About
Michèle Rowe is a South African scriptwriter who works primarily as a head writer and story originator for television and film. She attended the National School of the Arts in Johannesburg, and has a Master’s Degree in Creative Writing from the University of Cape Town.
Michèle first worked as a graphic artist and later as a production designer for films and TV commercials. She was a founder member of Free Film Makers, an anti-apartheid grouping of film-makers, directors and actors who created acclaimed independent documentaries and dramas.
From there she moved into documentary film chiefly as a researcher, before moving on to writing drama series and feature films.
She has also worked briefly as an egg peeler, waitress, columnist, pop-star, and historical film archivist.
Projects Michèle has originated, written or directed have been nominated for or won various awards, including an Oscar documentary and International Emmy nomination, a Mail & Guardian Short Films Prize, a Special Jury Award at Skip City International (Japan), a Banff World TV Award (Canada), a SAFTA (South African Film and Television Award), and the Andrew Murray – Desmond Tutu Prize.
Her work reflects her ongoing preoccupation with South Africa’s culture, politics and history through the medium of drama and story.
She lives in Cape Town with her husband, son and daughter.
What Hidden Lies is her first crime novel, and the winner of the 2011 Crime Writers’ Association Debut Dagger Award.
Author website