26 / LIVING LEGENDS
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LIVING LEGEND:
JACKIE MOTSEPE
In a brand new segment called Living Legends, we profile the people who have moulded South Africa’s film history and find out how they have contributed to its growth and development. This issue, we shine a spotlight on Jackie Motsepe, Chairperson of the KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission.
up the role of Chief Operations Officer of the KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission, Jackie has lived and breathed the promotion of the region. But why is it such a great place for filmmakers? Ever the marketer, Jackie
KZNFC HIGHS
A
powerhouse of a woman who grew up as the daughter of anti-Apartheid activists living in the UK, Brussels and Algeria, Jacqueline Motsepe is a force to be reckoned with. After studying Sociology and Psychology in Sutherland in 1989, her early career years are peppered with anti-Apartheid campaigns and steeped in South Africa’s early political movements. This includes assisting in the promotion of the Release Mandela Campaign and working with the victims of Apartheid laws and political prisoners through the International Defence and Aid Fund in the UK. She’s even served as a Personal Assistant to the Chief Representative of the African National Congress
in London. But ultimately, it was not politics that beckoned her…
A CAREER BEYOND ANTI-APARTHEID
Since her return to South Africa, Motsepe has built a career spanning over 15 years in film, broadcasting and marketing. Her accolades in the media include overall Co-Chair of the South African Film and Television Awards, President of the Jury for Films and Television at the Pan African Film Festival (FESPACO), and Head of Jury for Feature Films at AFRIFF in Nigeria. Jackie, as she’s better known amongst her peers, played an integral part in the inception and early growth of the National Film and Video Foundation,
where she was responsible for the formulation of marketing, communications and stakeholder strategies. She’s had several stints with the South African Broadcasting Corporation over the years, including GM of Acquisition for International Content for three stations, and through her work there has developed a co-production strategy for the public broadcaster. She’s even worked with the National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa to formalise and manage their marketing department.
PLACING KWAZULU-NATAL FILM ON THE MAP
Developing and implementing strategies for growth is clearly one of her strong points. Since taking
The KZNFC has had a tremendous impact on the local film sector. Here are just a few highlights from the last five years. • Funding of 236 projects to the value of R250 million, of which 177 are in development and 59 are in production • KZNFC-funded films have screened at over 20 international festivals and scooped awards • 2 co-productions in development and production stages with Nigeria and UK respectively • 10 films to be developed through collaborations with indie filmmakers in Nigeria, Kenya and the UK to the value of R63.5 million • The Made for TV quality boost initiative has taken local producers through intensive mentorship programmes that include arranging pre-sale deals with broadcasters.
