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Craig Tanner

Craig Tanner’s filmmaking draws on skills developed as a lawyer over three decades – initially as a labour lawyer representing trade unions in South Africa in the late 1980s and 1990s, then as an arbitrator determining workers compensation disputes in Australia, and in recent years as a barrister representing injured workers and the families of victims of fatal workplace accidents. His documentaries reflect the practices and discipline of his day job – careful research, analysis of evidence, examination and cross-examination of witnesses, crafting argument and exposing wrongdoing.

His previous films, Fahrenheit 2010, and The March of the White Elephants, were feature-length documentaries which explored the corrupt practices of FIFA, and the diversion of public funds in South Africa and Brazil from pressing social priorities such as health, housing and education in order to finance the erection of surplus stadiums for a four-week soccer tournament. Those films screened at the Durban International Film Festival, and at festivals around the world.  They were also broadcast to television audiences in a variety of territories.

Jonathan Shapiro (Zapiro)

Jonathan Shapiro (born 27 October 1958) is a South African cartoonist, known as Zapiro, whose work appears in numerous South African publications and has been exhibited internationally on many occasions. He is the nephew of British magician David Berglas and cousin to Marvin Berglas, director of Marvin’s Magic.

Early life

Jonathan was born into a Jewish family in Cape Town, South Africa to Gershon and Gaby Shapiro. He studied architecture at the University of Cape Town but found it unsatisfying and moved to the art campus, Michaelis. Shortly after this he was conscripted into the army for two years, where he refused to carry arms. In 1983 he became active in the newly formed anti-Apartheid movement, the United Democratic Front and as a result was arrested under the Illegal Gatherings Act and, subsequently, monitored by military intelligence. Zapiro was an important participant in South Africa’s End Conscription Campaign, designing its logo. After his military service he applied for and was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to study cartooning at the School of Visual Arts in New York for two years.

The name Zapiro was derived from the nickname of a fellow pupil at Rondebosch Boys’ High School, Martin Szapiro, whose friends called him Zap. After Martin’s death in a mountaineering accident, Zapiro chose this name. The first Zapiro character was a character named Preppy, whose main characteristic was his fringe, and who commented on issues that went on around school.