by Thinus Ferreira
Not even a single press release or media interview done beforehand, or even after a week of ritzing at the French Riviera, but costing South African taxpayers hundreds of thousands of rands, the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is back at the Cannes Film Festival this year after the government last year denied their glitzy overseas jaunt.
After Gayton McKenzie, South Africa's minister of sports, arts and culture in 2025 denied the mismanaged film agency to travel to the French film festival, the NFVF is back in 2026 at Cannes with a large delegation, including acting NFVF CEO Onke Dumeko.
Onke Dumeko has been acting NFVF CEO for nine months at the bucking film agency, funded by tax payers and the department of sports, arts and culture - the 6th CEO figure at the organisation since March 2023.
While South African filmmakers are struggling and local artists and film industry workers are struggling just to get paid, the NFVF is overseas doing ... well, nobody really knows.
The NFVF has failed to engage with media before the 59th Cannes Film Festival trip to announce that a bunch of people would be going, didn't issue any press release, hasn't issued any press releases over the past week of the film festival, and hasn't offered any interviews over Zoom, sent information or canvassed for stories and articles to get publicity for the NFVF, filmmakers and representatives attending.
In 2024, the NFVF was accused of "glamour-tripping" overseas at film markets and festivals and the south of France, doing little in return to justify any practical return on the investment - including people like then council chairperson Tholoana Ncheke-Mahlaela, and then acting CEO Thobela Mayinje for a total of 40 people.
In 2024 the international flights and expensive French accommodation alone cost hundreds of thousands of rands in South African taxpayers' money for people to appear at champagne-filled events on the Riviera.
In 2025, Gayton McKenzie denied the NFVF's travel to the 78th Cannes Film Festival and ordered the NFVF to stay within the NFVF's mandate that 75% of the NFVF's overall budget must be spent on actually making and funding films and content.
Now in 2026 the NFVF is back at Cannes and film industry workers in South Africa are concerned and wondering whether the NFVF is intentionally suppressing consumer and industry-facing PR and large-scale public reporting due to longering institutional fallout from previous funding scandals.
"Is the NFVF actively practicing quiet diplomacy to avoid domestic public scrutiny following a Public Protector report that exposed systematic failures in how the foundation handled and adjudicated millions in funds?" a filmmaker asks.
Another filmmaker says "Because the agency has faced continuous leadership instability and public criticism over its distribution transparency, running a loud, expensive-looking public PR campaign about a trip to the French Riviera would trigger severe domestic backlash from underfunded local artists."
A mention of the NFVF happening to be back at Cannes for the 59th Cannes Film Festival, happens to pop up on the Brand South Africa website, published 6 days ago, making it seem as if the NFVF has effectively outsourced its public relations responsibilities to Brand South Africa.
Rather than issuing standalone press releases, the press release on the Brand South Africa website appears to frame the back-to-Cannes trip as a strictly business-to-business investment mission.
What is the NFVF doing in Cannes? Who has been saying what there is what remarks and who there have done whatexactly? Who exactly is there from South Africa, and why? None of this the NFVF answered beforehand or even after a week there.
In its press release with bizarre wording, inlcuding "the plot thickens in 2026", Brand South Africa exclaims that "Building on the success of last year’s strategic groundwork established by partners of Brand South Africa: National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), Screen International, department of sport, arts and culture, the South African Embassy in France, Wesgro and the Industrial Development and Corporation (IDC), the plot thickens in 2026 as we strengthen SA’s story, highlighting our world-class infrastructure, competitive incentives."
Brand South Africa further gushes: "At the heart of this year’s mission is a distinguished group of filmmakers, producers, and industry leaders identified as the 'Architects of the South African Screen".
"This delegation represents the diverse and multifaceted nature of the nation’s cinematic landscape, bringing together an equilibrium of veterans and fresh creatives who are reshaping how the world perceives African cinema, while leaning into the weight of both audiences."
"Key figures participating in the 2026 Cannes programme include Obett Motaung, Rosetta Mabaso, and Dian Weys," says Brand South Africa.
"The 2026 delegation also features seasoned professionals such as Mark Engels, Steven Markovitz, and Taryn Joffe, whose collective expertise in high-end production and international distribution is vital for securing the global footprints of South African projects."
"They are joined by influential voices like Mbali Mashaba, Firdoze Bulbulia, and Milton Reddy, each of whom brings a unique perspective to the South African story, focusing on everything from cultural heritage to the future of digital media. The inclusion of Babalwa Baartman and Tarina Patel further underscores the industry’s commitment to showcasing both creative depth and commercial glamour on the world stage."
Responding to a media query asking what is actually physically being done, Busisiwe Hobo, NFVF spokesperson, told TVwithThinus that on Sunday 17 May it would "host a networking and signing
ceremony at the SA Pavilion at the Cannes Film Festival".
"A press release
is being finalised as to what will be signed and by whom. It will be
shared with all media soon."
"The South African delegation at the festival is led by the NFVF council chairperson, Leon van Nierop. 21 filmmakers were funded by the NFVF
for travel to attend the festival."
"Of those 21, two were funded to
participate in the spotlight project at Cannes
Docs. Another group of four filmmakers were supported to participate in
the producers network programme."
Asked if there were any opportunities for press to do interviews with NFVF
people or attendees at Cannes to speak about what is being done there, no answer was provided.
