The Tshwane University of Technology’s (TUT) Motion Picture Production (MPP) programme has made its mark on the African student filmmaking stage, winning two of the three categories in the CILECT Prize – CARA Award.
Shimane Kabelo MamashelaTUT claimed the Fiction category with It’s Just a Movie, directed by Shimane Kabelo Mamashela, while George Temba’s The Silent Inheritance took top honours in the Documentary category.
Mamashela is currently enrolled for a Postgraduate Diploma in Motion Picture Production majoring in Cinematography while Temba is an alum who obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in Motion Picture Production in 2025.
The CILECT Prize – CARA Award is organised by the CILECT African Regional Association (CARA) as part of the international CILECT Prize and recognises outstanding student filmmaking in fiction, documentary and animation.
Winners are determined through voting by the wider CILECT community of film schools. Founded in Cannes, France, in 1954, CILECT’s member schools train more than 90 000 students every year across six continents.
For TUT, winning two categories provides valuable international exposure for its student filmmakers and the Motion Picture Production programme, housed in the Department of Visual Communication in the Faculty of Arts and Design. It also places the students’ work before an international community of film schools and educators, adding credibility to their portfolios and strengthening their profiles when submitting work to film festivals.
Directing lecturer Nicolas Sithole said: “Winning both the Fiction and Documentary CARA categories is a strong recognition for the Motion Picture Production Programme.”
George Temba Sithole adds that “the votes come from film schools worldwide, so this is recognition from international and local academics who teach filmmaking, not only from a jury. It shows that our programme can produce work of a high global standard. It also shows that TUT can discover local talent, polish it and make sure the final work meets that international standard.
Winning in two different categories shows strength across more than one form of filmmaking. CILECT’s announcement lists TUT as the winner of both categories in the CARA division, with It’s Just a Movie scoring 10 out of 15 points in Fiction and The Silent Inheritance scoring 9 out of 15 in Documentary.
The prize also showcases the best student short films, which become teaching examples in other schools’ curricula, raising TUT’s visibility on an international level.”
Stories rooted in authentic experiences
At its heart, It’s Just a Movie explores the tension between the purity of creative vision and the messy realities of collaboration. The film questions how far an artist is willing to push for perfection before losing sight of their humanity.
Through relatable relationships, clashing personalities and the unpredictable nature of filmmaking, it reflects on the challenges filmmakers encounter while trying to bring a creative vision to life.
Asked what the recognition means to him, Mamashela said: “For me, recognition simply means building an audience that is interested in my niche. As a filmmaker, I am more concerned with finding people who connect with my stories and perspective than receiving accolades. This recognition is encouraging because it suggests that there is an audience for the kind of cinema I want to make.”
The Silent Inheritance, meanwhile, explores themes of becoming, identity and, more particularly, inheritance. It interrogates what inheritance means for someone who has no tangible wealth, property or material possessions to inherit and considers whether inheritance can instead be found in the values, sacrifices, cultural practices, experiences and lessons passed down by the people and communities that shape us.
Temba said: “What matters most is telling authentic stories. Authenticity knows no borders and I believe that is part of what allowed this work to resonate and be recognised on a global stage. When a story is honest and rooted in something real, its emotional truth can connect with audiences regardless of where they come from.”
Encouragement for aspiring filmmakers
Asked what they believed set their films apart, Mamashela said: “What set It’s Just a Movie apart was our willingness not to play it safe and to tell a story that reflected our own experiences as filmmakers. I hope this recognition inspires aspiring filmmakers to tell genuine stories that matter to them, because sometimes the most compelling stories are the ones closest to us.”
Temba said: “The Silent Inheritance focuses on the process of becoming rather than the familiar journey from struggle to triumph, recognising that the journey itself is worthy of being seen. I hope its success shows aspiring filmmakers at TUT what is possible. Someone who once sat where they are was able to create something that reached such heights. If I could do it, they can too and hopefully go even further.”
Although The Silent Inheritance was a solo project, Temba stressed that it was not created in isolation and acknowledged those who helped him along the way.
“I am deeply grateful to my lecturers at TUT for their guidance and to the community where the film was shot for welcoming and supporting me.”
Mamashela ended with a message for aspiring filmmakers: “No vision or dream is too big. Sometimes the greatest achievement is simply having the courage to begin, even when the odds are against you.”