Dr Liani Maasdorp

Academic Director

Dr Liani Maasdorp is a lecturer in the Centre for Film and Media Studies at the University of Cape Town. She convenes the Master of Documentary Arts degree programme, is the academic director of the UCT TV Studio and the Stepping Stone community engagement video training programme and co-founder of the ScreenCubator film and media talent developer.

Liani worked as an editor and television director between 1997 and 2012. Since then she has produced and co-produced several documentary films, including Strike a Rock, which opened the Encounters South African International Documentary Film Festival 2017 and was screened at IDFA and Sheffield DocFest, and SAFTA award winners Finding Freedom: Life after a Life sentence and Six to Six.

She is passionate about studying and teaching South African film. Most of her current research and pro bono work is focused on impact producing and designing strategies that ensure that social justice, human rights and environmental films reach measurable social change goals.