Aryan Kaganof

Aryan Kaganof (born 1 January 1964, Johannesburg, as Ian Kerkhof) is a South-African film director, screenwriter, novelist, poet, photographer and contemporary audio-visual artist. Active as 'Kerkhof' until 1999, the director legally changed his name in honor of his Jewish biological father, whom Aryan only briefly met once as an adult. Kaganof filmed several critically-acclaimed documentaries on contemporary African culture, including a 25-min Sharp Sharp! in 2003, featuring prominent "kwaito" house superstars Zola, TKZEE, Oskido, Mzambiya, Don Laka and Mandoza, and 2005 Giant Steps, exploring the work of revolutionary poets, from Lefifi Tladi and Lesego Rampolokeng to Afurakan or "Mac" Manaka, with a soundtrack by Johnny Mbizo Dyani and Zim Ngqawana. He also authored a documentary in 2007 about the first-ever symposium of electronic music in Africa, Unyazi of the Bushveld, featuring Warrick Sony of Kalahari Surfers, Pauline Oliveros, Zim Ngqawana, George Lewis, Matthew Ostrowski, Lukas Ligeti and Francisco López.