Ayanda Halimana is a South African screenwriter, story editor as well as consultant. She has more than ten years experience in the film and TV industry. She has worked at the SABC as commissioning editor for drama and worked at MNet’s Mzansi Magic as commissioning editor. Ayanda has since founded her own story development company, YandaHalis Films. Through her company she does consultant work and training for young screenwriters for the National Film & Video Foundation as well as the Kwazulu Natal Film Commission.   

Sam Soko is a documentary filmmaker based in Nairobi, Kenya. With his captivating approach to socio-political storytelling, he has developed content and collaborated with firebrand artists worldwide. His first feature documentary project, „Softie„, a story about balancing the deep love of country with the family’s needs, premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, winning a special jury prize for editing. Soko has gone on to receive Emmy, Peabody, and PGA nominations for his work. He is an outspoken defender of freedom of expression and has taken part in global conversations on making media matter when the world is on fire. Soko is also co-founder of LBx Africa, a Kenyan production company that works with local and international filmmakers to bring uniquely African perspectives to global audiences. 

Jenna Cato Bass is a South African writer, filmmaker and former magician. Her award-winning films include the short, „The Tunnel„ (2010), and the collaboratively-created features „Love the One You Love„ (2014) and „High Fantasy„ (2017), which have screened around the world, including at the Sundance, Berlinale and Toronto Film Festivals. Together with Wanuri Kahiu, Jenna co-wrote the coming-of-age romance, „Rafiki„, which premiered in Cannes Un Certain Regard in 2018. Her third feature as director and writer, „Flatland„, was the opening film of the 2019 Berlinale Panorama. In 2019, Jenna directed the short film „Sizohlala„ which was executive produced by acclaimed filmmaker Jia Zhangke. Her fourth feature film, the horror-satire „Mlungu Wam„, co-written with Babalwa Baartman, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in the Platform Competition. Jenna also teaches and is a founding member of Free Film School, an alternative arts education and skills-sharing collective in Cape Town. 

Laurene Manaa Abdallah (Addy) is film producer, editor and lecturer. She holds an MFA in Cinema and TV from EICAR, Paris France, a diploma in Film and TV from the National Film and Television Institute and a Postgraduate from the University of Winneba, Ghana. She believes in the ability of films to cross barriers and provoke discourse on pertinent issues and is currently researching on the continuity and divergence in post–colonial West African cinema. Her filmography as producer includes, „Aloevera„ (2020), „Sidechic Gang„ (2018), „Keteke„ (2017), „40 and Single„ (2018). Her first feature film, „Keteke„, won the Best Screenplay at the 26th Edition of Fespacom with „40 and Single„ winning the Audience Award at the LA Film Festival. Short films „Exhale„ and „Her She Woman„ which she wrote and produced won the Merck Foundation Award in 2019. She has edited internationally acclaimed films like „Who is Afraid of Ngugi„, „As the Days Went By…“, „Stef„ and „Perfection„, some of which have screened at Cannes.