“This award is and will always be so special to me”: LIPA grad wins ‘We See You’ award at the SoulFest Short Film Festival

Acting grad Kudzai Mangombe triumphed at the SoulFest Short Film Festival, winning the ‘We See You’ award for her portrayal of Tasha in Damien Nembhard’s Love Language. The Festival, which is in partnership with The British Blacklist and American Black Film Festival, celebrates Black film and TV talent both behind and in front of the camera.

Responding to her win, Kudzai said: “I just want to say first and foremost, thank you so much for shining a spotlight on Love Language. Winning the ‘We See You’ award 2024 was such a surprise to me. I didn’t know Love Language was one of the films selected for this year’s shorts and I definitely didn’t see myself going home with an award. It is an honour and I am incredibly humbled to have been recognised.

“It was also such a privilege to have shared this moment with my best friend Sophie Reisner (who screamed the place down) and many of my peers and friends within the black community in Film. This award is and will always be so special to me.

“Many creatives can relate in understanding that at this stage of my career, 3 years after graduating from LIPA, all you can do is work hard and keep fine tuning your craft and art. Sometimes you never know who is paying attention or even if they are paying attention. So to have such talented people within the UK and the US film community recognise me and say ‘Hey we see you’ is… I don’t think words can truly express how it has impacted me. I can only thank God and say thank you to Damien, the Love Language team, SoulFest, The British Blacklist and American Black Film Festival for seeing me.”

Will Hammond, Director of the School of Performance at LIPA, responded to the news, saying “Many congratulations to Kudzai on her continued success, across both stage and screen platforms. We’re always thrilled to see our graduates diversifying their portfolios, especially so when raising the profile and visibility of global majority artists and creatives at events such as SoulFest alongside so many emergent and recognised industry professionals.”

Love Language is written and directed by Damien Nembhard, and produced by Laura Duffy at Irresistible Studios in-partnership with Break the Cycle. It tells the story of Tasha’s infatuation with her older boyfriend which leaves her trapped in a tumultuous web of love and manipulation.

The film is special to Kudzai: “I think the reason why Love Language has been received with such love and praise, is because it tells the story of so many young girls like Tasha and many young boys who unfortunately find themselves being groomed into gang violence, due to external and internal social, economic factors.

“Damien Nembhard, Break the Cycle, Irresistible Studio and the whole team from the crew and the cast have done such a beautiful job in making sure the story is told with such care and truth to ensure audiences not only watch the film but become aware of a reality that unfortunately is still taking place. Our film speaks to so many people for so many reasons from teachers to social workers to audience members who have informed us that they too have been a Tasha. Love Language speaks to and about people who may feel like no one is paying attention. Not to be cheesy but Love Language was our way of saying ‘We See You’.”