Biography
Henk Pretorius is a South African-born, London-based producer, creative strategist, writer and director. Across cinema, streaming, mobile-first drama and commercial campaigns, his work is grounded in the same challenge: finding the story that makes an audience care. His experience extends beyond directing into development, packaging, production, distribution, marketing and the commercial decisions that take an idea from its first draft to its audience.
Pretorius began his feature-film career with Bakgat! (2008), which he co-wrote, directed and executive produced. Its success launched the first Afrikaans-language film trilogy and established his instinct for culturally specific stories with broad popular appeal.
He went on to direct Fanie Fourie's Lobola (2013), which won the Golden Space Needle Award at the Seattle International Film Festival, Best Comedy at the Sedona International Film Festival and the Audience Award at the Jozi Film Festival. In 2013, the Mail & Guardian named him one of its Top 200 Young South Africans.
Pretorius followed this with Leading Lady (2014), a cross-cultural romantic comedy starring Katie McGrath and Gil Bellows. The film became the second-highest-grossing South African film of 2014, reached audiences across 15 international territories and was later acquired by Netflix USA.
After relocating to the United Kingdom, Pretorius co-founded Dark Matter Studios in London. There he developed, packaged and produced original screen projects for international audiences while continuing to write and direct. His UK work includes supernatural thriller The Unfamiliar (2020), science-fiction drama Forever Young (2023) and action-comedy Young Gun (2023). The productions brought him together with performers including Bernard Hill, Julian Glover, Stephanie Beacham, Diana Quick, Alexis Rodney and Shayne Ward. Forever Young (2023) received the Industry Choice Award at the Dances With Films festival in Los Angeles.
Today, Pretorius is the founder at Campaign Producers. He applies more than two decades of audience insight and production experience to products, launches and commercial moments that need a clear, unifying story. Working across strategy, creative development, production and distribution, he helps ensure that every part of a campaign serves the same commercial idea.
His current work spans brand launches, sport and live-event campaigns, mobile-first storytelling, AI-enabled production and narrative-led commercial content. The format may change, but the role remains consistent: identify why people should care, shape that reason into a story and carry it through to the audience.
Pretorius holds a BA in Drama with distinction from AFDA in Johannesburg, which has twice recognized him as Alumnus of the Year. His film career is no longer the entirety of his work; it is the foundation of a broader practice built around story, attention and audience choice.
