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Cape Town
32 Jamieson St. Gardens, 8001
Protagonist Studios is a multi award-winning production company based in Cape Town, developing and producing groundbreaking feature films and series.
People
David is a writer and creative producer of fiction feature films. David found
filmmaking to be the perfect mix of the art forms and interests he loves. During
his first year at university in 2009, David gained invaluable experience in the
South African film industry, working on local and international TV commercials.
David has always been in love with cinema, obsessed with the films of
Kubrick, Spielberg, Scorsese, Coppola, Fincher, P. T. Anderson. These masters
inspire David’s approach to storytelling and his focus on thought-provoking,
character-centric narratives that entertain and inspire audiences.
filmmaking to be the perfect mix of the art forms and interests he loves. During
his first year at university in 2009, David gained invaluable experience in the
South African film industry, working on local and international TV commercials.
David has always been in love with cinema, obsessed with the films of
Kubrick, Spielberg, Scorsese, Coppola, Fincher, P. T. Anderson. These masters
inspire David’s approach to storytelling and his focus on thought-provoking,
character-centric narratives that entertain and inspire audiences.
David won a Silver Loerie for the first commercial he produced and directed.
That commercial took him to the Cannes Lions, launching his career as a
commercial director. David won a Gold Loerie for being Brand SA’s Young
Creative 2018. In 2019, David was included in Mail & Guardian’s 200 Young
South Africans in the media category. David’s feature projects: The Day of the
Vow and Bosryer (Bushrider) was selected to participate in Durban Film Mart’s
co-production market. In 2021, he began focusing solely on producing, leaving
advertising behind. He was a co-producer on Robin Goode’s debut feature,
Rust Road.
In 2023, David produced his first feature film, Street Trash, directed by Ryan
Kruger, scheduled for release in 2025. He won a SAFTA for Emerging Filmmaker
and was invited to attend the ZFF Academy Producers Lab at the Zurich Film
Festival 2023. David is a passionate, driven and forward-thinking individual
who believes all media creators have a responsibility to inform and entertain,
to create positive societal change.
Ryan Kruger is a Cape Town-based actor/director who has been making
movies since he was 14 years old. As a winner of SAMA (South African Music Awards), MTV and GOEMA awards Enigma Ace Films and many other wins at major genre festivals around the world for his work on Fried Barry.
movies since he was 14 years old. As a winner of SAMA (South African Music Awards), MTV and GOEMA awards Enigma Ace Films and many other wins at major genre festivals around the world for his work on Fried Barry.
He also recently had 6 nominations including best film and director at the 16th
South African film & Television Awards (SAFTAS) Ryan is widely celebrated
for his outstanding work as a music video director, having directed over 100
music videos. As a director of dozens of internationally-acclaimed short films,
Ryan is known for his distinct visual style and character-driven stories.
His recent debut feature film, FRIED BARRY, was released in 2021 as a
SHUDDER ORIGINAL (AMC). The reception to FRIED BARRY has been
nothing short of explosive, earning over 25 awards at film festivals and award
shows, attaining a “Certified Fresh” on RottenTomatoes and achieving viral
fame in the US; Kruger is a rising star in the genre film world and has just
finished his second film, Street Trash – which is set to Premiere at Rotterdam
in 2025.
SEAN IS A COMPLEX SCREENWRITER, CREATIVE AND CONCEPTUAL
PRODUCER AND INTUITIVE DOCUMENTARY DIRECTOR, THROUGH HIS
OWN BE PHAT MOTEL FILM COMPANY AND WITHIN SOUTH AFRICAN
AND INTERNATIONAL MARKETS.
PRODUCER AND INTUITIVE DOCUMENTARY DIRECTOR, THROUGH HIS
OWN BE PHAT MOTEL FILM COMPANY AND WITHIN SOUTH AFRICAN
AND INTERNATIONAL MARKETS.
His debut feature film Five Fingers for Marseilles premiered at Toronto
International Film Festival, continuing to Fantastic Fest, BFI London
Film Festival, Busan International Film Festival and beyond. His shorts
Sweetheart and Apocalypse Now Now and feature documentaries Lost
Prophets and Outsider have screened extensively at festivals around the
world. His first feature he produced and wrote, Five Fingers for Marseilles
premiered at TIFF and has seen worldwide sales and praise. His slate of
projects in development both as a producer and as a writer includes film
and television for both SA and international industries.
