AFDA is proud to announce that AFDA’s first Artist in Residence in their Masters (MFA) programme student Vusi Africa’s unique storytelling voice has earned him his place in the 2022 Class of 200 Most Influential Young South Africans by Mail & Guardian.
Vusi has paved his way as one of the most prominent young contemporary filmmakers in Africa. He debuted his feature film “Letters of Hope” in competition at the 40th Durban International Film Festival. The film went on to be awarded the award for Artistic Bravery which subsequently saw Vusi being awarded the inaugural SAFTA Golden Horn award for Best Emerging Filmmaker.
In 2022 Vusi wrote and directed the Evod break out kwaito crime film “Surviving Gaza” which is set in his hometown of Witbank,Mpumalanga. Africa has horned his craft through international film labs like Talents Durban,JCC Chabaka in Tunisia and Junior Entertainment Talents Slate.
Vusi Africa is currently in post-production with “Banned: Joe Bullet” which is directed and written by AFDA Johannesburg lecturer Naledi Bogacwi , helmed by Vusi Africa as Producer. The project has recently participated at the Encounters Doc Fest, Africa Rough Cut Lab 2022 where it was awarded the Full Colour Grade prize to be executed at Cult Studios in Cairo Egypt.
“To be awarded the honour of AFDA’s first Artist in Residence in their MFA program is an honour that words cannot justify enough, I come from a background where film school education is only a dream. This great gesture and recognition of my work by AFDA and the Mail & Gurdian sends a very powerful message to young black South Africans that it is possible for them too” says Vusi.
Watch the trailers to Vusi’s films here:
Surviving Gaza
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItMSbuu48mA&t=55s
Letters of Hope:
