Petrus van Staden

about

Petrus van Staden is a South African filmmaker based between New York City and South Africa.In 2019 he co-founded Vanishing Elephant with Tebogo Malebogo driven by a desire to find a way to tell meaningful stories. Their shorts have screened at Locarno, SXSW, JCC, New Directors New Films, and New York Film Festival and have won multiple awards, being distributed to spaces such as Mubi, Topic, Canal + Poland and WatchArgo.He has worked between South Africa, Tanzania and the USA - producing independent work as well as an episode for Netflix's African Folktales Reimagined Anthology series.He is passionate about diversity, collaboration, finding ways to tell and uplift marginalised stories, and exploring how to tell those stories authentically and just. Apart from the selections mentioned above, he has been part of productions selected for Sundance, IFFR, Oberhausen, and Durban - bringing professionalism and quality storytelling to everything he involves himself with.me@petrusvanstaden.com

released

Shorts

Katope (2023)

Tanzania & South Africa
Produder, Editor

dir. Walt Mzengi-Corey
wrts. Walt Mzengi-Corey & Rebecca Mzengi-Corey
prod. Petrus van Staden & Hatibu MaduduA young child with magical origins sets out on a journey to help end the drought that is devastating the community.Clertmont-Ferrand
Zanzibar International Film Festivalproduced as part of Netflix's African Folktales Re-Imagined anthology series

Prayers for Sweet Waters (2021)

South Africa & UK
Editor

dir. Eli Ndoumbe
prod. Eli Ndoumbe & Naeem DxviesA submergence into the vivid realities of three Transgender sex workers living in Cape Town, South Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic.Sundance Film Festival
Seattle International Film Festival
Durban Film Festival

Let's Do This Again Sometime (2021)

South Africa
Writer, Director

dir. Petrus van Staden
wrt. Petrus van Staden
prod. Hannah Inacio & Suné BurgerA man’s search for connection is thrown off course during an uncomfortable encounter with an old flame.Festival du Cinema Nouveau
Cork International Film Festival

The Town (2021)

South Africa
Editor

dir. Lindiwe Makgalamele
wrt. Lindiwe Makgalamele
prod. Nolitha MkulisiA car breaks down in an anonymous South African town where a young girl has been waiting for something to happen.Oberhausen Film Festival
Encounters Short Film Festival

Heaven Reaches Down to Earth (2020)

South Africa
Producer, Editor

dir. Tebogo Malebogo
story. Tebogo Malebogo & Petrus van Staden
prod. Petrus van StadenTau, a Mountain. Tumelo, a Fire. They approach each other."Beautiful and poetic, it's a wonderfully crafted tale, set in a glorious landscape against images of fire, friendship, and desire. The inner thoughts flow like water and sting like igniting sparks".- Shelagh Rowan-Legg - Screen AnarchyNew Directors New Films
Clermont-Ferrand
BlackStar

Mthunzi (2019)

South Africa
Producer, Editor

dir. Tebogo Malebogo
wrt. Tebogo Malebogo
prod. Petrus van StadenMthunzi gets distracted on his way back from the store.“Centered on a chance encounter, MTHUNZI gives an intimate and powerful glance into the intricacies of unconscious bias. Beautifully captured, grounded performances and daring choices on behalf of the filmmaker left the jury stirred by this gentle narrative.”- Jury Statement, Special Jury Award (Live Action) at the 33rd AFI FestLocarno Film Festival
SXSW
New York Film Festival
AFI Fest - Special Jury Selection
JCC - Bronze Tanit

Coming Soon

Shorts

We Become a Field of Flowers (TBC)

USA
Producer

dir. Tebogo Malebogo
wrt. Tebogo Malebogo
prod. Mariano Dongo, Petrus van Staden, Emma Doxiadi, Tebogo Malebogo, James GrachosAfter breaking an unknown artifact, an archeology student comes to terms with the stories we will never know.

Leo Las Olas (TBC)

USA
Producer

dir. Emilio Subía
wrt. Emilio Subía
prod. Petrus van Staden & Kirk MorrisAn Ecuadorian immigrant is introduced to his American soon-to-be stepbrother over a weekend at his beach house, but tensions arise when the family dog gets lost.

Ayşegül On Tuesdays (TBC)

USA & Tûrkiye
Producer

dir. Amy Omar
wrt. Amy Omar
prod. Petrus van Staden, Adam Kinyon-Parker, Karine Benzaria, Balahan GûewlDeceived by the promise of happiness and fulfillment in America, a Turkish immigrant housewife engages in a one-sided telephone conversation with a mysterious Turkish man, as she attempts to rediscover her identity.

I Turn Grills On (TBC)

USA
Producer, Editor

dir. Lizzy DeVita
wrt. Lizzy DeVita & Sarah Greenbaum
prod. Petrus van Staden & Hannah Kettering68-year-old Ruth struggles after her husband's death, until a chance encounter changes everything.

Midnight Ink (TBC)

USA
Editor

dir. John Chiodi
wrt. John ChiodiA brash young boy and his shy friend embark on a moonlit journey to get a tattoo.

Burn (TBC)

USA
Editor

dir. José Manuel Vélez
wrt. José Manuel VélezAlex, the cleaner at a sex club, is numb to all the sex around him, yet he craves to feel but a fraction of that pleasure. Desperate, he tries to satiate his desires, even if it’s through pain.

Baba in Graceland (TBC)

USA
Editor

dir. Marc Atkinson Borrull
wrt. Melis Aker
prod. Amy Omar & Adam Kinyon-ParkerAfter the loss of her mother, Naz embarks on a road-trip across America with her alcoholic father to fulfill her parents' long-lost dream: to have her dad join the Ultimate Elvis Contest.

in development

Features