Breaking In: What It really takes to make it in Africa's film industry

For most young filmmakers, breaking into the film and television industry is a long game with equal parts hustle, learning curve, and blind faith. But every so often, someone finds a way to turn ambition into momentum. Fezile Goba, a Johannesburg-based filmmaker, is one of them.

Fezile Goba, a MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) South Africa alumnus and co-founder of 4th Cycle, is doing exactly that. He's now directing and producing a new film, Hepiii!, with a relentless team that's learning what it really means to build from scratch.

Fezile is recognised for his creative drive and grounded approach to filmmaking. In 2024, he participated in the "Young, Gifted and in Film" panel at Avijozi, joining other emerging African filmmakers to discuss the realities of breaking into the industry.

This year, his journey continues to expand as he joins Extended Cut, a platform that supports and showcases emerging filmmakers across Africa. Extended Cut provides mentorship, resources, and visibility to help new voices in the industry reach audiences and grow their creative footprint. For Fezile, it's another step in amplifying his impact while connecting with a network of filmmakers who are shaping the continent's cinematic future.

What makes Fezile's story stand out is not just what he's making, but how he's making it. Instead of waiting for the industry to open doors, he's building his own. Starting 4th Cycle was a risk, a small, independent collective creating authentic, locally rooted stories, but it gave him what every creative wants: control.

His upcoming film, Hepiii!, marks a step forward for that vision. It's a project developed entirely under his company, a milestone for an artist who believes that the future of African film lies in ownership, collaboration, and persistence.

Like many MTF graduates, Fezile represents the ripple effect of structured creative investment meeting raw talent. The MultiChoice Talent Factory has become a launchpad for emerging African filmmakers, equipping them with real-world production experience and networks needed to build sustainable careers. For alumni like Fezile, the results are tangible: new projects, partnerships, and a growing creative ecosystem.

Fezile's path reflects a bigger shift happening across Africa's film industry: a generation of young filmmakers no longer waiting for validation from global studios or festival gates. They're producing their own work, setting up small production houses, and redefining what success looks like in cinema.

With Hepiii! on the horizon and opportunities like Extended Cut extending his reach, Fezile Goba's journey captures the moment Africa's next wave of storytellers are living through, one defined by courage, craft, and community.

Because for filmmakers like him, breaking in isn't about arrival. It's about creating your own door and holding it open for whoever comes next.