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04 July 2022 | Story Dr Nitha Ramnath
Leanne Manas and Prof Francis Petersen

You are invited to join multiple award-winning broadcast anchor, Leanne Manas, for a conversation with Prof Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State (UFS). Prof Petersen will share insights about his term in office and updates on developments at the UFS.  

Date: Friday, 22 July 2022 
Time:
09:00-11:00 
Venue: Odeion Auditorium, Bloemfontein Campus  

RSVP on or before 20 July to Alicia Pienaar at PienaarAN1@ufs.ac.za  

Refreshments will be served.

(The event is open to the staff and students of the UFS)

Leanne Manas

Leanne Manas is a multiple award-winning broadcast anchor, MC, motivational speaker, businesswoman, UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador, and a renowned leader on the South African media circuit. From Oprah Winfrey to Nelson Mandela, Leanne has interviewed an impressive range of public figures, heads of state, thought leaders, and local and international celebrities. She has also been at the forefront of bringing South Africans some of the biggest news stories over the past two decades. 

She is instantly recognisable as the face of morning television – as anchor of Morning Live, a hard-hitting news broadcast that she has been hosting since 2004. She has been the face of the vast majority of breaking news events in an ever-changing South Africa, most notably the death of Nelson Mandela, the dramatic resignation of Jacob Zuma as RSA President, and the death of the Mother of the Nation, Winnie Madikizela Mandela. She has also anchored four general elections, three provincial elections, and four presidential inaugurations. 

Her career has crossed international borders, broadcasting in the United Kingdom, France, the UAE, Mauritius, Ghana, Kenya, Gabon, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and the United States of America. Broadcasting every day throughout a global pandemic has been the latest event that she has been part of. The total shift of how media is consumed has been a fascinating part of her journey. Leanne has been quoted as saying, “Being able to witness and tell the story of our ever-changing lives is my greatest honour.” 


News Archive

State-of-the-art audio-visual studio up and running at UFS
2015-11-25

The state-of-the-art audio-visual studio that was unveiled in the beginning of this year reaped its first crop during a historic moment. On Wednesday 28 October 2015, the eight pilot students in the Postgraduate Programme in Film and Visual Media, which was launched at the beginning of this year, had their first big screen experience. Eight films were premiered in one night at the University of the Free State (UFS) Bloemfontein Campus.

An intimate movie theatre was brimming with friends and family of the students, their lecturers, and judges who doubled as moderators. This was no ordinary motion picture viewing. The apprentice filmmakers’ productions were undergoing formal external examination.

Judge by a legend

Katinka Heyns
critiqued the student’s final products. Heyns is a renowned filmmaker, actress, director, producer, and founder of the production company, Sonneblom Films. She has numerous awards to her name, including the Career Contribution and Innovation Award, Legendary Award for Woman in Film and Television, and Medal of Honour for Paljas, which were presented by the Absa Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees (KKNK), International Crystal Award, and South African Academy for Science and Arts, respectively.

Johanet Kriel and Chris Vorster from the film school also assisted as moderators.



The cinema exam

Each student had 20 minutes to provide a synopsis for the viewers, and screen the movie. At the end, The Secret of the Golden Flower, written and directed by Rudiker Janse van Rensburg, and The Nexus Effect, written and directed by Gawie Myburgh were judged the best movies “Both films had had clear and creative story lines, a solid structure, and quality editing,” said Chris Vorster.

Despite technical teething problems, all the students showed a great deal of talent and passion for filmmaking. “Given the time constraints and technical challenges, I’m very relieved that we actually got films on screen. They all impressed me with their creativity. Mission accomplished,” added Vorster.

The films

• The Blood of Barbara (Yvonne Allwright)
• Diary of an Oreo (Nonsindiso Qwabe)
• GeFop! (Hendrik Cronje)
• The Nexus Effect (Gawie Myburgh)
• The Secret of the Golden Flower (Rudiker Janse van Rensburg)
• Well ain’t that a Coinkydink?! (Rethabile Radebe)
• What Lurks in the Dark…(Rese Moore)

(Photo caption: Front row from left: Nonsindiso Qwabe, Suné van Heerden, Theresa Moore, Gawie Myburgh. Middle row: Rudiker Janse van Rensburg, Hendrik Cronjé, Yvonne Allwright, and Rethabile Radebe. Back: lecturer: Chris Vorster.)

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