Michael James is a Durban-based filmmaker, writer, academic, and artist passionate about storytelling that challenges historical narratives. He explores the intersection of myth and history through multiple mediums, using film, theater, and academia to interrogate identity, race, gender, class, and faith. Alongside his career teaching film, philosophy, and political science, he has written several award-winning plays, including THINGS WE FOUND IN THE SILENCE, which won the PANSA National Award.
As a filmmaker, Michael has written, directed, and produced several works, including the feature film DREAMS OF GOMORRAH, which won three Simon Sabela Awards and two African Emerging Filmmaker Awards in 2020, and the documentary FREE EDUCATION: THE STORY OF BONGINKOSI KHANYILE, which premiered at the 2018 Encounters Documentary Film Festival and went on to win three awards at the African Diaspora Cinema Festival in Italy.
Inspired by Tarkovsky, Godard, and Malick, his cinematic vision seeks to push artistic boundaries and redefine African storytelling.