Yolanda, from Alkemaize, is a storyteller, filmmaker and owner of 1000 Hugs Films with over 12 years experience in the film and TV industry. She created Rapulani! The brand. Her film “Hair That moves” was her transition from television to film and was made through Focus Features’ Africa First program, which she was selected into and has been screened at various film festivals all around the world. She completed her first feature film script, titled “Thula Thula”, which was shortlisted for the Sundance International writing Lab in 2018 and the Netflix and NFVF micro-film project in 2021. Her first documentary feature film, “Rumba in the Jungle – the return” premiered at the Durban International Film Festival in July 2018.

Her latest project, “Rapulani!” is Yolanda’s first animated project and merges her love for early childhood development with her fascination with moving picture.