Jacintha De Nobrega's 'London Recruits' wins Outstanding Documentary at National Arts and Culture Awards
Filmmaker Jacintha De Nobrega has received top honours at the 2025 National Arts and Culture Awards (NACA), where her documentary London Recruits was named Outstanding Documentary.
Image: Supplied
Filmmaker Jacintha De Nobrega received top honours at the 2025 National Arts and Culture Awards (NACA), where her documentary London Recruits was named Outstanding Documentary.
The documentary, London Recruits, tells the true story of how the African National Congress (ANC), under the leadership of Oliver Tambo, secretly recruited young white volunteers from Britain in the 1960s and '70s to carry out covert missions inside apartheid South Africa.
The film combines archival footage, interviews with surviving recruits and ANC members, as well as dramatic reenactments to vividly bring to life this lesser-known chapter of South Africa’s liberation struggle.
In an interview with IOL, De Nobrega said the recognition was deeply meaningful and affirmed the importance of telling stories rooted in South Africa’s history.
“It's hard to always get acknowledgement at home… but getting this acknowledgement from our Arts Department in South Africa means a lot, means that they actually care and are invested in acknowledging the talent and the creatives in South Africa.”
De Nobrega added that making the documentary also came with its own set of challenges.
“A documentary always takes more time. It’s different from scripted work, where you have a set script and shoot it," she said
"A documentary evolves and changes; it becomes something else. One of the biggest hurdles was connecting with the original recruits, many of whom are now older. By the time we gathered all their stories, it was about crafting the narrative in a way that could resonate with a broad audience, which I believe we achieved.”
The documentary, London Recruits, tells the true story of how the African National Congress (ANC), under the leadership of Oliver Tambo, secretly recruited young white volunteers from Britain
Image: Supplied
Though internationally praised, De Nobrega said it has been difficult to secure local broadcast distribution.
"I mean, our audiences really just love it. In terms of getting it onto a local broadcaster, that has not been very successful in terms of, you know, what is going on.
"Our industry is going through a bit of a low, as I mean, many people, industry people know. So it has been a bit more challenging to find a local broadcaster to show the movie. However, we have done lots of screenings. We've done so many festivals."
She also spoke about her upcoming project, a documentary focused on the Durban-based rap group TRO (The Real Ones), who are said to be pioneers in blending local dialect and culture into their music during the early 1990s.
“Their story is important because they created a sound called ‘bruin funk’ the first rap style sung in our dialect. It was a way of reclaiming our voice during apartheid, when speaking proper English was expected,” De Nobrega added.
IOL mthobisi.nozulela@iol.co.za