Ayanda Fali

Creative Practice as a Form of Cultural Regeneration

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In an era marked by cultural fragmentation, environmental crises, and social upheaval, the role of cinema extends beyond entertainment. This proposal argues for a pedagogical approach that trains film students to view their creative practice as a form of cultural regeneration. Drawing on the metaphor of composting — transforming organic waste into fertile ground — this proposal seeks to explore how filmmakers can repurpose overlooked histories, suppressed cultural knowledge, and diasporic narratives to cultivate socially impactful storytelling. Grounded in a case study of an ongoing short film project “We are Made of Beauty and Compost” which blends Southern African matriarchal traditions, indigenous knowledge systems, and contemporary diasporic experiences, this presentation will outline strategies for educators to foster reflective, engaged, and aesthetically ambitious student work that resists didacticism while promoting empathy, social impact and awareness.

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​Ayanda Fali is a Pan-African storyteller dedicated to crafting authentic narratives that celebrate the diversity of humanity and language. Fali holds an MFA in Motion Picture Medium from AFDA and furthered her studies at Filmakademie Germany, where she wrote and directed her short film, Zinzi's Lullaby. Her current work titled We Are Made of Beauty and Compost, is based on the regenerative process practice of composting that explore how myths, traditions, and indigenous knowledge-passed down by matriarchs in Southern Africa-can be layered and reimagined alongside contemporary experiences and diasporic narratives.
Ayanda is a Live Performance lecturer at AFDA.