culturally specific and deeply personal storytelling, Sonder disrupts stereotypes, examines masculinity and homophobia, and affirms the complexity, resilience and diversity of Black queer experiences.

Production company: UCT TV Studio
Platform: To be screened at FAME Film Shorts Festival 

Synopsis: Queezy Visits the Racers follows Cape Town performance artist Queezy Babaz as they explore queer and Coloured identity at a vibrant Killarney Racecourse street-car event. Queezy challenges assumptions about masculinity and belonging while forming unexpected connections. Through humour, self-expression and community, the documentary reveals how acceptance can flourish in unexpected spaces.

Recognised for: Queezy Visits the Racers celebrates LGBTQIA+ representation through visibility, belonging and unexpected connection. Following Queezy Babaz into the traditionally hyper-masculine world of Killarney Raceway, the film challenges assumptions while embracing queer joy and acceptance. Created by a diverse team with lived experience, it demonstrates how queer and Coloured identities intersect, highlighting the transformative power of openness, empathy and authentic storytelling.

BLACK BURNS FAST

South Africa 

Production company: Urucu
Platform: Amazon Prime  

Synopsis:  Black Burns Fast is a coming-of-age drama following Luthando, a scholarship student at a South African girls’ boarding school. Focused on academics and meeting her conservative mother’s expectations, her carefully ordered life shifts when newcomer Ayanda awakens unexpected feelings. As first love and self-discovery collide, Luthando must navigate conformity while finding the courage to embrace her identity.

Recognised for: Black Burns Fast makes a significant contribution to LGBTQIA+ representation by centring Black queer young women, a perspective rarely seen in African cinema. Written and directed by a young Black queer filmmaker, it portrays identity, first love and self-discovery through joy and emotional honesty rather than trauma. Celebrating queer Black girlhood, the film champions belonging and the courage to embrace one’s identity.

EVERYTHING BETWEEN US 

South Africa

Production company: FAM Films and SCAR Films
Platform: To be screened at FAME Shorts Film Festival 

Synopsis:  After his partner Sifiso dies, Simon is excluded from the family’s mourning rituals and denied a final goodbye. Haunted by memories of their relationship and the farewell he never had, Simon struggles with invisible grief until Sifiso’s sister, Thandiwe, offers him the opportunity to find acceptance, closure and begin the difficult process of healing.

Recognised for: Everything Between Us offers a deeply moving portrayal of queer South African life by exploring the rarely represented experience of queer grief. Through Simon’s loss, the film examines how culture, tradition, family and silence can deny someone the right to openly mourn their partner. With tenderness and emotional honesty, it expands queer representation beyond romance and identity, affirming that queer love, loss and grief deserve equal dignity, recognition and space within South African stories and society.

Production company: Nostalgia Productions
Platform: DStv Stream

Synopsis: Khaki Fever is a raucous South African comedy where eccentric game rangers compete for the title of “King of Khaki” by charming as many guests as possible. Driven by Daniel’s need to help his mother, the increasingly outrageous competition sparks romantic misadventures and bushveld chaos while lodge manager Anel fights to protect the establishment’s reputation.

Recognised for: Khaki Fever normalises LGBTQIA+ representation by placing queer and straight characters on equal footing in a comedy driven by humour, friendship and desire rather than trauma. Its queer characters are fully realised individuals whose identities exist naturally within the story. Through sex positivity, joyful storytelling and an inclusive production environment, the film challenges stereotypes, celebrates authentic queer experiences and broadens LGBTQIA+ representation within Afrikaans cinema.

BEAULAH: QUEENS VAN DIE KAAP
(Season 2)

South Africa 

Production company: POP24
Platform: DStv Stream

Synopsis:  Beaulah: Queens van die Kaap follows seven of Cape Town’s celebrated drag performers as they navigate life on and off stage. Beyond the glamour and performances, the series explores friendships, rivalries, family, identity and ambition. Celebrating authenticity, resilience and chosen family, it showcases the artistry of drag while offering an intimate window into South Africa’s vibrant LGBTQIA+ community.

Recognised for: Beaulah: Queens van die Kaap offers authentic LGBTQIA+ representation by allowing drag performers and transgender women to share their lives in their own voices. Beyond the glamour, the series explores friendship, family, identity, ambition and personal growth. By presenting its cast as multidimensional individuals, Beaulah challenges stereotypes, fosters understanding and brings joyful, unapologetic queer visibility to mainstream African television audiences.

