South African model and TV personality Refilwe Modiselle bagged her first international award at this year’s The African Film Festival (TAFF) in Dallas, Texas.
The local star won “Best Actress” honours for her role as Mansa in the short film White Gold, which bagged its second “Best Short Narrative” award.
This year’s awards ceremony was held online due to the global coronavirus outbreak and lockdown regulations in different countries.
Directed by award-winning UK based filmmaker Luke Bradford, “White Gold” puts the spotlight on a dark practice which still takes place in parts of Africa today, where the mutilation and brutal killing of people with albinism for traditional rituals or witchcraft, is rife.
Taking to Instagram to celebrate the milestone, Modiselle expressed her gratitude to everyone who believed in her craft.
“History in The Making”. The first time a person with albinism in a lead role receives an international award of this magnitude. BEST ACTRESS!!”
She added: “My First Best Actress international award at TAFF 2020 🏆. Where do I even begin to express my extraordinary pot of explainable emotions.
In February, the film bagged the Best Short Narrative accolade in the Oscar 2021 qualifying category at the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles.
The film has received numerous nominations including the Best Humanitarian Film at the RapidLion Film Festival (The South African International Film Festival), which was held at The Market Theatre, Newtown, Johannesburg.
The film which was shot in South Africa, features legendary actor Aubrey Mmakola and seasoned actress Shadi Chauke.
