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As the 68th Annual Cannes International Film Festival draws to a close later this week, South African emerging filmmakers showcasing their expertise at the festival say they feel the need to empower themselves and learn as much as they can about the film industry. One of these young filmmakers is the sole owner of Luju Pictures and Productions, Ms Lineo Sekeleoane.

Sekeleoane, received financial support from the Department of Trade and Industry's (the dti) Export Marketing and Investment Assistance Scheme (EMIA) and is one of the twenty (20) emerging filmmakers showcasing their expertise at Cannes, with the hope to potentially sell their projects to various buyers attending the film festival.

She is a South African  Film and Television Awards (SAFTA)-nominated producer with over 20 productions under her belt. She reckons platforms such as Cannes should be taken advantage of for self- empowerment and creation of as many networks as possible.   She is happy that she has been able to meet with several investors from the United States of America and Nigeria during the festival and is positive about the prospective outcomes of the talks.

“I will be meeting with different agencies that can assist with packaging and distribution especially in the USA and some parts of Africa. Direct distribution of films is very key in our industry and this is the right platform to engage agencies,” she adds. 
Sekeleoane acknowledges that there are challenges within the film industry, especially for women, but says in most cases challenges outweigh the satisfaction one receives from finishing a production.

Sekeleoane graduated from the South African School of Film, TV and Drama where she trained as a line creative producer and casting director. She produced successful productions such as Entabeni, Redemption and Mtunzi We Ntaba.

the dti has already assisted hundreds of businesses through its EMIA scheme. The scheme develops export markets for South African products and services.

Caption: Lineo Sekeleoane owner of Luju Pictures.

Issued by The Department of Trade and Industry