Season 3
Now a primetime series of hour-long episodes (having been a half-hour Sunday morning show in the first two seasons), I Am Woman - Leap of Faith features a collection of tales of resilience and inspiration, exploring the life journeys and leaps of faith of South African women.
Host Lisa Chait travels across South Africa and listens as these women, and those around them, share the stories of their lives and insights about the pivotal moments of change that have crafted and defined them.
The series aims to awaken viewers to the potential of the human spirit, the capacity to overcome even the harshest of circumstances, and the joy being a woman.
Season 3 begins with the story of artist and storyteller Mmakgabo Helen Sebidi. The episode follows the twists and turns of Sebidi's life, journeying with her from her home village of Marapyane, in Mpumalanga Province, to the harsh realities of Johannesburg during the height of Apartheid.
Sebidi shares the tale of what it took to transform her life from domestic worker to internationally acclaimed artist.
Sebidi, who is in her 70s and still working today, shares with series host Lisa Chait what it took to become the first black South African female artist to hold a solo exhibition and the leaps of faith that helped her craft, and hold onto, her dream.
I Am Woman - Leap of Faith is produced by Plexus Films.
Series History
The series began when the South African Broadcasting Corporation put out a call for a series on women and spirituality. Former radio talk show host and founder of the family heritage project Life Stories, Lisa Chait, approached documentary filmmakers Lauren Groenewald and Miki Redelinghuys from Cape-based Plexus Films and teamed up with them.
Llewelyn Roderick, the award-winning director who died in late 2012, was also part of the originating team. It took two years before the SABC green-lighted the project and it was first broadcast in April 2012.
The series won the South African Film and Television Award (SAFTA) for Best Talk Show in 2015. It was nominated for two SAFTA in 2013 and three in 2014, with a special mention made by the judging panel for the quality of the series.