Miki Redelinghuys (South Africa)
Miki is a documentary filmmaker and co-founder of Plexus Films, who is passionate about the power of storytelling for change. She is Climate Story Lab Southern Africa Co-director and Program Director of the University of Cape Town Sunshine Cinema Film Impact course.
Miki gives a brief overview of her journey as an impact producer and shares some valuable resources.
You can find links to The Impact Field Guide and the STEPS Impact Toolkit, mentioned by Miki, in the list of external resources at the end of the module.
Let’s unpack some of the more challenging aspects of impact work. No matter how huge or overwhelming the context of your film’s issue may seem, it’s essential to recognize what activists and organizers are already doing on the ground and to educate yourself about the ongoing work, existing communities, and available resources. Constantly aligning your priorities with social change can be difficult at times — but it is possible.
How do you stay inclusive when working with participants? How do you follow the truth all the way through, even when it means listening to perspectives you don’t necessarily agree with? What tools can help you achieve maximum publicity and visibility? Should impact goals be remapped over time? And finally — what alliances are necessary to make that happen? Miki addresses these questions through the case study of Mother City.
If you’re actively building your impact campaign, use the Course Journal to turn ideas from this module into concrete steps.
Climate Story Lab Southern Africa — A residential lab that brings together climate experts, activists and creatives to develop effective stories and engagement strategies to inspire meaningful action
Durban FilmMart — A non-profit company that facilitates local and international trade and investment in African film content
UCT Film Impact Facilitator Course — An online course on using film as a tool for social change, offered by Sunshine Cinema and the University of Cape Town
The Impact Field Guide — A collection of ideas, tools, and examples intended to support filmmakers and their films to contribute to positive change in society
The STEPS Impact Toolkit — A practical guide by STEPS: a Southern Africa-based media organization designed for creating social change through film. It features the This Land case study, written by Miki Redelinghuys; the link can be found on page 28.
Download the slides from this module to review the key insights anytime.
All images, film clips, posters, and stills are used for non-commercial educational purposes only and are included solely for critical commentary and teaching. All copyrights in the underlying films and promotional materials belong to their respective rights holders.