PRIDE: THE QUEER SHOW

South Africa

Production company: CAPE TOWN TV
Platform: CAPE TOWN TV

Synopsis:  The Queer Show is a bold talk show celebrating the diversity and lived experiences of South Africa’s LGBTQIA+ community. Hosted by Sinalo Jonas, the series brings together inspiring guests for honest conversations about identity, culture, community and social issues. Through meaningful dialogue and authentic storytelling, it challenges stereotypes, amplifies queer voices and promotes greater understanding, inclusion, visibility and pride.

Recognised for: The Queer Show centres LGBTQIA+ voices and lived experiences through honest conversations with activists, creatives, community leaders and everyday people. Exploring identity, mental health, relationships, family, culture and equality, the series celebrates the complexity of queer lives. By creating space for dialogue, visibility and connection, it challenges stereotypes, fosters empathy and demonstrates the power of unscripted television to advance inclusion.

Synopsis: The Way Ngingakhona follows three young LGBTQIA+ friends navigating identity, relationships, family and friendship while living unapologetically. Through the experiences of a gay man, transgender woman and bisexual man, the series offers an intimate window into diverse queer lives, capturing moments of acceptance, conflict, vulnerability and joy while allowing participants to share their stories.

Recognised for: The Way Ngingakhona advances LGBTQIA+ representation by giving queer and transgender people space to share their stories authentically. Exploring identity, relationships, family, sexuality and belonging, the series portrays its participants as joyful, ambitious, vulnerable and complex. By bringing diverse lived experiences into mainstream television, it challenges stereotypes, fosters empathy and affirms LGBTQIA+ lives as integral to contemporary South African society.

BLOOD LEGACY

South Africa 

Production company: Gambit Films
Platform: Netflix

Synopsis: Blood Legacy follows Khanyi Adesina, who returns home after her father’s death to confront a fractured family and battle for control of their multibillion-rand business empire. As corruption, betrayal, and long-buried secrets emerge, Khanyi must decide how far she will go to protect her family and reshape its legacy.

Recognised for: Blood Legacy offers compelling LGBTQIA+ representation through Siya Ndlovu, a gay man navigating sexuality, marriage, identity and family expectations within a powerful traditional Zulu family. His story explores the intersection of queerness, culture, masculinity and legacy. As a central figure within the Ndlovu dynasty, Siya creates meaningful visibility while opening important conversations about acceptance, belonging and the realities of LGBTQIA+ identity within culturally traditional African spaces.

THE MORNING AFTER 

South Africa

Production company: Both Worlds, Paradoxal
Platform: Amazon Prime

Synopsis: The Morning After follows Nina Morgan, a 25-year-old party girl who wakes up alone on a Cape Town beach after a dating-app disaster. Taken in by a group of local misfits, she navigates wild hustles, complicated relationships and unexpected romance while hiding a secret: she recently escaped rehab and must ultimately confront the personal demons she has been avoiding.

Recognised for: The Morning After delivers authentic LGBTQIA+ representation by weaving diverse queer identities naturally into its ensemble storytelling. Through Cleo, Mandisa, Nina and non-binary Tarquin, the series explores queer experiences with warmth, humour and emotional honesty. Set within a multicultural South African context, it reflects intersections of race, culture, gender and sexuality while normalising LGBTQIA+ lives and fostering visibility, empathy and belonging.

Synopsis: Youngins Season 3 returns to Olifantsfontein High, where friendship, love, identity and rebellion collide. Following the arrest of the “Fantastic Five,” a stricter school regime pushes students to challenge authority while navigating relationships, sexuality, pregnancy, financial pressures and uncertain futures. As Tumelo and Sefako’s relationship evolves, the friends confront difficult choices about who they are becoming and the futures they want.

Recognised for:  Through characters including Tumelo and Sefako, queer relationships, friendships and identities receive the same narrative importance as their heterosexual peers. Exploring love, heartbreak, prejudice and belonging with honesty and joy, the series allows LGBTQIA+ teenagers to be complex, flawed and fully themselves, creating meaningful visibility within mainstream African television.

CALEB SWANEPOEL
Caleb is an award-winning South African actor, para-athlete, and motivational speaker known for inclusive storytelling that champions resilience, diversity, and human connection. After surviving a life-changing shark attack, he built a career across stage and screen while competing as a para-surfer. Through 'Beyond the Bite' and his advocacy work, Caleb inspires empathy, courage, and greater inclusion for people of all abilities.

