2013 Advocate Musola Cathrine Kaseketi is Zambia’s first professional film director. Her first film, Suwi (“Faith”), which she wrote, directed, and produced, was released in 2009 and screened all over Africa, as well as in several European countries. Shortly after the release of Suwi, Kaseketi set up Women and Girls with Disability Rights of Zambia, a project to empower and improve the lives of women and girls with disabilities. Many of her films and documentaries address social issues affecting women and girls with disabilities. She founded Vilole (“View”) Images Productions, a nonprofit foundation that educates young Zambian filmmakers; started Zambia’s first international film festival, Shungu Namutitima (“Smoke That Thunders”); and is an advisor to the Zambia National Association for Disabled Women. The cause is personal for Musola—when she was 18 months old, a medical mistake damaged her left leg, leaving her unable to walk without difficulty for the rest of her life. Enduring mistreatment by her stepmother in her early life and by her community overall, Musola developed an incredible determination to succeed in spite of hardship. Musola is pictured in this photo working on a documentary called Long Wait for Justice, a short film focused on gender-based violence and disability.
