For decades, Africa’s film and television landscape has been defined by its rich storytelling, cultural depth, and relentless innovation. Yet, beyond raw talent and technical skills, one factor often shapes the trajectory of its greatest creators – mentorship.
Few exemplify this more than Thembalethu Mfebe, a MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) alumnus, producer, director, and screenwriter who has quickly become one of South Africa’s most exciting film talents. In 2023, his feature The Umbrella Men clinched a National Film and Television Award (SA) for Best Feature, complementing his work on the hit shows Adulting and Outlaws. Mfebe also boasts a 2024 SAFTA Golden Horn accolade and a SAFTA nomination for Best Achievement in Directing – TV Comedy, underscoring his meteoric rise in the industry. Though a learned UCT graduate, his career successes can be attributed to his experience at the academy where he trained under seasoned industry professionals. His, and many other MTF alumni careers that catapulted to success, reaffirm a fundamental truth: technical skills alone don’t make a filmmaker. Navigating the realities of production – funding, distribution, and creative execution – requires the kind of insight only those who have walked the path before can provide.
This year marks a decade since the launch of MTF, a milestone underscoring its transformative impact on African storytelling. Over the years, the academy’s mentorship-driven approach has helped an impressive roster of graduates to leave their mark on award-winning shows, documentaries, and feature films – showing how focused guidance, hands-on training, and a shared community can transform local talent into global innovators.
As part of its 10th anniversary celebration, MTF is expanding its legacy with Conversations with a Mentor – a new content series modelled after the candid, insider conversations of Variety’s Actors on Actors. The series pairs an MTF alumni with industry heavyweights to explore the artistic and commercial realities of filmmaking. The debut episode, “Breaking Boundaries in Production: Setting a New Standard for Local TV,” goes live Friday, 28 February 2025, featuring Mfebe in conversation with Zeno Peterson, acclaimed director of Shaka iLembe. If you’ve ever wondered how African productions are propelling themselves into a global spotlight, this conversation offers a rare, behind-the-scenes glimpse into cutting-edge techniques and creative collaborations. More than that, it highlights why mentorship remains the silent engine of Africa’s ever-evolving film and television narrative.
For Mfebe, whose career embodies MTF’s mission of turning raw talent into sustainable success, Conversations with a Mentor is another opportunity to inspire fellow creatives. His dedication to the development of emerging storytellers continues at Joburg Film Festival’s JBX Talks on Wednesday 12 March, where he’ll join the session “Going Local, Going Viral: The Key to Showmax’s Subscriber Boom.” There, he will explore how hyperlocal content, diverse representation, and boundary-pushing storytelling fuel audience growth on streaming platforms – further illustrating the crucial role mentorship programmes like MTF play in propelling African film and television into its next, innovative chapter.
By championing mentorship, MTF has created a ripple effect – nurturing creators who now stand at the forefront of rewriting African storytelling. From shaping powerful visuals in prime-time shows to reimagining legendary tales, the influence of guidance and shared expertise cannot be understated. At its core, the idea is simple yet profound: when established voices invest in the next generation, new possibilities emerge, industries flourish, and African stories claim their rightful place on the global stage – speaking to both who we are and who we aspire to become.