The Cape Winelands Film Festival, which took place from 17-27 March 2010,  was a particularly good festival for Catherine Meyburgh, whose documentary, Kentridge and Dumas in Conversation, received a special mention. Catherine also worked as editor on Minky Schlesinger’s uGugu no Andile, which was named Best South African Film.

uGugu no Andile, part of the Shakespeare in Mzansi series, has been raking in the awards, including three African Movie Academy Awards and a SAFTA.

uGugu no Andile was originally designed as a mini series, but later became a feature film. Catherine is used to this sort of thing. She says, “In most cases one or the other is a compromise but this has allowed many directors to really exercise their skills in storytelling.  One of the difficulties when working with some directors is that they are very reticent to cut out scenes that do not add to the narrative, and this process of paring down a drama series into a feature really helps to make you look at your footage more critically.”  

She says, “Minky has a very good idea of what she likes and doesn’t like.  I think we know each other well enough to understand what we want from the footage. I am very particular about extracting every bit of usable footage.” Catherine uses many aspects of a film to dictate the pace, from an actor’s rhythm to a piece of music. “In my view, pace describes everything you do in editing,” she says.

She has an unusual approach to cutting in the vernacular. “I believe I am making films for people, people who all share the same emotions.  I am working in a visual medium so I try to find the narrative in the face, in the body and in the frame.  I have often experimented with scenes where I have tested my choice of take on a home language speaker, only to find out that the strength of the performance is universal and will always come through no matter what language you speak.”

Kentridge and Dumas in Conversation takes an intimate look at celebrated South African artists William Kentridge and Marlene Dumas. Catherine says, “I have edited many documentaries over the years and this gives me a very good insight into how people actually behave in reality. I want to tell the audience a story they can be pulled into and also see a part of themselves in each character.”

Although she didn’t approach them any differently, Catherine says the two films had their own specific needs. “I have to work hard to allow the spontaneity to flow. Being an editor I can sometimes think too much and this is not always a good thing on location,” she says. 

Catherine uses Final Cut Pro.
Sally Fink