MEDIA RELEASE: LIGHTS CAMERA ACTION AT THIRD EASTERN CAPE FILM EXPO

July 3, 2025 

It’s lights camera action at the third Eastern Cape Film Expo which runs from 2 – 4 July in Makhanda at the National Arts Festival. 

An initiative of the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC), the third Eastern Cape Film Expo runs from 2 – 4 July in Makhanda at the National Arts Festival. The three-day extravaganza aims to position the Eastern Cape as an attractive filmmaking destination. 

The film expo commenced with a talk from leading independent producer and Eastern Cape film pioneer from Kariega Nceba Mqolomba, who spoke about the journey to being a successful filmmaker. He shared lessons learnt, his work, and about his film, Zania, which was screened on Wednesday afternoon. He also spoke on what it takes to produce good quality content. Speaking at Joza Township’s Youth Centre in Makhanda, Mqolomba also shared with a captivated audience the ins and outs of the film sector, his life experiences and what it took for him to stand out in a fiercely competitive industry. 

“Eastern Cape filmmakers are producing all this incredible work, but there are few screening platforms. This is why platforms such as the Eastern Cape Film Expo are critical to the development of the industry in the Eastern Cape. Institutions such as the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC), Eastern Cape Provincial Arts and Culture Council (ECPACC), National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) and platforms such as the National Arts Festival (NAF) must continue to facilitate these opportunities, including funding and non-financial support programmes to stimulate the industry,” says Mqolomba.

Mqolomba’s career is a showcase of an enviable list of critically acclaimed and successful film projects. His incredible career includes stage managing household shows such as the Joy of Jazz, Arts Alive, Jazz on the Lake and Africa Day.  He has produced immensely popular shows of the early 2000s such as reality show All You Need is Love and Khumbulekhaya both screened on SABC. He has also produced eTV breakfast show, the Toasty Show and the 13-episode Total Soccer on the same station as a build up to the 2006 Soccer World Cup held in Germany.

He has also produced music videos for South African music icons such as Ringo Madlingozi, Watershed, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, kwaito star Kabelo Mabalane’s video which won at the South African Film and Television Awards, Afro Soul singer and song writer Zonke, and for the late TK among other projects.

He’s worked with top international production companies on films such as the Last King of Scotland, The Amazing Race, and on international French and Canadian production called Dr Lucille Teasdale.

His latest project is EC Skills 10 which is a selection of 10 short films, one of which, Zania, was screened at the Eastern Cape Film Expo. EC Skills 10 is funded by the presidential employment stimulus package through the NFVF and the ECDC. A total of 320 people were employed for EC Skills 10 with 250 being up and coming filmmakers who were upskilled and trained.

“The Eastern Cape Film Expo is backed by partners such as ECPACC, NFVF and the NAF. It’s designed as a platform to position the province as a filmmaking destination and to upskill emerging filmmakers. Importantly, the vision is to provide hands-on experience for local filmmakers, skills transfer and training programmes. The festival also provides a platform for local filmmakers to screen their content resulting a crucial market access opportunity.

“It features film screenings, panel discussions presentations, testimonials, and masterclasses to a diverse audience of filmmakers, aspiring filmmakers, policy makers and funders,” says ECDC senior manager for investment promotion Vuyokazi Gwabeni.

Mdantsane writer, actor, producer and director Sithembile Xaso also screened his documentary called Pound for Pound at the expo which chronicles Knuckle Day, a boxing tournament which has produced Asemahle Sotwili who became an African champion at the age of 12, the same year she started her boxing career.

The documentary has been screened twice on eTV already with hopes of securing licensing with one of the major channels during the three-day expo.

“The boxing tournament has produced rising stars such as Mdantsane’s Asemahle Sotwili who became the African champion at the age of 12, the same year she joined Knuckle Day.

In its 19^th season, the Knuckle Day tournament travelled the journey with her from primary school making sure she stays in school. She’s now a law student at the University of Fort Hare and she remains an undisputed South African and African champion. She has a perfect winning record having never lost a match since the age of 12. I started following her career since she started boxing at age 12. I felt it important to tell this story of the working class founders of Knuckle Day whose work has had an immense impact on the lives of the many young children who participate in the tournament,” says Xaso.

Also screened is the Ilifa Lomboko documentary which is a riveting tale of a pioneer Xhosa radio broadcaster Sganeko Njokweni who paved the way for many, and left a lasting legacy told through the lens of his son Gqabi Njokweni. In the film Gqabi retraces the footsteps of his father's life journey as a son, mentor, musician, fashion guru and a radio broadcaster. The documentary unravels untold stories behind the mic, it explores the use of language and the microphone as tools to fight oppression.