to skin a cat documentary
To Skin a Cat won a SAFTA for best directorial achievement (Colwyn Thomas, Greg Lomas) as well as winning the award for the best film in the crime category at the Wildlife Conservation Film Festival. Without much budget, it was a passion project on which a lot of people worked countless unpaid hours to get the films important message out there. As the producer I worked on many aspects of the production from having an input into the narrative structure, through to raising funds from the DFO for the film's completion. Along the way I consulted and befriended Russel Hlongwane, a Zulu intellectual who eventually became an associate producer on the film. Among other important contributions he helped secure an interview with the acclaimed Shembe historian and author Reverend Mpanza who's take on the issues at hand was crucial in balancing the narrative. In his words, "if there is an alternative to using real leopard skins, then let us go for it!"