Roberta produced many of the shows we watched as children, such as “Madame & Eve,” “Stokvel” and “Sugdi Sunaisi.”
One of South Africa's most prolific television creators, the legendary Roberta Durrant, was recently honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the prestigious Silver Skirmish festival.
Durant is the visionary behind many of the shows most of us watched as kids. Madame & Eve, Stokvel, Ring of Lies, Sugudi Sunaisi and Fish FesunsAnd so on, to name just a few.
She has contributed immensely to the entertainment industry for decades and continues to do so with two telenovelas currently on the air. Schemelgrond and Deep WatersHer latest project is Mins Ju Harrewhich recently ended on Showmax.
talk The CitizenDurant reflected on his journey and offered a glimpse into his creative world and future projects.
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Q&A with Roberta Durant
You were recently awarded the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at Silwerskermfees. What does that mean to you personally and professionally?
I was very surprised but also very honored. I especially felt honored to receive this award from kykNET for Silwerskermfees, as I enjoy working with the kykNET team and creating premium content.
You've produced some of South Africa's most loved TV shows – what first got you interested in television and how has your creative inspiration evolved over time?
I started out as an actress and then directed theatre before moving to film and TV about 10 years later. It was a natural progression for me. I'm a storyteller and I love creating characters and their stories.
You've worked on so many iconic films, but are there any themes or stories you haven't explored yet that you'd like to explore?
Sure, there are some, but they have to remain secret until they come true. I love talking about synchronicity and am fascinated by the idea of six degrees of separation. Internal Affairs I'm very interested to know what it was. I also want to make a series like this, and I think we need to make more children's films. One of the highlights of my career is the film “Felix,” which I produced and directed and which was included in various children's film festivals around the world. Children's film festivals are very popular in Europe, and I hope that Africa will also have children's film festivals and allocate more resources to children's films.
Looking back, are there any shows or moments that seem especially meaningful to you?
There are so many, but they are all memorable. I loved making Future Imperfect with Judge Dennis Davis and Khululeka, the first voter education comedy-drama ahead of the transition to democracy in 1994. These were important series to educate and inform South Africans about what the constitution and new government would look like.
What advice would you give to aspiring showrunners and creators looking to make their mark in TV?
“Believe in your content, never give up, and learn your craft. I'm a big believer in Malcolm Gladwell's 10,000-hour rule. To really master your craft, you have to put in the time.”
Can you tell us a bit about your upcoming projects? What can viewers expect from us?
We are constantly busy with new projects, but for now we have to keep them secret.