Sean is the former founding manager of the Cape Town chapter of the
shnit Worldwide Shortfilmfestival (2010-2019), which celebrated and
awarded South African and international short films yearly, and he spent ten
years on the festival’s international executive committee, pushing artistic
collaboration and exchange between filmmakers from all around the world.
He is a feature script mentor for the Berlinale Talents Durban campus, has
hosted panels on development, production, finance and distribution around
South Africa and has served on the Writers’ Guild of South Africa’s exco.
Diana, the daughter to missionary parents who traveled across America and
Africa, had the unique experience of learning to grow in diverse new worlds.
Her earliest memories are of her desire to make movies for a captivated
audience. Before she had a camera, she learned to write and draw.
Africa, had the unique experience of learning to grow in diverse new worlds.
Her earliest memories are of her desire to make movies for a captivated
audience. Before she had a camera, she learned to write and draw.
She completed her studies at AFDA Johannesburg, winning Best Film and
Director in her graduation project, then directly entered the commercials
industry as a director’s assistant and storyboard artist under some of South
Africa’s leading directors and producers. She has been a part of the Egg
Films family for the past five years, where she has directed several award
winning short films. Her 2020 science fiction short OASIS released online
after a successful festival run to over 1 million views and was acquired by the
Warner Bros, sci-fi short platform DUST.
Though her talents are sought after for adverts and music videos, Diana
focuses on a path towards narrative projects. Her dream being to helm
high-octane feature films for the African and international markets. Recently
she has been self-funding and producing short films that serve as proof of
concepts for feature-length films. Last year Diana completed her first feature
film “Dinner to Die For” with OC house films. The film premiered at the South
African Independent Film Festival, 2024 and was enjoyed by our fully booked
out paying audience. It is currently continuing its festival and theatrical run.
I am the son of a Thai mother and an Indian father. Born in South Africa,
I grew up in a small mining town in rural Kwazulu Natal called Newcastle.
It wasn’t an easy childhood to say the least, growing up a mix-race kid
in apartheid, and early post-apartheid South Africa. Movies became my
escape. They were my safe space, and as an outsider it was somewhere I
felt like I could belong. And it’s for this reason that I was drawn to filmmaking.
I grew up in a small mining town in rural Kwazulu Natal called Newcastle.
It wasn’t an easy childhood to say the least, growing up a mix-race kid
in apartheid, and early post-apartheid South Africa. Movies became my
escape. They were my safe space, and as an outsider it was somewhere I
felt like I could belong. And it’s for this reason that I was drawn to filmmaking.
I loved the idea of being able to tell stories that people could escape to.
When I left school I started studying medicine at university, but broke my
parents’ hearts by dropping out in my second year on account of too much
drinking and too little studying. I then spent 10years working as a creative
in top tier agencies like JWT, Y&R, Ireland/Davenport, and BBDO, where
got a bunch of awards (Loeries, Cannes, and D&AD).
I left agency life in 2015 to finally pursue my lifelong dream of directing. An
itch that started the first time I watched Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the
Third kind. I joined award-winning commercials production company Patriot
Films in 2018 where honed my skills and developed a unique cinematic
visual style, and a knack for performance. I have produced some amazing
work, for some pretty amazing brands and musicians, a few shorts, and
have won a couple of awards for a couple of them along the way. I feel the
time is right for me to step up into features.
Peter Smuts is a filmmaker based in Cape Town, South Africa. At 17, he
attended the African Film and Drama Academy (AFDA), where he graduated
in 2011 with a BA in Motion Picture Medium.
attended the African Film and Drama Academy (AFDA), where he graduated
in 2011 with a BA in Motion Picture Medium.
Over the past 15 years, Peter has built a diverse career in the Cape Town
film industry, working across various technical departments. Currently, he
serves as a Focus Puller and Motion Control Specialist. His experience
spans the full spectrum of the industry, from large-scale studio productions
like Mad Max: Fury Road and Avengers: Age of Ultron to micro-budget
independent shoots.
In 2016, Peter merged his passion for cinema and storytelling with his
hands-on experience, beginning to write, direct, and produce his own short
films. His debut short, Under The Rainbow, won Best Short Film at the 2020
South African Independent Film Festival, while his second, Delight, was a
finalist at the 2021 Los Angeles Film Awards.
He is currently in the final stages of completing his third short film,
Color of Dreams, which also serves as a proof of concept for a feature film
script he has written.
