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27 January 2022 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Supplied
Director and co-producer Mpendulo Myeni believes when it comes to making it in the film industry, one should use all the resources and opportunities you have at your disposal.

A single, unemployed mother; institutional corruption, blackmail, and the powerful players behind it. These are all ingredients for a 29-minute short film, Leshano, currently available on Showmax. 

Mpendulo Myeni, director and co-producer of the production that was filmed between Bloemfontein and Bothshabelo last year, says he was initially attracted to the script by writer and executive producer, Anton Fisher (a former Director of Strategic Communications at the UFS). “Hearing his creative ideas, I fell deeper into the storyline, wanting to explore the story and tell it with my own voice.”

Besides Myeni’s involvement with Leshano (The Lie), which was filmed in Sesotho with English subtitles, a number of other Free State artists contributed to the film. Napo Masheane, who grew up in Qwaqwa, was cast in the lead role. He is supported by Maria de Koker, Vincent Tsoametsi, Seipati Mpotoane, Pesa Pheko, Ntsiki Ndzume, and Shayne Nketsi. 

Aspiring filmmakers in the province also had the opportunity to be part of this success story, whether as make-up artists, wardrobe assistants, or location scouts. 

Myeni says Bloemfontein artists and spectators are excited to see that a film shot locally has been accepted by the streaming service, Showmax. “The story has been welcomed and has had an overwhelming response on social media by the Free State audiences. Dignitaries in the Free State Provincial Department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation also positively commented on social media.”

“The Free State audience has embraced our creative expression. Many have requested for the story to be turned into a series,” he says.

Creative at heart

Myeni, a creative at heart, studied Drama and Theatre Arts, as well as Film and Visual Media up to honours level at the UFS. He also had the opportunity to study as exchange student at the University of Groningen in their film master's programme.

The international experience ignited his passion for filming and got him fired up and ready to create. He was involved in the production of several films. “I co-wrote and directed Eyelash (2020), which won a jury award, iamAFRICA, at the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles. This led me to create the critically acclaimed lockdown film, called Let Me Out. This film was praised by notable film critic Robyn Sassen as ‘a coronavirus gem’, like Vincent Mantsoe’s dance piece, Cut … to materialise on the cultural sphere, and it deserves as much attention as it can garner.” Another recent creation from Myeni is Amanzi, a short film yet to be released. “I also directed The Lie and collaborated with amazing creatives during the venture,” he elaborates. 

The complete Eyelash experience, winning the iamAFRICA award at the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles, might have been one of those life-changing moments for Myeni. He confirms: “Going to America was definitely an out-of-this-world experience, especially being such a big accomplishment – winning an internationally recognised film award from a distinguished film festival. I also got to meet and talk to the director of YouTube originals, as well as other filmmaking creatives.”

Firm foundations

Besides being an UFS alumnus and award-winning filmmaker, Myeni, who on a previous occasion received the Richard Miles award in the Faculty of the Humanities, is now working as an assistant officer in the Department of Architecture at the UFS. “I largely work with research and the creative outputs of postgraduate students. Furthermore, I manage the research hub and library and I also run the visual media aspect within the department.”

In addition, Myeni is also completing his master’s degree in Film and Visual Media at the university. “The academia and higher learning are very important to me; you can say that I am motivated by the academic avenues and learning opportunities that my position affords me,” he says. 

He believes that any lived experience will give insight into your character and abilities. “This experience in the film industry will carry me through to give more of myself in my current position, both academically and creatively.”

“I will never stop creating; my future holds more films, with me involved in producing and directing them.” In five years’ time, I see myself having been the creator of at least three other short films, and one feature film,” concludes Myeni.

News Archive

UFS honours young researchers
2006-02-10

Some of the guests attending the recognition function were from the left:  Prof Magda Fourie (Vice-Rector:  Academic Planning at the UFS), Mr Joseph Smiles (lecturer at the UFS Department of Political Science and Thuthuka grant holder), Prof Frans Swanepoel (Director:  Research Development at the UFS) and Dr Carlien Pohl (lecturer at the UFS Department of Microbial,  Biochemical and Food Biotechnology and Thuthuka grant holder).
Photo: Leonie Bolleurs

The guest speaker was Prof Jonathan Jansen, Dean:  Faculty of Education at the University of Pretoria (UP).  He gave tips to young and promising researchers on how to be an outstanding scholar. 
What is a Scholar 

UFS honours young researchers       

The University of the Free State (UFS) last night honoured 24 young researchers who are taking part in the National Research Fund’s (NRF) Thuthuka programme.

The recognition function is the first of its kind at the UFS.  “The renewed focus on research development that was recently announced at the official opening of the UFS by the Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Frederick Fourie, is an indication of the institution’s endeavour to create an environment in which research can be improved and flourish.  This can only be obtained when researchers are being valued and that is why it is important to honour our young researchers,” said Mrs Annelize Venter, researcher at the UFS Research Development Directorate and coordinator of the programme.
 
The focus on research was also touched on recently by President Thabo Mbeki during the opening of Parliament when he said:  “We will continue to engage the leadership of our tertiary institutions focused on working with them to meet the nation’s expectations with regard to teaching and research. For its part, the government is determined to increase the resource allocation for research and development and innovation, and increase the pool of young researchers."

According to Mrs Venter, research done in 2004 shows that the majority researchers who publish are white males above the age of 50.  “Many students who undertake magister studies choose not to conduct research, but rather to do a thesis and additional subjects.  This means that research is not stimulated.  Students also find it difficult to obtain financial support for postgraduate studies,” she explained.
“Thutuka is a capacity building programme of the NRF that is aimed to 
fund and support the qualifications of women and young black scientists and other researchers who do not have a rating for postgraduate research.  It is based on a funding partnership between the UFS and the NRF,” said Mrs Venter.

Last night Prof Frans Swanepoel, Director: Research Development at the UFS, added to his by saying:  “With the Thuthuka programme we aim to create and sustain a research culture at the UFS, promote international research and train researchers of a high quality and enhance the research capacity at the UFS by focusing on women, black researchers and other promising researchers.”
 
The programme was started by the NRF in 2001.  At that stage only 17 grants were made countrywide.  Last year 370 postgraduate students took part in the programme.

According to Mrs Venter the programme was implemented at the UFS in 2003.  “At that stage we only had 5 grant holders.  This year there are 24 Ph D and magister students on the programme,” she said. 

A couple of young promising researchers, who will be participating in the programme in 2007, also attended last night’s recognition function.

The guest speaker was Prof Jonathan Jansen, Dean:  Faculty of Education at the University of Pretoria (UP).  He gave tips to young and promising researchers on how to be an outstanding scholar.

Nine professors were also congratulated with their promotion to senior research professor, namely Proff Louise Cilliers (Department of English and Classical Languages), James du Preez (Department of Microbial,  Biochemical and Food Biotechnology), Johan Grobbelaar (Department of Plant Sciences), Dingie Janse van Rensburg (Centre for Health Systems Research and Development), Dap Louw (Department of Psychology), Philip Nel (Department of Afro-asiatic Studies and Language Practice and Sign Language), Louis Scott (Department of Plant Sciences), Dirk van den Berg (Department of History of Art) and  Andries Raath (Department of Constitutional Law and Philosophy of Law).

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel:   (051) 401-2584
Cell:  083 645 2454
E-mail:  loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
10 February 2006

 

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