Graaf Reinet sits quietly in the expanse of the Great Karoo but this town has an export of sound and visual expertise that is taking Africa by storm and placing the continent squarely on the international map of entertainment.
Nolubabalo Mcinga has worked tirelessly to bring light and hopes to communities across Africa and she does this through the art of filmmaking. Nolubabalo is not only a patron of the arts but she is at the coalface of the film industry in Africa.
The Eastern Cape has been a springboard for the filmmaker and she is actively engaging with international brands and organizations and is the first female film director to emerge from the Eastern Cape.
Mcinga has released her most recent work with the backing and support of the Nelson Mandela Museum – Dr. Vuyani Booi who is the Chief Executive Officer of the museum and holds the keys to the project that creates employment for over fifty filmmakers of the future was filled with pride when addressing the audience that was gathered to view the short film, Nelson.
Mcinga’s latest work embodies the principles, values, and vision of the museum and the film created opportunities for all involved as she brought the youth together for this uplifting project and story.
Mcinga is intent on bringing light to the dark and fixing the broken. She is all about empowering those around her and her mission is global as she seeks to tell African stories and produce African films.
Sithembile Xalo is an example of Mcinga’s action plan after Mcinga partly funded his first film.
“I am delighted and honoured to be used as a vessel of empowering youth globally not just in my province,” Mcinga said.
The Nelson Mandela museum was instrumental in the post-production phase of the film Nelson, however, most of Mcinga’s projects are self-funded and are not reliant on government funding. Nelson has been produced to Netflix standards and if Mcinga had deeper pockets this film could easily have achieved the status of a top feature film in the country!
Mcinga plans to rebirth Ubuntu and Africanism through filmmaking, fashion, and engaging with Nollywood film companies and top international actors. There is no stopping this woman of substance as she opens up exchange programs and organizes skills transfer workshops while she brings a beacon of light to the hopeful youth of this country and the balance of Africa.
Mcinga has been appointed as an ambassador to Afropolitan casuals in Nigeria and Nolubabalo is grateful for Eastern Cape and Provincial Arts and Culture and the Nelson Mandela Museum in her latest project.
Mcinga shared with Eastern Cape Rising Sun that her next empowerment film projects will be in Congo-Brazzaville and in Nigeria. Nolubabalo Mcinga is on a mission and certainly, a servant of God disguised as an author, businesswoman, and philanthropist as she describes herself on her social media.
