With her producing debut Lil_ith, the award-winning actress steps into creative ownership, centring Black womanhood in all its complexity.
When Siphesihle ‘Cee Cee’ Ndaba walks into a new chapter, she does so with intention. Known to many for her breakout role on Gomora, the award-winning actress is now expanding her creative footprint with Lil_ith, a short film that sees her not only as the lead, but also as a co-creator and producer.
It is a move that feels less like a pivot and more like a natural evolution.
“I’ve always been a well-rounded creative,” she says. Long before the cameras and festival selections, Ndaba was already building the foundation for this moment. In 2018, she wrote, directed and produced her first theatre piece at the National Arts Festival, working with no budget and taking on every role imaginable. From costume design to marketing, she learned to carry a project from idea to execution.
It was demanding, but it was also formative.
“The situation was not ideal, but it was fortuitous,” she reflects. “It showed me how resourceful I am and that I can actually pull something off.”
That curiosity still drives her. Ndaba speaks about storytelling as a layered process, one that requires a deep understanding of every moving part. She approaches each space as a student, absorbing knowledge and sharpening her craft.
“I acknowledge that I will never know enough,” she says. “So I build my skill set alongside my career.”
With Lil_ith, that commitment to growth takes centre stage. Co-produced with filmmaker Robin de Jager, the film is a deliberate and deeply considered exploration of Black femininity. It moves beyond surface-level representation, choosing instead to sit with the complexities of identity, autonomy and self-acceptance.
“The vision was to explore the richness of Black femininity and its complexities,” Ndaba explains. “We wanted to create a narrative that does not shy away from the realities women face, especially in an African context.”
At its core, Lil_ith is about reclaiming the narrative. Through its lead character, the film challenges the limitations often placed on Black women, rejecting stereotypes in favour of a fully realised, nuanced portrayal. It is a story that speaks to both the personal and the collective, weaving together lived experiences with broader cultural conversations.
The collaboration between Ndaba and de Jager played a key role in shaping that vision. Where he brought a strong visual language, she anchored the emotional depth of the character, resulting in a piece that feels both intimate and expansive.
“What came out of it is a work that is both an artistic expression and a call for social conversation,” she says.
Those conversations are rooted in history as much as they are in the present. Lil_ithengages with themes of African feminism, sexuality, female agency and body positivity, placing the African female body at the centre of its narrative. It interrogates how that body has been viewed, from pre-colonial times to the colonial gaze and its lingering impact today.
Ndaba points to the legacy of Sarah Baartman as a starting point for understanding this history. Once displayed and objectified, her body became a site of both scrutiny and fascination. In contrast, pre-colonial African cultures often held a more functional and less sexualised view of the body.
“Post-colonial influence shifted that perception,” Ndaba notes. “The same features are now tied to desirability in a way that is shaped by Western influence.”
Rather than passively existing within that gaze, Lil_ith actively challenges it. The film’s protagonist recognises how she is perceived and chooses to subvert it, reclaiming ownership of her image and the way it is consumed.
In doing so, the film does more than tell a story. It disrupts a narrative.
Taking on both acting and producing roles, however, came with its own set of challenges. As an actor, there is a clear beginning and end to the work. As a producer, the responsibility stretches far beyond the final scene.
“The work continues beyond ‘cut’,” Ndaba says. From post-production and marketing to funding and long-term strategy, the project becomes something that lives with you.
It is a shift she has embraced fully, even if it means waking up in the middle of the night with new ideas.
“I think about how we can improve our strategy or who we can pitch to next,” she says with a smile. “It’s all so exciting.”
That excitement has already been met with international recognition. Lil_ith was selected for the Odense International Film Festival, an Oscar and BAFTA qualifying festival, marking a significant milestone for Ndaba in her debut as a producer.
“It’s surreal,” she admits. “Creating and sharing art requires so much vulnerability. You’re sharing a part of yourself. It’s affirming to know that someone saw the work and believed in our vision.”
Back home, the film made its South African and continental debut to a full house in Johannesburg, during the Joburg Film Festival. The moment felt significant, not just as a premiere, but as a statement of intent.
Ndaba is not just participating in the industry. She is actively shaping it.
With a production team that is 50 percent female and a story rooted in a bold female perspective, Lil_ith arrives at a time when conversations around representation and opportunity are more urgent than ever. For Ndaba, meaningful change goes beyond numbers.
“It’s about having women in leadership roles where they can influence storytelling,” she explains. “We need to tell our own stories through our own lens.”
That includes access to funding, mentorship and networks that allow women, especially Black women, to enter and thrive in the industry. It also means dismantling long-standing barriers that have limited whose stories are told and how.
As someone who has taken that step into creative ownership, Ndaba is clear about the advice she would give to others looking to do the same.
“Create,” she says simply. “Tell the stories.”
It is a reminder that waiting for permission is often the biggest obstacle.
“Don’t wait for someone to believe in you,” she adds. “If you can’t bet on yourself, you can’t expect someone else to.”
Even if the first attempt is imperfect, there is value in the process.
“No one creates an award-winning project on their first try. You learn something every time.”
With Lil_ith, Cee Cee Ndaba is doing exactly that. Learning, building and, most importantly, creating on her own terms.
And if this moment is anything to go by, she is only just getting started.