Reimagining Tragedy from Africa and the Global South

Jannous Nkululeko Aukema

Jannous

Aukema

Jannous Nkululeko Aukema is a filmmaker and composer based in South Africa. He has worked in a wide range of genres and forms, from narrative fiction to documentary, theatre and multi-media installation. His past projects as writer-director include the short narrative film, 'Until The Silence Comes' (2018 - 24min), and the short documentary film 'Deliver Me' (2021 - 30min, Winner ‘Best South African Documentary Short’ AHRFF). His films have screened at a variety of prestigious film festivals, including Aesthetica Short Film Festival, Encounters South African International Documentary Festival, Shnit International Short Film Festival and Cairo International Film Festival, amongst others.

As an interdisciplinary artist, his sonic audio work alongside Haroon Gunnn-Salie received critical acclaim, including winning the coveted FNB Art Prize for his sonic multimedia installation work, 'Senzenina' (2018 - 16min), which explores the 2012 Marikana massacre of miners through a sonic narrative combining archive, choral and string composition and sound design. Jannous also works full time as a film score and theatre composer. He has received critical acclaim for his soundtracks on films such as 'Everything Must Fall' (2018, IDFA, ‘Best Sound’ SAFTA) and 'How To Steal A Country' (2021, IDFA, ‘Best Sound’ SAFTA) and theatre work 'A Howl In Makhanda' (awarded Fleur du Cap 2021 for best soundtrack). His work pivots around the themes of ancestral memory, social-justice, migration and post- coloniality.