Shameela Seedat is a human rights law specialist turned filmmaker from South Africa. Since she began documentary filmmaking, Seedat has been commissioned by various local and international television stations. “Whispering Truth to Power” is her feature-length debut.
“Whispering Truth to Power” will premiere at the 2018 Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Film Festival on April 27.
W&H: Describe the film for us in your own words.
SS: “Whispering Truth to Power” tells the dramatic story of Thuli Madonsela, South Africa’s first female Public Protector. It’s an official position similar to an Ombud. Madonsela fought against corruption amongst the country’s most powerful politicians at great personal cost.
The film is part portrait; we see her as a boss, mother, and public hero. It also plays out as a gripping political drama — Madonsela ends her last year in office with a dramatic final battle against the country’s President, who has been accused of colluding with a wealthy family to “capture the state.”
W&H: What drew you to this story?
SS: Two main things. Firstly, I wanted to explore a woman in public office who had been confronting abuses of power at the highest levels in South Africa, and who was seen as a game-changer for accountability and governance. The second thing is that the story of Madonsela and her office reveals critical faults in South Africa 23 years after democracy. [I was keen to explore] race and redress for past wrongs.
W&H: What do you want people to think about when they are leaving the theater?
SS: I think that it’s up to them to chose a theme, character, scene, or even just a moment in the film to ponder further in their own way. But I suppose that I would also like people to somehow get closer to the current situation in South Africa through a human experience.
The film presents universal themes that I hope people, whatever country they may be in, can reflect upon: mother and daughter relationships, inter-generational struggles, societies’ battle worldwide for a fairer and more equal society, and accountability of elected leaders.
W&H: What was the biggest challenge in making the film?
SS: The process of gaining access to film at the Public Protector Office in South Africa was a very complex and lengthy one. And even after we obtained formal permission, the mechanics of actually filming were very unpredictable, and at times I wondered whether the film would ever get made. Madonsela is also a busy person. Her schedule often changes and most cases dealt with by her and her team are confidential.
My instinct as a filmmaker meant that I wanted to film everything; see cases as they develop, observe office dynamics, personal moments, see her with her family, how the media deals with her, how people use her for their own ends, and so on. But we would often turn up at the office and the day’s plan had completely changed, and she was nowhere to be seen — it was impossible to keep to a filming schedule.
But once I re-calibrated to a more zen approach, the possibility of actually having a film at the end became clear. And in some ways, I think it worked to the film’s advantage — we were forced to stand back, observe, think, reflect, talk to her colleagues, spend time with her children, and gauge people’s feelings who came into the office. I think that the challenges ended up making it a richer experience.
W&H: How did you get your film funded? Share some insights into how you got the film made.
SS: Fifty percent of the film was self-funded through deferrals and unpaid work. The other 50 percent was through generous grant funding.
W&H: What does it mean for you to have your film play at Hot Docs?
SS: I am thrilled to have my film premiere at one of the most prestigious documentary film festivals in the world. Hot Docs offers excellent exposure, great audiences and discussions, world-class cinema, and the opportunity to interact with other filmmakers.
W&H: What’s the best and worst advice you’ve received?
SS: Worst advice: “Audiences aren’t that open to new ideas and approaches.”
Best advice: During a few extended periods when I was having great difficulty getting hold of my main character, when filming arrangements never worked out, and when it seemed that the film was hitting a brick wall, my producer husband presented it as a great thing for the final film and urged me to follow my basic instinct to pursue the story despite setbacks. Apparently, “the more difficult a character is to get hold of, and to film, the more creative or valuable that final film could end up being. So keep going.”
W&H: What advice do you have for other female directors?
SS: Never feel intimidated, and continue doing what you do with passion and with fresh eyes. Idealism helps. It’s easy to be put down or be put off in this industry, and I feel that one has to consciously fight against that.
W&H: Name your favorite woman-directed film and why.
SS: There are quite a few favorites, but if I am forced to chose just one on this particular day, I would say Pirjo Honkasalo’s “The 3 Rooms of Melancholia.” It has such few words but brings across such great emotion, poetry, and empathy on the difficult subject matter of children and war.
W&H: Hollywood and the global film industry are in the midst of undergoing a major transformation. Many women — and some men — in the industry are speaking publicly about their experiences being assaulted and harassed. What are your thoughts on the #TimesUp movement and the push for equality in the film business?
SS: I think that it is very significant that that they have broken the veil of glamour around cinema. There are so many obstacles to women — and other minority or neglected groups — succeeding in the film business, and it is also very promising that the call for greater equality is being taken up by progressive film programmers and financiers.
Going forward, we need to keep the momentum. We can’t become complacent. Stay vigilant. In every situation we should [bear in mind] how this or that perpetuates inequality in all its manifestations.
