Refilwe Modiselle wins Best Actress international award at TAFF 2020

South African model and TV personality Refilwe Modiselle bagged her first international award at this year’s The African Film Festival (TAFF) in Dallas, Texas. 

The local star won "Best Actress" honours for her role as Mansa in the short film White Gold, which bagged its second “Best Short Narrative” award.

This year’s awards ceremony was held online due to the global coronavirus outbreak and lockdown regulations in different countries.

Directed by award-winning UK based filmmaker Luke Bradford, "White Gold" puts the spotlight on a dark practice which still takes place in parts of Africa today, where the mutilation and brutal killing of people with albinism for traditional rituals or witchcraft, is rife.

Taking to Instagram to celebrate the milestone, Modiselle expressed her gratitude to everyone who believed in her craft.

“History in The Making". The first time a person with albinism in a lead role receives an international award of this magnitude. BEST ACTRESS!!”

She added: “My First Best Actress international award at TAFF 2020 🏆. Where do I even begin to express my extraordinary pot of explainable emotions.

“My God is no fool... He knows how this journey has been for me personally.... Shooo😭🙆🏼‍♀️. I'm so grateful. Global love like this is planting a seed, for the change that is needed in the industry & the world at large on various levels @thepitchwhitegold has taken Best Short Narrative award again as well!!! Out of the 4 nominations we took two awards," Modiselle expressed

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Where do I even begin to express my extraordinary pot of unexplainable emotions. I WON BEST ACTRESS at the TAFF @theafricanfilmfestival in Dallas, Texas 😭 THANK YOU #TAFF 💃🏼🏆🔥 The coveted award is coming home to me, Covid 19 could never stop God's plans even though we couldn't travel to grace this momentous occasion as we would have wished. It was done digitally. THANK YOU BRA GOD DADDY! My first international award as an actress & the first time in the history of beings, where a person with albinism in a lead role takes an award of this magnitude home! My God is no fool... He knows how this journey has been for me personally.... Shooo😭🙆🏼‍♀️. I'm so grateful. Global love like this is planting a seed, for the change that is needed in the industry & the world at large on various levels. @thepitchwhitegold has taken BEST SHORT NARRATIVE award again as well!!! Out of the 4 nominations we took the two awards. The other nominations were Best Director @lukebradford_art_film & Best Young talent to @owethu_zulu 💛 Time was so limited I couldn't name everybody individually that I would have loved to in my acceptance speech. I thanked @lukebradford_art_film, my family, incredible cast, the UK & SA production crew of White Gold & all who have been supportive in my journey. 😭😍🙏🏻 Additional to those I didn't get to mention my management @talent.etc, thank you for being open to my visions. I love you team, however special thanks goes to the person that takes care of me most, my soundboard & pitbull @khira_sa. 😍🙏🏻 Thank you to the executive producers of @thepitchwhitegold Luke Walton & Jackie Shephard. Thank you to male lead Natron @aubrey_mmakola_ for holding my hand even when I felt like a little fish in uncharted waters.  @lady_shadi Lena, your love & support has been so sisterly that I can't thank you enough. @hester_make_up ... THANK YOU my Kindred for thinking of me, even after years later 😭😭😭 To my friends I can't all name, thank you for holding my hand through this journey. Genuine love & support has become a rare commodity. To my loves/supporters (don't like the term fans) THANK YOU 💛 #GodsBabygirl #InMySkinIWin 💛🙏🏻🏆🕯️

A post shared by Refilwe Vanillablaq Modiselle(@refilwemodiselle) on Jun 6, 2020 at 9:43pm PDT

 In February, the film bagged the Best Short Narrative accolade in the Oscar 2021 qualifying category at the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles.

The film has received numerous nominations including the Best Humanitarian Film at the RapidLion Film Festival (The South African International Film Festival), which was held at The Market Theatre, Newtown, Johannesburg.

The film which was shot in South Africa, features legendary actor Aubrey Mmakola and seasoned actress Shadi Chauke.

Watch "White Gold" trailer below: