Kenneth Gwele
- Additional Crew
- Cinematographer
- Camera and Electrical Department
Kenneth was born in the small mid-western university town of Columbia, Missouri, in the United States and raised in Durban, South Africa. Throughout his tertiary education, Kenneth worked at a local boutique video rental shop, which specialized in Art-house, Indie, Cult and Foreign film, exposing him to a plethora of film and fine tuning his taste, eye and understanding of the narrative language of film. With the completion of his National Diploma in Film and Televsion Production, the film industry beckoned. His first job out of tertiary was as Camera Assistant and VT Operator on the acclaimed Madoda Ncayiyana feature film, Izulu Lami (My Secret Sky), a baptism of fire which turned out to be a tremendous learning experience. Pretty soon after Izulu Lami wrapped, Kenneth was snatched up by prominent wildlife documentary production company Earth Touch. After a year and a half as a C.A.R operator and media manager at Earth Touch, lacking creative stimulation, Kenneth decided to return to his studies and achieve a Bachelors Degree.
Having already seen his work, such as his short film Lucifer, make it to national broadcast, 2011 saw Safe and Clean, a 40min short film Kenneth wrote, produced, directed, shot and edited for the practical production module of his Bachelors, being awarded Best Production and receiving a Certificate of Excellence in Scriptwriting. The same film went on to be selected for the Durban International Film Festival in 2011 and swept up the three top awards at the eThekwini Film Awards in 2013, Best Director, Best Film and Best Student Film. Kenneth's relationship with the Durban International Film Festival didn't end with Safe and Clean as he was called upon to Judge the festival's Short Film category in 2014.
In 2013 Kenneth founded Mulatto Films and decided to join forces with friends and fellow filmmakers, Akona Matyila and Gav Letsoalo, so they may work together towards their common dream, making films.
Kenneth then tried his hand music video production, quickly becoming a highly sought after music video director in Durban. This would see him working with the likes of Dreamteam, AKA, Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Yvonne Chaka Chaka. He was able to apply his music video skills to producing event video's and aftermovies for the some of the most popular monthly youth events and concerts in South Africa and even international acts such as Rae Sremmurd, Schoolboy Q and Rick Ross. 2017 saw Kenneth DOP his first feature film, Fragments of Imperfection.
As one third of Mulatto Films, with several film projects at various stages development, he now sets his sights firmly on his first love and future as a filmmaker.
Having already seen his work, such as his short film Lucifer, make it to national broadcast, 2011 saw Safe and Clean, a 40min short film Kenneth wrote, produced, directed, shot and edited for the practical production module of his Bachelors, being awarded Best Production and receiving a Certificate of Excellence in Scriptwriting. The same film went on to be selected for the Durban International Film Festival in 2011 and swept up the three top awards at the eThekwini Film Awards in 2013, Best Director, Best Film and Best Student Film. Kenneth's relationship with the Durban International Film Festival didn't end with Safe and Clean as he was called upon to Judge the festival's Short Film category in 2014.
In 2013 Kenneth founded Mulatto Films and decided to join forces with friends and fellow filmmakers, Akona Matyila and Gav Letsoalo, so they may work together towards their common dream, making films.
Kenneth then tried his hand music video production, quickly becoming a highly sought after music video director in Durban. This would see him working with the likes of Dreamteam, AKA, Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Yvonne Chaka Chaka. He was able to apply his music video skills to producing event video's and aftermovies for the some of the most popular monthly youth events and concerts in South Africa and even international acts such as Rae Sremmurd, Schoolboy Q and Rick Ross. 2017 saw Kenneth DOP his first feature film, Fragments of Imperfection.
As one third of Mulatto Films, with several film projects at various stages development, he now sets his sights firmly on his first love and future as a filmmaker.