For rising South African filmmaker Ma-Afrika Setona, the film journey began at a young age. It was shaped by an early encounter with the entertainment industry, which ultimately sparked a determination to tell stories of her own.
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Speaking to BONA in an exclusive interview, Ma-Afrika opened up about her filmmaking journey, studying internationally, the differences between South Africa and Los Angeles, and her desire to use film to tackle some of the country’s most pressing social issues.
An early introduction to the arts
Ma-Afrika’s interest in the entertainment industry was first sparked through a learnership programme offered at her school. The programme exposed her to theatre, the arts and television over the course of a year.
However, one of her earliest defining moments came when she was just 13 years old, when she attended her first elevator pitch at one of South Africa’s biggest broadcasting agencies.
Although she was rejected, the experience left a lasting impression.
“After getting rejected, there was a flame ignited in me which led me to ultimately pursue film later after graduating high school,” Ma-Afrika told BONA.
Rather than allowing the rejection to discourage her, the experience strengthened her determination to pursue a career in the film industry.
Believing in the strongest possibilities
Despite the progress she has made, Ma-Afrika says she does not believe she has reached the peak of her journey yet.
“Honestly no, and I believe I still have a long way to go,” she says when reflecting on whether she has achieved the success she once envisioned.
However, she has always carried a strong belief in herself and her potential.
Ma-Afrika decided to attend an international film school, an investment that further strengthened her belief in her ability to achieve her ambitions.
“I did always have an underlying belief in myself that it has to work out for me regardless,” she explained.
She remains determined to make her breakthrough debut feature film — one that she believes could “take the world by storm.”
“Somehow always believing in the biggest things always made me understand what I can truly achieve and that I have no limit,” she says.
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Finding opportunity in Los Angeles
Ma-Afrika’s experiences in the South African and Los Angeles film industries have also given her a different perspective on what it takes to succeed.
While the two environments have their differences, she says one of the biggest lessons she learned was that not everything is readily available in South Africa, meaning aspiring creatives often have to work harder to get what they want.
Rather than seeing this entirely as a disadvantage, Ma-Afrika found motivation in it.
“I saw it as encouragement to push even harder out in Los Angeles because finding comfort in things being readily available for me should not put me at ease,” she says.
For Ma-Afrika, remaining uncomfortable can serve as motivation to continue striving for more.
Her experiences on film sets in both countries also highlighted differences in filming regulations. She found that South Africa can be less restrictive regarding certain filming rules, depending on the location, which made it easier for her to execute some of her creative ideas.
“I found my process on what I wanted to achieve in South Africa way easier,” she said.
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Using film to tell South African stories
At the heart of Ma-Afrika’s filmmaking is a desire to tell stories that reflect the realities South Africans face. One issue particularly close to her heart is gender-based violence (GBV).
Ma-Afrika says the real-life stories unfolding across the country continue to inspire her work, particularly as communities lose loved ones and grapple with the devastating consequences of violence.
Her project Troubled Child is rooted in this reality.
The story, which explores gender-based violence, began as an idea when Ma-Afrika was just 13 years old. Years later, the issue remains painfully relevant.
For Ma-Afrika, film is more than entertainment. It is a platform through which she can advocate for change and give attention to issues affecting communities.
“I want to advocate through a medium I know best, which is film, hence Troubled Child,” she explains.
Creating opportunities for others
Ma-Afrika is also determined not to wait for opportunities to come to her. Instead, she is creating her own.
“I figured I would stop waiting around for an opportunity to find me, so I created one and hope to create many more for other individuals,” she says.
Her company is part of that vision, with Ma-Afrika hoping it will represent the idea that circumstances do not have to determine a person’s future.
“I want the company to represent the hope of always turning any circumstance or situation to favour you,” she explains.
For the filmmaker, creativity can be found everywhere, even in difficult circumstances. She wants to encourage people to discover their creativity and reignite a passion for the arts that may have been left dormant.
As she continues to develop her career and work towards her debut feature, Ma-Afrika’s journey reflects the determination of a young filmmaker who has been dreaming big since childhood.
From a rejection at 13 to international film school and developing stories rooted in South African realities, Ma-Afrika is proving that sometimes a closed door can be the spark that inspires you to build your own.
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