Raven Swart’s love for Film & TV blossomed in high school when he acted
in plays, notably as a featured character in the classic musical Little Shop
of Horrors. This experience ignited his passion for performance, leading
him to AFDA Cape Town, where he explored various disciplines including
directing, writing, and producing. He ultimately majored in Acting & Live
Performance with a minor in Screenwriting, earning Honours and winning
Best Actor in his 3rd and 4th years.
in plays, notably as a featured character in the classic musical Little Shop
of Horrors. This experience ignited his passion for performance, leading
him to AFDA Cape Town, where he explored various disciplines including
directing, writing, and producing. He ultimately majored in Acting & Live
Performance with a minor in Screenwriting, earning Honours and winning
Best Actor in his 3rd and 4th years.
During his studies, Raven also wrote several short films, honing his skills in
storytelling and scriptwriting. This allowed him to experiment with different
genres and narratives, further fueling his understanding in how strong
writing can yield truthful and compelling performances. He continues to
write and develop projects, always seeking new and compelling stories to
bring to life. Entering the film industry in 2013, Raven spent the next decade
acting in numerous Film & TV productions and commercials, both local and
international. His credits include Snaaks Genoeg, Grzimek, Dark Tower,
Shepherds & Butchers, Revelation Road, and most recently, Boetie Boer.
Alongside his acting career, Raven worked as a camera operator and video
editor on small-scale content productions at Handsome Content. This dual
role provided him with a holistic understanding of filmmaking, deepening
his passion and respect for the craft. Raven hopes to continue his journey in
filmmaking, aspiring to create his own projects and contribute to the growth
of the local industry, capitalizing on the potential of South African stories.
With a love for story telling which crossing between the stage and the
screen, Siya Mayola is a South African award-winning actor and director.
He started theatre making in Port Elizabeth, but moved to Cape Town
pursuing his love for cinema by attending AFDA Cape Town, being exposed
to all aspects of filmmaking. During his fourth year he started working as
a professional actor and would go on to be involved in stage, film and
television projects that would appeal to a variety of audiences winning
awards.
screen, Siya Mayola is a South African award-winning actor and director.
He started theatre making in Port Elizabeth, but moved to Cape Town
pursuing his love for cinema by attending AFDA Cape Town, being exposed
to all aspects of filmmaking. During his fourth year he started working as
a professional actor and would go on to be involved in stage, film and
television projects that would appeal to a variety of audiences winning
awards.
Inspired by other actor/directors like Spike Lee, Kenneth Branagh, Jordan
Peele, Tyler Perry and Indeed Clint Eastwood, Mayola has a desire to
contribute to the conversation of telling different and new African stories
that can reach a global audience whilst helping to develop an industry
within the Eastern Cape of South Africa.
In 2013 he directed a self-funded short film, Red Serenity, which won best
short film at CVC Media Comp. Since then he has self funded some proof
of concepts shorts to express the vision that he has been developing from
his multiple narrative projects. His greatest dream is to help establish the
Eastern Cape as a filming destination for South Africa and indeed the global
film family.
Profile
Street Trash (Feature)
IFFR (Rotterdam Film Festival)
Official Selection
2025
My Protector (Feature)
Berlinale Talents
Shortlisted Project
2024
Bosryer (Feature)
Writers Guild of South Africa
Finalist – Best Short Script
2024
David Franciscus
SAFTAS (SA Film & TV Awards)
Emerging Filmmaker
2023
David Franciscus
ZFF (Zurich Film Festival)
Producers Lab Alumni
2023
My Beskermer (Short)
Fantasia Fantastic Fest
Official Selection
2023
My Beskermer (Short)
IMAX
Special Presentation – Pride Month
2023
My Beskermer (Short)
Manchester International Film Festival
Official Selection
2023
My Beskermer (Short)
South African Indie Film Fest
Best Short Winner
2022
My Beskermer (Short)
Silwerskermfees
Best Director Winner; Special Mention Winner; Best Short Nomination
2022
Big in Berlin (Short)
South African Indie Film Fest
Official Selection
2022
Bosryer (Feature)
Durban Film Mart
Project Pitch Winner
2022
Bosryer (Short)
FAME Week Shorts
Official Selection
2022
David Franciscus
Mail & Guardian 200 Young South Africans
Film & Media Professional
2019
David Franciscus
48 Hour Film Project Cape Town
Best Producer Winner
2019
David Franciscus
Loeries
Brand South Africa (under 27) Winner; Gold Loerie
2018
Teach a Man to Fish (Short)
Durban International Film Festival
Official Selection
2017
Aromat (Commercial)
Loeries
Silver Loerie Winner
2016
Aromat (Commercial)
Cannes
MOFILM Whale Tail Winner
2016