Petrus van Staden is a filmmaker based in Cape Town, South Africa.

 

In 2019 he co-founded Vanishing Elephant with Tebogo Malebogo driven by a desire to find a way to tell meaningful stories. Through the company he produced and edited "Mthunzi" (2019; Locarno, SXSW, Special Jury Mention at AFI Fest) which can be watched on First Look Media's streaming service Topic. Their second production, "Heaven Reaches Down to Earth" (2020; New Directors New films, Clermont-Ferrand, Palm Springs ShortFest), will be available on Mubi in January 2022. 

 

He is passionate about diversity, collaboration and finding ways to tell and uplift marginalized stories as well as exploring ways on how to tell those stories authentically and just. He has been part of productions that has been selected to Sundance, IFFR, Oberhausen and NewFest as well - bringing professionalism and a quality storytelling to everything he involves himself with.

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Originally trained as an editor, "Let’s Do This Again Sometime" is his directorial debut short film. 

Nominations & Awards

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MTHUNZI: AFI Fest Special Jury Prize: Live Action Short Film

                  Carthage Film Festival: Bronze Award : Best Short Film

                  Gimli Film Festival: Best International Short Film Jury Prize

                  Quibdó África Film Festival: Best International Short Film

                  Drunken Film Fest Oakland: Best World Narrative

                  Russian Indie Film Festival: Best Editing

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