Writer-Director: Simoné Pretorius · Second Circle Films
BIO: Simoné Pretorius is a South African actress, screenwriter, director, and producer. After a decade in front of the camera with critically acclaimed roles in films such as Vir die Voëls (Tallgrass Best Actress Award) and Wonderlus, she expanded into storytelling through writing and directing.
In 2020, she founded Second Circle Films and began developing original Afrikaans-language content that explores identity, family, and faith through a cinematic lens. Her directorial debut Som van Twee premiered at Silwerskermfees 2024, winning seven awards including Best Film, Best Screenplay, and Best Director. She is currently a weekly director on Showmax’s Reënboogrant and scriptwriter for kykNET’s Beter As Gister.
Simoné’s work often merges comedy with pathos, spotlighting underrepresented South African voices with emotional nuance and genre play. With a growing presence in both television and film, she is regarded as a leading creative voice in Afrikaans entertainment and a champion for emerging talent through her training platform, Art of Acting SA.