CEO Katherine Leach-Lewis: Driving Moonlighting Films and Cape Town’s Rise in Global Cinema

As CEO of Moonlighting Films and producer, Katherine Leach-Lewis stands at the helm of Africa’s leading international production services company. With a career that began in London’s documentary and television landscape, including the BBC, Katherine brings a global perspective shaped by decades of collaboration with award-winning filmmakers. Katherine joined Moonlighting Films permanently in 2025 and continues to build on the company’s legacy.  

Q. Moonlighting Films has been at the heart of South Africa’s film industry for decades. How did your journey with the company begin, and what drew you to producing? 

 In the 1990’s I worked in London at production company InCA, at the BBC in the Documentaries Department and later at Café Productions. My experience of working at those companies and on documentary feature films and television series with many different award-winning filmmakers, combined with my life-long love of films, I happily found my niche as a producer. In 2012 I set up and ran a commercials production company, based at the Moonlighting offices in Cape Town and got to know the Moonlighting Films team well. I line-produced the feature documentary ‘Good Hope’ with Genevieve Hofmeyr between 2017 and 2019. When I started developing a feature film ‘The Spiral House’, Moonlighting agreed, to service the production when the development was complete. In March, 2025 they asked me to join the company permanently as the producer and CEO.  

Q. Moonlighting has serviced some of the world’s biggest productions. From your perspective, what makes Cape Town, South Africa such a powerful destination for international filmmakers?  

Since founder Genevieve Hofmeyr opened its doors in Cape Town in 1997, Moonlighting Films has grown to become the largest international production services company in Africa. It all started with the film “Running Free” set in Namibia. Over the next three decades, the move from film to digital production increased the workload and the volume of production expanded due to the exposure and the company’s reputation. Moonlighting Films has serviced the production of over 100 films and TV projects that are global in their reach and continue to illuminate the human condition and our connection to each other. Our back catalogue includes films for global film studios, production companies, broadcasters, networks and distributors by an impressive list of directors such as Clint Eastwood, Mira Nair, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Christopher McQuarrie, Gavin Hood, Kevin MacDonald, Mark Foster, Michael Mann, Paul W Anderson, Andy Serkis and Paolo Sorrentino. We can do things here that would be impossible anywhere else. We have a service mentality that offers reliability, honesty and transparency. We have an extraordinary ability in South Africa to be able to creatively translate what is on the screenplay’s page to the screen. Through the technical skills of our crew, we use the latest state of the art camera, grips and lighting equipment and film in some of the most breathtaking scenery, or on backlots and stages that are equipped to deliver to first class standards. 

Q. Major films and series like Mad Max: Fury Road, Blood Diamond, Tomb Raider, Woman King, Warrior and Mission Impossible etc, were brought to life in South Africa. What do international producers often underestimate about filming here and in Cape Town? 

 Besides Cape Town which is situated in the Western Cape, other provinces also provide a myriad of choice which gives real range to what is possible: Gauteng (plains and North African feel of the city of Johannesburg); Limpopo (brush and dry land); Kwa Zulu Natal (lush and tropical) for example. On the rest of the African continent, predominantly we shoot in Namibia (desertscapes and substitution for the Middle East), Mozambique (North Africa/jungle and is cost-effective), Mauritius and Kenya. There is also a general underestimation of just how far their money will go in terms of the current rate of exchange of foreign currency. We are able to provide superior services at very competitive rates. 

Q. From logistics to locations, Cape Town offers extraordinary range. How does Moonlighting help international productions navigate the scale and complexity of shooting across the City and country?  

From the first introductory call about a new project, we help to break down and schedule the scripts and navigate the process with our international clients by offering locations and production support from the outset. We scout and secure diverse locations. Based on their location selections and the director’s vision and the availability of funds that the producer has to make the film, we then set about working with them and across all the departments to bring their story to the screen. We source collaborative, creative and technical talent. We utilise modern sound stage facilities and we deliver award-winning content for our clients. Opportunities presented are lack of red tape, economic multipliers in the services that support film production (accommodation, hospitality, transport, etc.) and vitally important cultural and creative exchange. All this combines to stimulate equitable economic growth and job creation facilitated by our international clients’ foreign investment. 

Q. Cape Town’s crews are frequently praised for their skill and adaptability. How important is local talent to the success of large-scale international productions?  

Local talent shouldn’t be underestimated. The skills and adaptability that our crews have, their incredible commitment and dedication to their craft, are regarded as exceptional by the international film industry at large 

Q. Moonlighting has a reputation for delivering ambitious projects on a global standard. What does “world-class production” mean to you in a South African context?  

Africa offers authenticity and diversity. We offer specifically African landscapes. We can build massive sets on location or on stages. We have the best crews and state of the art film equipment. We deliver stand-out gold standard production value. The range of the award-winning work produced in South Africa makes me extremely proud and very thankful to all the people who contributed to its creation. Some examples of our work includes ‘Fallout’ filmed in Namibia with Jonathan Nolan, ‘Postcards from Earth’, a documentary by Darren Aronofsky for the Vegas sphere and ‘1923’ which filmed in South Africa, Kenya and Tanzania. ‘The Woman King’, ‘Beast’, and ‘Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die’ are three impressive more recent offerings. 

Q. There’s a growing international appetite for authentic, diverse storytelling. How do you see Cape Town’s landscapes, cultures and crews contributing to that demand?  

The global appetite for authentic and diverse stories places Cape Town at the centre of this new expansion. We must maintain varied high value, high volume output and never lose sight of what our clients want. In the future, collaboration and diversification in film are two strategic pillars which will enable us to continue to deliver films that resonate with audiences everywhere 

Q. Beyond the blockbuster titles, how important is it for Moonlighting to support long-term industry growth and sustainability in Cape Town? 

By staying relevant with credentials that keep in line with global standards, the film industry will continue to contribute significantly to the South African economy. Training and skills transference are key to improving livelihoods of South Africans, especially the youth, and by ensuring that there are numerous pathways to employment in the film industry, its longevity and sustainability are achievable goals 

Q. What has been one of the most rewarding international collaborations you’ve worked on, and why did it stand out?  

I worked on ‘Good Hope’ a feature documentary with UK-based director Anthony Fabian. Over the course of three years the production travelled all over SA and we met and filmed with some of the most extraordinary young South Africans who are making a difference in society. By shining a light on the optimism they had for the their future and that of South Africa, despite the challenges that we are all facing, was so inspiring. 

Q. Looking ahead, how do you see Cape Town’s role evolving in the global film and television industry over the next decade?  

I hope that Cape Town’s role in the future evolution of film and television will be one of impact and importance. Through private and public investment, advocating for and supporting sustainability and encouraging the growth of film production businesses through critical partnerships, the entire process of the production value chain, from development to distribution, will flourish. We must ensure that strong ties between the world’s leading film makers, producers, directors, artists and all those who contribute to the medium and the city of Cape Town will long continue over the coming decade, so that creativity, success and prosperity multiplies across the maturing film landscape. 

Q. Finally, what message would you like to share with international producers considering Cape Town for their next project, and with local filmmakers hoping to work on productions of this scale?  

As a major player of production service we hopefully will continue to grow and offer outstanding artistic freedom to the producers, directors and writers of the global film community. We would welcome the opportunity to show international producers what Cape Town, and South Africa, has to offer and hope that with your next project, big or small, you would consider us as your potential partner.

Moonlighting predominantly produces international productions, but we also produce domestic films for both local and international audiences. Local producers and film makers should make contact with us about working together to realise their ambitions and actualise their potential. We very much look forward to what the future holds