Luck Is Alive By Dylan Muhlenberg

At the foot of Signal Hill, a stone's throw from the CBD, is one of the most Instagram-worthy Cape Town spots: Bo-Kaap.

Luck Is Alive is a short film that tells the story of Damme Samb, a young surfer from Dakar, Senegal, who believes that everything is sentient.

This is a case study in animism, the basic premise being that plants, animals and even entities such as the ocean have a spirit or a soul, often in the sense of having 'personhood'. Peet Pienaar's Luck Is Alive demonstrates this animistic sensibility through Damme's way of relating to the world. By believing in luck, and that it's 'alive', the film depicts how good fortune leads the protagonist to the ocean where he finds his ultimate freedom.

"It's all about the intention," Peet explains from his studio in Geneva. "Where if you are open to luck, you will be lucky. In travel, that means to be exposed to things I never imagined experiencing; to be surprised by the unexpected."

Peet's outlook opens him up to new experiences. He's confident that things will ultimately work out, which allows him to take more risks. And it's this risk-taking that has resulted in the former rugby player from Potchefstroom living and working in Argentina, Colombia, Mexico and now Switzerland - without ever losing his African sensibility. In fact, it's only grown stronger.

"South Africa is the reference, my core and the place I compare everything to. It's where my work comes from. Being away from home has helped me to understand my country and myself much better. Learning a new language for instance, makes you realise how other people think differently in their language. And it also helps you realise the limitations and greatness of your own."