Biografia

In the 1980s, at the height of apartheid repression, he made music videos with British pop enfant terrible Malcom McLaren. These received a unique double silver and bronze award at the New York Film and Television Festival, putting unexpected music and dance images of Soweto on video charts around the world.

Along with the multiple awards Ian has won for his commercial and music video work, Ian was the recipient of the Human Rights Award at the 57th Locarno International Film Festival in 2004 for his debut feature film Forgiveness (2004), a Golden Leopard Nominee and winner of the Locarno Youth Jury Best Film Award. Forgiveness was listed by CNN African Voices as one of ten significant films from Africa in the first decade of the millennium.

Ian Gabriel's career began in his early twenties at Johannesburg's famous multi-racial theatre venue, Dorkay House, where he worked with legends like Jimmy Sabe, Sam Williams, Barney Rachabane, - some of the greats of black theatre at that time. It was in this intriguing setting that a fascination with performance drew Ian into film launching himself as a commercials and music video director.

Ian Gabriel is the co-author of 'Forgiveness' a High Schools study guide on the uses of film in conflict resolution and reconciliation. The guide references Ian's debut film, the Truth and Reconciliation drama Forgiveness(2004), along with a copy of the screenplay and details on the production and evolution of the film, and was published by Oxford University Press (South Africa) in 2008.

Self doubt is always tempered by the desire to achieve something greater than the doubt that holds you back.

I do think it's important to remain true to yourself and to have faith in your dreams. But having that faith is not enough. You have to fight to realize even a portion of your dreams. But if they're worthwhile, then even that portion is good enough reward.

[on if you were offered an unlimited budget and a blank cheque to make whatever film you wanted, what would it be?] I'd be pursuing the next project that's my next project anyway. The project you're in love with is like a beautiful girl you're in love with: you don't change her because you've got more money. You take her out for a fancy meal and double your efforts to court her, but the girl remains the same. She's the one you're after. I'm already in love with my next project. I think you have to be in order to get anything done when the odds are stacked pretty steeply against independent filmmakers.