POWER OF PERCEPTION

At the age of 29, I began to discover ways of understanding and removing my own emotional baggage so that I could respond to experiences with an open mind and avoid behavior built on a lack of understanding.

In 1999 I completed my first work on this subject, Return to Innocence. This led me to the prisons and juvenile detention centres of South Africa, where I met gang members and young criminals in search of a solid foundation for their life. Those conversations inspired the For the Boys initiative, which caught the attention of local press and provided the momentum for new legislation in South Africa protecting young boys and men.

In 2012, Power of Perception MENA version was endorsed by the UAE Red Crescent (IFRC) as part of their 2020 initiative to promote peace and tolerance. I am grateful to Ali Kanaan, the famous Syrian poet, for translating this work into Arabic, under the title, في سبيل الحياة

I then developed a simplified version of the work for young people to wander through the information at their own pace. This walkthrough was shared on Facebook and attracted over 200,000 young men within a year of launching.

The walkthrough is available in three languages.

Within months of completing Return to Innocence in 1999, I received written endorsements from the Minister of Education and the Minister of Correctional Services, and was covered by local media outlets who helped spread the word about the work’s impact. My focus throughout this time was on serving local juvenile detention centres, although the increased public attention allowed me to take my work to schools and communities.

The success we had in the juvenile detention centres and other crisis centres was incredible. Working with the infamous Cape Town Numbers gangs, we promoted Return to Innocence and the For The Boys initiative, which encouraged young men to tell their stories. After much media attention, including a short documentary, new legislation was issued to better protect men inside and outside of the prison system.

Looking back, one of my personal highlights was being named among the top 100 Valued Women Achievers in South Africa 2005. My quote and designated artwork were placed alongside that of the new Minister of Education

During this time I met Freda, a young girl with a stunning voice who lived on the streets of Cape Town. Together we spent an afternoon in the studio and recorded Enigma’s Return to Innocence. It is a memory I will always cherish.

I have worked in the film industry for the best part of three decades. It has funded my studies and allowed me to pursue every project mentioned on this website.

My career began in South Africa in 1995, where I was a Production Accountant for Independent and Studio films. I worked on dozens of films over a 10-year period and learned much about the industry and my place in it.

In 2005 I moved to the Gulf, where I worked as second in charge of finance for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Asian Games in Doha. I then joined Filmworks Group in Dubai. Here I was responsible for the operations and finances of the group’s films, including ‘City of Life’, the UAE’s first locally funded film.

I worked with Filmworks Group for three years, until 2010 when I became the Producer-Manager of Hamdoon, an Arabic children’s TV series, funded by what was then the Abu Dhabi Culture and Heritage Authority. It was great fun creating the show’s concept and bringing it to life on the small screen, but the big screen remained my passion.

In 2014, I joined Image Nation Abu Dhabi and, over the course of 10 years, ascended to become the Head of Content Operations. In this role, I was tasked with overseeing all project-related operations and managing a growing portfolio of projects alongside my team. This included the successful execution of shows such as Al Kameen (the Ambush), Watcher, and Late Night with the Devil. I now reside between Cape Town and the United Arab Emirates.

My career gives me the opportunity to lead a wonderfully fulfilling life, and I am grateful for the many people who gave me their trust, imparted their wisdom and helped me thrive. I hope that what I do on- and off-screen continues to have a positive impact on the societies in which I live, and on humanity as a whole.

“Nothing will change unless it is understood.”

Take good care out there!

Sara x