South Africa / 2015 / 104mins / Drama / English, Xhosa and Afrikaans

Catherine Stewart’s feature debut takes a look at South Africa through the experiences of a cross section of queer relationships in Cape Town. The changing landscape of post-Apartheid South African politics and lifestyles is portrayed through two central relationships: a successful black real-estate agent who is cheating on her white wife; and their bohemian daughter, who’s dating a gender non-confirming person in the Khayelitsha township. Beautifully shot on locations in and around Cape Town, with a stellar South African cast and a soundtrack of great local music, While You Weren’t Looking wrestles with the complexities of queerness and its overarching intricacies of class and fading relationships.

Catherine Stewart

Catherine Stewart is a South African freelance director, screenwriter and script editor. She has written and directed television drama series, mini series and short films for over 25 years. She graduated from Stanford University in 1988 with an honors degree in Literature and Film and received a Master’s degree in Screenwriting and Directing from Columbia University. She worked for Tristar/Columbia’s Feature Film Development Office in New York before returning to South Africa. She lectured at Wits University in screenwriting and has directed documentaries for SABC. While You Weren’t Looking (2015) was her first feature film. Learn More