Michael Sugar '91

Michael Sugar works in the film industry as a personal manager for actors, screenwriters and directors. He has spent the last three years working with clients on a groundbreaking film - Tsotsi. As well as becoming an Academy Award Winner in the Best Foreign Language Film category - becoming the first African film to scoop an Oscar - Tsotsi has been praised by Nelson Mandela, who says the film has "put South Africa on the map".     

Although Michael wasn't involved with film production at UWC-USA, he always knew that he wanted to enter the film industry. After finishing law school, he started a film production and talent management company. One of his first clients was Gavin Hood, a young actor and director from South Africa. He worked with Gavin for several years helping him to identify opportunities in the film industry. They were eventually approached by Peter Fudakowski, who hired Gavin to write the screenplay for Tsotsi based on Athol Fugard's novel. The script was developed and funding was secured within a year. "I was lucky to begin working with Presley Chweneyagae and Terry Pheto, the two fantastic young actors who Gavin discovered for their first movie roles," says Michael.

It's no coincidence that Michael is working on independent films, as this is a subject he is extremely passionate about. "Independent films are important because they allow the most free form of artistic expression. Invariably, studio films are, at best.marketing and storytelling, and often that line skews far more in favour of the business side of the equation. Independent film is usually without as many creative limitations - that said the financial constraints are often more common. I think, regardless of whether it's a studio or an independent production, film holds immense power to influence thought and improve lives."

Michael acknowledges the potential of film to raise awareness, educate and entertain during difficult times. "It would be disingenuous to say that film is designed to improve the lives of those less fortunate, but it often does by raising awareness and educating." He goes on to say, "entertaining people during difficult times has its values, too. The highlight for us during the many screenings of Tsotsi were the scores of young children who watched the film in different countries, and still pointed to the screen and said 'that guy Tsotsi is just like me, or that guy is just like my friend'."

Michael is now working on Gavin Hood's next film called Rendition, which is a political thriller exploring the United States' unofficial policy of rendering terror suspects to foreign countries for interrogations. Michael will be shooting in locations throughout the world including Morocco, Egypt, Canada, Brazil and New York. 

"My time at UWC was the most intense and significant time of my life, truly the best experience I've had. I was there during a crucial time in world history, the first Gulf War, Mandela's freedom, the tumbling of the Berlin Wall. So it was amazing to be experiencing those things through the microcosm of a UWC. I made great friends, many of whom I speak to regularly and I still speak with great fondness of my teachers, the UWC mission, and all the fantastic experiences we had there".