Young Thokoza filmmakers make their return to the International Youth Film Festival in Paris

Arts and Creative Industries

After making history as the first South Africans to represent at the International Youth Film Festival—Le Cinéma, cent ans de jeunesse (CCAJ)—with support from IFAS in June 2024, the youth of Cinema TAKE made a return to the international stage this year with their latest short film, THANDO !.

The film is a haunting, symbolic exploration of ambition, loyalty, and the tension between individual ego and collective identity. It follows the story of NoSizwe, a young actress pursuing fame who distances herself from her close friend Thando and defies her theatre group. Her rejection of community sets off a chain of unsettling events, forcing her to confront the psychological cost of her choices.

This June, young filmmakers Katiso Mthembu, Athenkosi Masikwana, and Anele Gamane represented the collective in Paris, where they presented THANDO ! alongside peers aged 7 to 18 from around the world. Produced in collaboration with the Windybrow Arts Centre’s young actors, the film impressed not only for its artistic quality but also through the insight and composure the trio demonstrated in their questions and presentations during the CCAJ.

Stay tuned for more on the South African premier of THANDO ! on Wednesday, 1 October 2025, at the Delta Park Theatre.
See TV5MONDE’s coverage of Cinema TAKE at the 2025 CCAJ (in French) here

Cinema TAKE is a collaborative project with Of Soul & Joy (OSJ), with funding support from Rubis Mécénat.

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