FILM DIRECTORS from South Africa

Top 6

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the most legendary South African Film Directors of all time. This list of famous South African Film Directors is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity.

1. Jamie Uys (1921 - 1996)

With an HPI of 50.00, Jamie Uys is the most famous South African Film Director.  His biography has been translated into 28 different languages on wikipedia.

Jacobus Johannes Uys ( ayss; 30 May 1921 – 29 January 1996), better known as Jamie Uys, was a South African film director, best known for directing the 1980 comedy film The Gods Must Be Crazy and its 1989 sequel The Gods Must Be Crazy II. Uys also directed the 1974 documentary film Animals Are Beautiful People.

2. Neill Blomkamp (b. 1979)

With an HPI of 45.28, Neill Blomkamp is the 2nd most famous South African Film Director.  His biography has been translated into 35 different languages.

Neill Blomkamp (Afrikaans: [ˈnil ˈblɔmkamp]; born 17 September 1979) is a South African and Canadian film director and screenwriter. He is known as the co-writer and director of the science fiction action film District 9 (2009), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, and the director of the dystopian science fiction action film Elysium (2013), which garnered moderately positive reviews. He also directed the science fiction action film Chappie (2015) and the sports drama film Gran Turismo (2023). Blomkamp employs a documentary-style, hand-held, cinéma vérité technique, blending naturalistic and photo-realistic computer-generated visual effects, and his films often deal with themes of xenophobia and social segregation. He is also known for his collaborations with actor Sharlto Copley. Time named Blomkamp as one of the 100 Most Influential People of 2009. A 2011 article in Forbes named him as the 21st most powerful celebrity from Africa.

3. Tosca Musk (b. 1974)

With an HPI of 45.18, Tosca Musk is the 3rd most famous South African Film Director.  Her biography has been translated into 22 different languages.

Tosca Jane Musk (born 20 July 1974) is a South African filmmaker. She is an executive producer and director of feature films, television programs, and web content. Her work includes K. Bromberg's Driven, Rachel van Dyken's Matchmaker's Playbook, and her web series, Tiki Bar TV. Tosca is the younger sister of Elon Musk and Kimbal Musk, and daughter of Errol Musk and Maye Musk. She co-founded the streaming service Passionflix.

4. Gavin Hood (b. 1963)

With an HPI of 44.33, Gavin Hood is the 4th most famous South African Film Director.  His biography has been translated into 26 different languages.

Gavin Hood (born 12 May 1963) is a South African filmmaker, and actor, best known for writing and directing Tsotsi (2005), which won the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. He also directed the films X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Ender's Game, Eye in the Sky and Official Secrets.

5. Roger Michell (1956 - 2021)

With an HPI of 42.72, Roger Michell is the 5th most famous South African Film Director.  His biography has been translated into 21 different languages.

Roger Harry Michell (5 June 1956 – 22 September 2021) was a British theatre, television and film director. He was best known for directing films such as Notting Hill and Venus, as well as the 1995 made-for-television film Persuasion.

6. Jonathan Liebesman (b. 1976)

With an HPI of 35.23, Jonathan Liebesman is the 6th most famous South African Film Director.  His biography has been translated into 19 different languages.

Jonathan Liebesman (born 15 September 1976) is a South African film director and screenwriter. He is known for directing the films Darkness Falls (2003), The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006), Battle: Los Angeles (2011), Wrath of the Titans (2012), and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014).