JAMES BYRNE
James is co-founder of the International Tourism Film Festival Africa (ITFFA) and a board director of CineTour. He champions diversity, inclusion and equitable access in the creative economy, creating platforms that amplify African voices and open opportunities for emerging talent. Through ITFFA, he connects storytellers, using film to reshape perceptions of Africa and support sustainable careers for young creatives across the continent.

JASON FIDDLER
Jason is the founder and director of the Durban Gay & Lesbian Film Festival (DGLFF), established in 2011 and recognised as one of Africa’s oldest city-based LGBTIQ festivals. Based in Durban, he has spent over a decade championing queer storytelling and emerging filmmakers. A returning Inclusive Lens judge, he brings a passionate, community-rooted perspective and a sharp eye for authentic, inclusive narratives.

KAREN JEYNES
Kare  is a Venice TV Award-nominated director and two-time International Emmy-nominated writer and producer with over 20 years’ experience. She was Head Writer and Co-Director on 'Recipes for Love and Murder'. As Executive Producer at Both Worlds Pictures, she creates globally resonant stories, including 'The Morning After', while championing diverse storytelling and ensuring authentic African voices are represented on the world stage.

KIM JAYDE
Zimbabwean-born creative entrepreneur, TV host, and founder of KJ Productions, Kim  has built a global brand rooted in authenticity, sneaker culture, and powerful storytelling. Passionate about diversity and inclusion, she uses her platform to champion African voices, youth culture, and representation across global media, consistently amplifying underrepresented stories and perspectives. 

LALA TUKU
Lala Tuku is an award-winning creative industry leader with over 25 years’ experience across film, television, and broadcasting. As Head of Content at the SABC, she champions inclusive storytelling and equitable practices. An MFA graduate, her research interrogates the misrepresentation of women’s trauma. With global expertise in strategy, financing, and distribution, she drives culturally impactful, commercially viable storytelling.

LAWRANCIA MQWEBU
Lawrancia is an accomplished South African producer and creative strategist with over 22 years’ experience in film and television. At Black Brain Pictures, she has shaped content that resonates locally and globally. Her expertise spans production, development, and casting, including 'Paradys'. Passionate about inclusive storytelling, she mentors emerging talent through Media City Academy and champions industry growth.

LOUISE CALLCOTT-STEVENS
As Co-Founder and CEO of EarCandy, she connects content creators with diverse audiences across Africa through multilingual localisation, including dubbing, subtitling and audio production. Passionate about inclusion and accessibility, her work ensures stories are understood across languages and cultures. Since 2004, EarCandy has localised over 20 000 hours in 28 languages, helping global and African content reach more  audiences.

THABILE NGWATO
Thabile is a dynamic entrepreneur with over a decade in broadcasting. She founded Rapid Innovation, home to Newzroom Afrika, a 100% black female-owned news channel advancing representation and equity in media. Through Bluestream Technologies and Ray Content Hub, she drives inclusive innovation. A World Economic Forum Young Global Leader (2024), she champions diverse, transformative African media ecosystems.

TARHA MCKENZIE
Tarha has over 12 years’ experience in film, specialising in programme and distribution management. She manages Africa’s premier documentary festival, Encounters, and leads Climate Story Lab Southern Africa. Her work spans Big World Cinema, Electric South, and Black Women Disrupt, championing inclusive storytelling, gender equity, and access. Tarha is committed to  building equitable, impactful film ecosystems across Africa.

TARRYN TOMLINSON
Tarryn is a television presenter, producer, and writer with over 15 years’ experience in broadcast and storytelling. Best known for hosting 'ACTIVATED', an award-winning SABC 2 series exploring disability and inclusion, she creates impactful, purpose-driven content. A former director at The TVSmiths, Tarryn is a leading voice advocating for representation, accessibility, and inclusive narratives across film, television, and media industries.

TONGAI FURUSA
With over 24 years in film and television, Tongai is a Senior Editor and Post-Production Supervisor at 14 10th Digital Film. Passionate about inclusive storytelling, he champions authentic African narratives that resonate globally. His collaborative approach values diverse voices across every stage of production. Tongai has worked on projects including 'MTV Shuga' and 'Inkabi', bringing culturally rich, representative stories to life through his craft.