Kwazikwenkosi Ntombela-Langa, 29, is the executive director at Divine Voice Media and a film writer and director. As executive director, she creates proposals to apply for government grants to develop and produce films and develops and produces projects that are funded. Kwazikwenkosi has written three films and directed two films. She is currently working towards finalising her third film. In her film project titled Slow Fruit, she wrote and directed the coming-of-age drama that looks to unpack themes of awakening, friendships, virginity and growth. This film shaped her as a writer and executive director responsible for making decisions on the production of films. Kwazikwenkosi holds a bachelor of education from the University of Zululand and is currently in her second year of a diploma in media practices from Boston Media House. She is also currently a writer for a micro-budget film funded by the KZNFilm and the National Film and Video Foundation under the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture. Looking ahead, Kwazikwenkosi envisions a blockbuster movie by a production company from rural areas, where young people can be trained and employed in different fields of filmmaking.
Bachelor of Education, University of Zululand
Diploma in Media Practices (current), Boston Media House
The film project titled Slow Fruit is my pride. This is because it is the first project which I wrote and directed under my budding company, Divine Voice Media; and also that making it was filled with so many challenges as I started developing it in 2019 and only completed development in 2022. During these years a lot happened, but it all paid out in the end – with me having learned a lot. It helped me strengthen my skills not only as a writer and director but also as an executive director who has to make decisions for the company and the production of an art piece. My directing skills were challenged and thus came out stronger. Not to mention my writing, which was influenced by different talented writers who have made a significant mark in the film industry. Through this film, I connected with the likes of Bonie Sithebe, Philani Sithebe, Palesa Shongwe, Nomcebo Ngema and Tracey-Lee Rainers. These are women who believed in me and they taught me a lot as a writer. Hiring Bonie as the film producer was so empowering.
Yes! Some women have mentored me before I started. They saw me, and they believed in me and my passion. These women would listen to my ideas even when they did not make sense. They told me when the concept I believed in was not going to work and when it would work. They would be able to identify programmes that would work for someone like me and help me get into them by teaching me how to. These women empowered me. Taught me how to accept rejection as it is a part of my career. They allowed me to make mistakes and helped me learn from them. They shared their experiences with me so that I could avoid the same mistakes they made. I can go on and on.