Ian Gabriel

Described as "a mini epic that opens a window on a forgotten world," Ian Gabriel's narrative feature, Four Corners (2014) was the South African Official Submission for Best Foreign Film at the 86th Academy Awards; a Best International Film nominee at the 2014 IPA awards; won Best Film at the 2014 Niagara Integrated Film Festival; was awarded both Best International Feature and Best Feature (International & USA) at the Santa Fe Independent Film Festival, and was Best Film Runner-up at Giffoni in Italy. The film received 6 Golden Horn awards at the 2015 South African Film and TV Awards (S.A.F.T.A.'s) scooping Best Feature Film, Best Actor in a lead role (Jezzriel Skei), Best Supporting Actor (Brendan Daniels), Best Cinematography (Vicci Turpin), Best Music Score (Markus Wormstorm) and Best Sound (Barry Donnelly). Previously, Ian was a recipient of the Human Rights Award at the 57th Locarno International Film Festival for his debut feature, Forgiveness. Listed among the top African films of the decade on CNN's African Voices, Forgiveness won the 2004 Best South African Film and the Best African Film Awards, was a Locarno Golden Leopard Nominee and winner of the Locarno Youth Jury Best Film Award. Ian's background in drama can be traced to his work at Dorkay House, Johannesburg's famous anti-apartheid theatre venue where he worked with many of South Africa's legendary jazz and theatre greats. He currently heads the production company, Giant Films, based in South Africa with his partner, Executive Producer Cindy Gabriel. Ian's work with celebrity talent has seen him directing personalities as diverse as former president Nelson Mandela and Nobel Peace Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu, American aviation hero Chesley Sullenberger, and film and sport personalities Charlize Theron, Cristiano Ronaldo and Haile Gebrsellasie. Ian is the attached director on Exposure an expose drama that focuses on the Blood Ivory economy and he is the creator and developer with Ella Gabriel of the 5 Season historic TV Drama Series Sabela Gold, with 2018 Academy Award nominee Joslyn Barnes producing.