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The screening, hosted by the Faculty of Humanities’ Department of Media & Communication, offers an in-depth look at her impactful career and groundbreaking contributions to film.
The retrospective, which began in August 2018 at the Mzansi Women’s Film Festival in Johannesburg, has since travelled globally to universities in Sweden and the United States.
Now, the collection will return full circle to the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropole, with a screening at Mandela University, followed by additional showings across the city, including the Korsten Library, AFDA and other venues.
Thanks to the support of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Small Arts Grant, these screenings will be offered at no cost, making the event accessible to a broader audience.
Dr Barry is the founder and director of twospinningwheels, a production company dedicated to exploring new cinematic languages and giving marginalised voices access to filmmaking.
Her career took a transformative turn when she was caught in the crossfire of Cape Town’s taxi violence, leaving her with a permanent disability and in a wheelchair - a turning point that inspired her to pursue her lifelong dream of filmmaking.
Introduced to film at the age of eight through the Reno Cinema, close to her home in Korsten, Shelley’s works span multiple genres, often featuring an experimental style. Her films present a unique perspective, frequently exploring cinematography from the viewpoint of a wheelchair user.
“Filming from a seated position provides a different viewpoint of the world and therefore a unique perspective. This also allows for storytelling from the perspective of someone seated and this is sadly rather rare,” Shelley explains.
Her distinctive filmmaking approach has led to screenings at prestigious international festivals and acquisitions by major television networks such as MTV, SABC and eTV.
Dr Barry’s accolades include the ZAMI Audre Lorde scholarship, a Distinguished Graduate Student Award, and multiple Best Film honours from festivals in New York, Canada, Moscow, and Philadelphia. In 2018, she was also honoured with a SAFTA for Outstanding Disability Contributor to the South African Film and Television Industry.
In 2023 she was awarded with another SAFTA in the category of Best documentary short for her film A camera on my Lap, which also won the Zonta Prize for Best Female Filmmaker in the international competition.
Her notable works include Inclinations, which MTV acquired, and Diaries of a Dissident Poet (2019) which was commissioned by eTV. Recently, Princeton University in New Jersey (America) purchased the retrospective films for their course on documentary production and campus-wide library access.
Despite her impressive achievements, Dr Barry remains focused on the journey ahead.
“Every film, no matter the length, is a milestone for me. Once you reach one, another always awaits,” she says.
Beyond filmmaking, Dr Barry has built a distinguished career in disability rights. She worked in the Office of the Presidency on the Status of Disabled Persons and as the National Parliamentary Policy Coordinator for Disabled People South Africa. During this time, she also coordinated President Nelson Mandela’s guard of honour for his 1997 State of the Nation Address.
Dr Barry has also remained deeply connected to education. Awarded a full scholarship from the Ford Foundation, she pursued a Master of Fine Arts in Film at Temple University in Philadelphia, graduating in 2006. In 2022, she completed her PhD in Film at the University of the Witwatersrand and now serves as a senior film lecturer at the University of Johannesburg.
“I am as passionate about teaching as I am about filmmaking. I find that these two areas create a necessary balance. Every teacher is also a learner, and I am constantly enriched by engaging with students. Through my work in academia, I am able to encourage a new generation of filmmakers and academics,” she says.
A strong advocate for independent production companies, Dr Barry emphasises storytelling that transcends profit-driven motives or box-office trends. Instead, she aims to amplify stories that have often been marginalised or untold.
“After 20 years of making films, it’s time to share this body of work. Cinema is a collective, shared experience - there’s no point in the films staying on a shelf or in a hard drive,” she says.
Dr Barry’s retrospective promises to be an inspiring celebration of two decades of remarkable storytelling and advocacy, giving audiences a chance to engage with her impactful journey.
Event Details:
Date: 13 March 2025
Time: 13:00 – 15:00
Location: Nelson Mandela University, South Campus Council Chambers