Roberta Durrant

DURRANT, Roberta (1951-). Started as an actress and stage director and later became a creative director/producer of television and film. She has created and directed/produced several long running, award winning drama series and sitcoms for South African broadcasters. [1]. Director of film and Television production house Penguin Films [2].

Early professional career

Graduated from Stellenbosch University Drama Department in 1971 with a BA degree in Drama. At the time she was a member of the Gisela Taeger-Berger Modern Dance Group. For the first ten years of her career she acted and directed in theatre and film, firstly in South Africa and from 1977 in London where she worked with Steven Berkoff, at the Young Vic Theatre and at The Edinburgh Festival achieving a Fringe First for Don Juan and Pieter-Dirk Uys' Paradise is Closing Down which she directed.

Stage career

As a student she had a role in The Double Face of Love.

Performed in Charley's Aunt, A Community of Two, Let Sleeping Wives Lie, Kismet (with PACT) and in One Away (as “Olwen” for Silhouette Productions). She was a permanent member of PACT from 1976 to 19**. (SACD 1973) (SACD 1977/78)

Stage roles in Faces in the Wall (Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1980), Directed Paradise is Closing Down (Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1978) Edinburgh Festival and London *

Film career

Produced the film Inside Out directed by Neal Sundstrom, 1998.

Stokvel, Zero Tolerance, Willem (1976)

She produced and/or directed sitcoms like Sgudi ‘Snaysi and Stokvel, TV dramas like Home Affairs and the Emmy-nominated Sokhulu and Partners and films like Inside Out and Skilpoppe (Star 18 Sept 2013).

2013 Directed and produced the feature film Felix!.

She directed the film Krotoa in 2017. The film won several international awards.

Awards

1991 Artes nomination for A Sahib in South Africa.

For more information

[3]

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