Person Biography:
Henk Pretorius is a multi-award-winning and commercially successful director whose ability to make emotionally resonant films, across multiple genres and in a diversity of settings, has earned him an enduring place in the independent film industry.
Born in South Africa, Pretorius established himself as a significant force in his home country through several beloved features that saw him being selected by the Mail & Guardian as one of the Top 200 Young South Africans in 2013. A highlight was Fanie Fourie's Lobola (2013) which won a brace of awards, including the Golden Space Needle Award (Seattle International Film Festival award for Best Film),Best Comedy (Sedona International Film Festival) and the Audience Award (Jozi International Film Festival).
Pretorius' breakthrough film, Leading Lady (2014),was the second highest-grossing South African film in 2014. Despite his critical and commercial success in South Africa, Pretorius made the move to the United Kingdom, where he is now based.
In the UK, Pretorius has continued to thrive, telling stories that are easily identifiable as British yet are unmistakably global in their impact. His recent films include dramatic science fiction Forever Young (2023) and the action-comedy Young Gun (2023),both of which showcase his ability to tell a visual story while getting the best out of his cast and crew.
Pretorius has also demonstrated his ability to work with and draw the best out of a range of internationally recognisable acting talent, including Alexis Rodney, Shayne Ward, Jill Winternitz, Katie McGrath, Gil Bellows, Bernard Hill, Julian Glover, Stephanie Beacham, Diana Quick, Mark Jackson, and Amy Tyger.
Pretorius co-founded Dark Matter Studios with Llewelynn Greeff in 2013 and has a strong connection to many other producers, including Cassian Elwes, Kweku Mandela, Lance Samuels, and Gareth Jones.
With a talent for storytelling that was first evident in his debut film Bakgat! (2008),Pretorius is focused on taking his already considerable experience and successes from the independent terrain onto a more expansive creative stage that can make full use of his varied talents.
