From presenter to nominee: Anele Mdoda’s Oscars journey

by Nomonde Simelane

After successfully attending and making a name for herself at the Oscars as a M-Net’s presenter in 2019 and 2020, media personality Anele Mdoda recently made the guest list as a nominee for Best Live-Action Short Film for The Last Ranger

From local presenter to world-renowned presenter, radio personality, entrepreneur and author, Anele Mdoda’s career has been a tale of taking up space in every way possible, and she has been giving us all some lessons on how to do it with grace and confidence.

In its infancy, Anele’s career was characterised by radio presenting gigs, starting at smaller stations such as Highveld FM. She has since become one of the more notable and reputable radio personalities in the country, as she has proven to be as informative as she is engaging to her audiences. One of the most admirable things about Anele is that she used her existing platforms to break into other spaces, such as writing books and entrepreneurship.

One of her ventures was co-establishing Rose and Oaks Media with business partners Frankie Du Toit and Paul Buys. Through this production company, Anele has stepped into her role as an executive producer, scoring herself a nomination for Best Live-Action Short Film at the Academy Awards for her short film The Last Ranger.

Taking to her X(formerly Twitter) page, the media personality shared a moment of reflection and gratitude, she expressed disbelief that a girl from the small town of Tsolo in the Eastern Cape has found themselves at the Oscars, one of the biggest stages for film and entertainment in the world.

” I can’t believe we are at the Oscars!!!! Nominated. A little girl from Tsolo!!!! A whole executive producer,” her caption reads.

Although she did not walk away with the award, this nomination is significant not only for Anele personally but also for South Africa, as our stories and storytellers aren’t often granted such platforms. Therefore, this does not only showcase Anele’s talent and vision but is also the beginning of sending the elevator down for more of our local talents to make it to the global stage.

Anele’s story is a testament for all to never give up on your dreams, and also to not allow anyone to box you up. She has shown that it is possible to take up multiple avenues and thrive

Also see:  Paul Mashatile for president? Tokyo Sexwale thinks he’s the right choice