Meet Our Team
Her televison drama series have received international recognition including:
Finalist Drama International Emmy (Sokhulu and Partners– 2009)
Semi-finalist Drama International Emmy Awards (Home Affairs– 2006)
Finalist Banff Canada (Home Affairs- 2007)
Rose d’Or Switzerland (Home Affairs- 2007)
Finalist Drama International Emmy Awards (Home Affairs– 2007)
Second Prize Best Sitcom Golden Rose Awards Switzerland (Madam & Eve– 2002)
Runner-up Sitcom in International Emmy Awards New York (Stokvel – 2004)
Her filmography includes:
Felix (Won 17 International Awards inclusding TIFF Kids Festival Young People’s Jury Award for Best Feature Film in 2014; Audience Choice Award at Durban International Film Festival in South Africa, in 2013; Lucas award for Best Film at the Lucas International Children’s Film Festival in Frankfurt, Germany;
Inside Out (successfully distributed by Ster Kinekor and Icon Entertainment);
Skilpoppe (Mnet Movie of the Month)
Ingoma (Won 6 SAFTAs 2016 for best Made for TV Film)
Krotoa (distributed by Ster Kinekor and Shoreline Entertainment) Winner of 9 international awards including Best Film at the Harlem International Film Festival and The Montreal International Black Film festival.
After his graduation he started working as a Junior Producer in the advertising industry. He has to date production managed and coordinated 29 commercials, line produced the music duo Cassettes documentary, produced 6 music videos for Terraplane, as well as for international artists Like Faze, Dare and Buffalo Soulja from Nigeria, produced a 2 hour multi camera promotional DVD at the Standard bank arena for Masters of Rhythm, produced the second season of the reality magazine show Mikasi Sukasi which was on air on SABC 1 in 2015/16. He’s a technical director for reality shows such as Big Brother Africa/Nigeria and Mzansi, he was the production manager on Ring of Lies season 1 and 2 and is currently producing Disney Cookabout, an international co production between Disney UK and Penguin Films. He also sits on the evaluation panel for the KwaZulu Natal film commission.
The previous 4 years working at Penguin and Paw Paw has placed Sheena in a beneficial role in the industry as she could learn and be mentored by Roberta Durrant and find her way into Producing. She now oversees and gets involved in all funding applications for all new projects, budgets, cost reports and pitching concepts to broadcasters.
Thereafter she spent just under 2 years at a popular local soapie (Suidooster) working in production as a coordinator and scheduler. She has participated in 2 Silwerskermfees competitions and was part of the team that won best short film at the 2017 Silwerskermfees for the 24 minute short; Soldaat. In 2019 her journey at Penguin films began and since her introduction to the company she has been presented with numerous opportunities to grow creatively and especially within the field of production. She has recently line produced her first Penguin films production, a 13-part drama for kykNET, which is due to air next year. She is a budding creative producer who has the privilege of being mentored by Roberta Durrant and is keen to contribute to the future successes of Penguin films in her capacity as producer and shareholder.
In 2018, Julia went independent and wrote and directed her debut short, “Far From The Castle.” She is currently editing her second short, has a series in development inspired by “Far From The Castle,” and is writing and set to direct her first feature based on the true story and book by Jean Marx-Engelbrecht, “Huberta: The Untold Story.”
Julia is stirred by psychological, offbeat narratives that are brought to life through unusual micro-universes and lyrical imagery. There’s a mischievous undercurrent in her work, alluding to the complex nature of the human condition. Julia’s worlds run parallel to our own, often opening a window into the darker sides of our nature. Her audiences may be lulled in, but it’s not long before their abruptly catapulted out, oftentimes through harsh lessons learned.
Julia has an MBA from the University of Oxford (Dean’s List), a Masters in Global Governance (Cum Laude), a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, Politics, & Economics, and a diploma in Filmmaking from the New York Film Academy. Julia is an advisor to The Wellbeing Project, an NGO focused on the development of inner prosperity.
After emigrating to South Africa 1980 he worked at the SABC as a cinematographer. He was a founder member of Penguin Films in 1982 and worked as their resident Director of Photography. Uwe has filmed many of Penguin Films’ award winning documentaries most notably the award winning profile documentaries on Sheila Cussons, Paul du Toit, Pierneef, Richard van der Ross, A Sahib in South Africa ( SABC and the BBC). More recently a documentary film on Krotoa and the Bulhoek Massacre. He has also filmed on many of Penguin Films’ award winning drama series most notably Khululeka the voter education comedy series which was on air over for over a decade.
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