Our Programmes

SWIFT advocates for equality, transformation, empowerment, representation of women throughout the industry value chain, access to work opportunities and safety for women in their work environment. Further, the program drives strategic partnerships, sustainable funding and income generation for organisational stability that will enable the organisation to achieve its goals.

Advocacy

Safety Contact Officer (SCO) Programme

As part of the sexual harassment strategy, the SCO is one of the flagship programmes at SWIFT that responds to and addresses safety in the work environment. The programme provides guidance to assist and act as a resource in the event of any kind of sexual harassment in productions. It is created through collaborative partnerships with production companies that have a duty of care and responsibility, in terms of Section 6 of the Employment Equity Act and the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act.

Some of the initiatives of the programme include:

Safety Contact Officer Ambassadors (SOCA): Work with SWIFT to establish a safe work environment for both men and women in the AV industry.

Code of Good Practice (Toolkit): A guide to understanding and handling sexual harassment in the film and television industry ("the Code") as required by the Employment Equity Act.

Awareness Campaigns: Promote the existence and understanding of the above initiatives.

Code of Good Practice Toolkit

Book A Workshop

Testimonials

My most noteworthy event with SWIFT has to be our upcoming workshop at the Encounters Documentary International Film Festival, which will be led by my female strong HOD.

Uga Carlini

What I love most about SWIFT is the sense of community and connection. The #swiftcommunity members are helpful and have so much compassion. The fact that it's full of film and television experts is a network I cherish.

Soliana Tewolde

There have been doors and networks that have opened for me through the ladies I met at SWIFT. I love the community and support that comes with being a member.

Minenhle Lithuli

Skills & Mentorship Programme

This programme provides engagement platforms, creates mentorship and training opportunities, and facilitates support structures for emerging filmmakers. It focuses on upskilling experienced women and creating further training opportunities.

Some of the initiatives of the programme include:

Industry Readiness Training Programme: Presented by industry leaders, this programme entails training and understanding of the industry value chain.

Masterclasses: Focusing on specific aspects of the industry.

Support and Mentorship: Opportunities to further catapult women's career aspirations.

Upskilling in Scarce Skills: Aimed at increasing the number of women equipped in scarce skills to enable them to occupy positions previously reserved for men.

Testimonials

I'm a relatively new Swiftie! The supportive community is what I have experienced. To date, the recent @encountersdoc workshop on documentary filmmaking held in Cape Town, Khayelitsha, is my highlight. I have an exciting project in the pipeline, and all I can say is it involves myths, legends & clever robots! ???

Carmen Ziervogel

The highlight of my journey as a #Swiftie has been the incredible community of women that I've been able to connect with. This group has been an invaluable source of support and encouragement as I navigate the film industry, and it's been amazing to see us lift each other up and empower one another.

Aurelie Stratton

As a Swiftie, I appreciate being in the loop with industry happenings and available opportunities for filmmakers. Most importantly, being part of the Swiftie community means being surrounded by people I can trust and count on for advice, recommendations, and help.

Nerusha Maharaj-Sadapal

Sisterhood Cinema

The Sisterhood Cinema programme is dedicated to supporting and promoting content development by providing networking opportunities and platforms to showcase work created by SWIFT members and women in the film, television, and entertainment landscape. Engaging with stories and narratives by women is a fundamental aspect of the programme.

Programme Goals:

Drive Support for Market Access: Facilitate market access both locally and globally

Member Participation: Encourage attendance and participation at market access platforms such as local and international film festivals.

Positive Depiction: Promote the positive depiction of women on screen and support women-driven narratives.

Increase Collaboration: Foster collaboration in the production of content by and about women

Showcase Talent: Support the creative and professional work of women through hosted screenings, showcasing their talents within and outside of SWIFT

Honour Women-Led Projects: Celebrate women-led content projects from South Africa, the diaspora, and around the world.

Inspire Dialogue: Encourage discussions that question the representation of women on and off-screen through various Thought Leadership engagements.

Testimonials

As for my journey with SWIFTIE, I love the organization's commitment to inclusivity and transparency, providing opportunities and industry insights for women in the film industry.

Twiggy Matiwana

I had the pleasure of attending the Berlin Film Festival as part of a Swift delegation, which was a highlight of my journey as a Swiftie. I love that women are finding their voice and place in the male-dominated industry.

Diana Keam

For me, the highlight of my journey with SWIFT has been the work that the organization has done to ensure that sexual harassment has no place on sets.

Nicola Hanekom