Liesl Ahlers' Daylight bags 4 nods at Realtime International Film Festival

Young female director Liesl Ahlers dug into her savings to produce a heartfelt film that touched many people with a familiar African narrative. Ten grand  and thousand hours later and her film has bagged four nominations at the prestigious 2018 Realtime International Film Festival.

The film, Daylight, tells a heartfelt story that highlights the devastating amount of children in SA who become orphans due to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Six-year-old Siphesihle Kunene stars in the film and also received a nomination for his performance.

Daylight bagged the nods for the Best Movie by an African Female Director/Producer, the Best Child Actor (Siphesihle Kunene), Best Supporting Actress (Liesl Ahlers) and Best Festival Themed Film.

TshisaLIVE caught up with Liesl to talk all things film...

How does it feel to bag 4 nods at the Realtime International Film Festival 2018?

It's amazing. I am honoured and truly grateful! It is such a special achievement that our lead child actor, six-year-old Siphesihle Kunene, is nominated for an award. We hope this will inspire more children to follow their dreams! I am very honoured to be nominated for Best Movie by an African Female Director and hope to encourage more South African women to tell their stories.

How much  did it take to bring the film to life?

The estimate amount that it cost to make Daylight was about R10 000. I used my personal savings to fund the film. I want to encourage aspiring South African filmmakers to do the same. Don't let funding stand in the way of getting your story/message out into the world!

Why were you willing to sacrifice time and resources to tell that story?

When I was 6-years-old, I already knew that I wanted to make a difference in the world through film. I view filmmaking as a platform to inspire hope and to call people to action. That's why I wanted to tell a story that I felt could contribute to the world in a positive way. I wanted to tell a story that is true to my country and most importantly to tell it from a daring and different perspective: the perspective of a six-year-old Sesotho boy.

What does the recognition mean to you?

The recognition abroad really means a lot to me since my goal with Daylight is to create global awareness. The fact that Daylight is an official selection of RTF and has been nominated for 4 awards makes my dream a reality.

Does the story told in the film have any personal resonance with you? 

Yes, the story is based on the life of a young South African Zulu boy who is very close to my heart. And personally, like everyone else, I have experienced heartache and needed to remind myself to continue to look on the bright side. That is what Daylight is about: seeking the light in the darkest of times.

The Realtime International Film Festival will take place between June 24 and June 30 in ​Lagos, Nigeria.