Having grown up in Durban Johannesburg while maintaining close ties to my family in rural areas in KwaZulu-Natal, eNquthu, to be specific. Melusi is, for me, a search for self and this tussle of a place that I’m connected to beyond simply the physical. This is where I’ve written most of my work and has proven to be a great source of inspiration that has enabled me to pour into my work. This connection I share with the world that I can’t quite articulate; it exists somewhere between memory and longing. This story is my attempt to find myself within those ruminations about home , who I am and what my relationship to that place truly means. Earlier this year, I had the privilege of attending FESPACO in Burkina Faso and I watched how the city of Ouagadougou halted for the experience and celebration of African cinema. An experience that re-affirmed my desire to tell stories that center African lives with honesty and depth. It reminded me of the importance of African cultural narratives that represent people in their nuances and true forms free from the undertones of trying to appeal to Eurocentric gazes or palettes as markers of cinematic brilliance. I am making Melusi for myself and for my people, for a world where we as Africans, as Zulu people, can simply exist on screen in our fullness. I want this film to hold space for authenticity, tenderness, and being. That is what I hope to achieve with this offering; a deeply personal reflection that, in its intimacy, becomes universal.