Zanele Nhlapo is a KwaZulu-Natal based independent film producer and festival director. She has produced several shorts – Fire the Imagination (2025), Stering (2025), Locked (2024), Father’s Day (2023), and the feature film, Miles Away (2024), overseeing all aspects from development to delivery.
As founder and director of the iLembe Shorts Indie Film Festival (ISIFF), Nhlapho curates programming, manages marketing, and secures funding, creating vital platforms for independent filmmakers. Her prior role at the KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission gave her strong industry knowledge and networks. She is committed to fostering inclusive spaces that amplify diverse voices in film.