Culture Craze

Family, Funds & Film: The R900k Dispute Behind the Connie Chiume Student Film Festival

Published

4 months ago

June 12, 2025

Chiraag

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In South Africa’s arts scene, where funding is scarce and recognition even scarcer, passion projects often come with complications. Few stories feel as personal – or as loaded – as the ongoing saga of the Connie Chiume Student Film Festival.

This dispute involves legacy, creative ownership, and a substantial R900,000 in state funding – with filmmaker Siyabonga Ndlozi and Nongelo Chiume, son of the late, beloved actress Connie Chiume, at its centre.

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From tribute to turmoil

The story began in May 2024, when Siyabonga says he met Connie Chiume at an NFVF (National Film and Video Foundation) roadshow in Durban and pitched a student-focused film initiative he had been running since 2022 in Umkhanyakude, a rural area in northern KwaZulu-Natal.

Connie reportedly gave her blessing – even enthusiasm – for renaming the festival in her honour. Siyabonga then submitted a funding proposal to the NFVF for R900,000, with the 2024 festival planned for November in Umkhanyakude.

Connie passes, and the festival shifts

In August 2024, Connie Chiume passed away. Siyabonga later discovered the funding had been approved – but was disbursed not to him, but to Nongelo Chiume, who offered Siyabonga a freelancer role with a drastically reduced fee of R42,000. The festival venue was moved from Umkhanyakude to urban Durban venues: the BAT Centre and K-CAP.

Siyabonga rejected the offer, feeling excluded from the project he originated.

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Nongelo’s stance and festival progress

Nongelo Chiume maintains the festival idea originated with his mother, with Siyabonga assisting only in uploading the funding application. He has since been promoting the festival through the Connie Chiume Foundation, supported by the NFVF, and confirmed that the 2025 festival will take place from 14 to 16 June 2025 in KwaZulu-Natal, focusing on youth empowerment through storytelling, workshops, screenings, and industry activation events.

Despite the ongoing dispute, the festival is now moving forward independently under the foundation’s banner, with submissions open for young filmmakers and a programme designed to uplift historically disadvantaged communities.

NFVF’s position

The NFVF has confirmed the funding was granted to the Connie Foundation, with Nongelo Chiume as the official applicant. They communicate only with listed applicants, which legally places project control with Nongelo – regardless of the festival’s collaborative origins.

While the funding was legally awarded to the Connie Foundation, the question of who originated the idea remains disputed.

Legacy, leverage – and lingering questions

This evolving story raises broader questions about creative ownership and legacy stewardship in South Africa’s cultural sector. When a grassroots initiative is rebranded under a star’s name and funded through official channels, who truly owns the idea? And how do communities ensure such projects remain true to their original spirit?

As the festival approaches in June 2025, the R900,000 funding and the project’s future remain under close scrutiny. What began as a tribute to a beloved actress now serves as a test case for ethical collaboration and the fragility of artistic dreams in South Africa.