Lionel Ngakane
Encyclopedia
Lionel Ngakane was a South Africa
n filmmaker.
Ngakane was educated at Fort Hare University College and Wits University, and worked on Drum and Zonk magazines from 1948 to 1950. In 1950 he began his career in film as an assistant director and actor in the film version of Cry, the Beloved Country
, directed by Zoltan Korda
. Shortly thereafter he went into exile in the United Kingdom
where he appeared on the television spy series Danger Man
(Deadline, 1962) with Patrick McGoohan
. He later returned to South Africa after the end of apartheid in 1994.
He is best remembered for his short film, "Jemima and Johnny" (1965), inspired by riots in Notting Hill
. It won awards at the Venice
and Rimini
film festivals. He also directed documentaries on apartheid and Africa
n development, and was later elected honorary president of the Pan-African Federation of Filmmakers. In 1997 he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Natal
.
In 2003 he was awarded the South African The Order of Ikhamanga in Silver for his outstanding achievement in the field of movie-making and contribution to the development of the film industry in South Africa and on the continent.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n filmmaker.
Ngakane was educated at Fort Hare University College and Wits University, and worked on Drum and Zonk magazines from 1948 to 1950. In 1950 he began his career in film as an assistant director and actor in the film version of Cry, the Beloved Country
Cry, the Beloved Country (1951 film)
Cry, the Beloved Country is a 1951 British drama film directed by Zoltán Korda. Based on the novel of the same name by Alan Paton, it stars Canada Lee and Charles Carson.-Selected cast:*Canada Lee as Stephen Kumalo*Charles Carson as James Jarvis...
, directed by Zoltan Korda
Zoltán Korda
Zoltan Korda was a Hungarian-born motion picture screenwriter, director and producer.Born Zoltán Kellner, Kellner Zoltán in Hungarian name order, of Jewish heritage in Pusztatúrpásztó, Túrkeve in Hungary , he was the middle brother of filmmakers Alexander and Vincent Korda.Zoltan Korda went to...
. Shortly thereafter he went into exile in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
where he appeared on the television spy series Danger Man
Danger Man
Danger Man is a British television series that was broadcast between 1960 and 1962, and again between 1964 and 1968. The series featured Patrick McGoohan as secret agent John Drake. Ralph Smart created the program and wrote many of the scripts...
(Deadline, 1962) with Patrick McGoohan
Patrick McGoohan
Patrick Joseph McGoohan was an American-born actor, raised in Ireland and England, with an extensive stage and film career, most notably in the 1960s television series Danger Man , and The Prisoner, which he co-created...
. He later returned to South Africa after the end of apartheid in 1994.
He is best remembered for his short film, "Jemima and Johnny" (1965), inspired by riots in Notting Hill
Notting Hill
Notting Hill is an area in London, England, close to the north-western corner of Kensington Gardens, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea...
. It won awards at the Venice
Venice Film Festival
The Venice International Film Festival is the oldest international film festival in the world. Founded by Count Giuseppe Volpi in 1932 as the "Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica", the festival has since taken place every year in late August or early September on the island of the...
and Rimini
Rimini
Rimini is a medium-sized city of 142,579 inhabitants in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, and capital city of the Province of Rimini. It is located on the Adriatic Sea, on the coast between the rivers Marecchia and Ausa...
film festivals. He also directed documentaries on apartheid and Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n development, and was later elected honorary president of the Pan-African Federation of Filmmakers. In 1997 he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Natal
University of Natal
The University of Natal was a university in Natal, and later KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, that is now part of the University of KwaZulu-Natal. It was founded in 1910 as the Natal University College in Pietermaritzburg, and expanded to include a campus in Durban in 1931. In 1947, the university...
.
In 2003 he was awarded the South African The Order of Ikhamanga in Silver for his outstanding achievement in the field of movie-making and contribution to the development of the film industry in South Africa and on the continent.