A shining light in our industry has gone out

The Independent Producers Organisation deeply mourns the passing of Moonyeenn Lee, legendary talent agent and casting director, the first South African member of both the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which votes for the Oscars, and the Television Academy, which votes for the Emmys, and a former member of the IPO’s National Executive Committee. 

Moonyeenn had an enduring passion for and commitment to the local film industry and played a pivotal role in developing not only the talent she represented but the industry as a whole. She was arguably one of the most Influential people in our industry, with a vision for the potential of our stories, cast and crews to become internationally competitive – a goal towards which she worked tirelessly.

She brought together local and international producers, had a keen eye for casting the perfect actors for roles and, in so doing, catapulted hundreds of careers and contributed to the success of many local and international productions co-produced in South Africa. Beyond that, though, Moonyeenn was a straight-talking, cigar-smoking mensch with a huge heart and razor-sharp mind. She leaves a most profound legacy in her contribution to the industry and the many lives she was instrumental in changing.

We salute you, Moon, and thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all that you have done – directly and indirectly – for all of us in the industry.

Sending our most heartfelt condolences to David, Cindy and Nina.