Sara Blecher

Sara Blecher is one of South Africa's most celebrated directors, with over 30 years of experience in film and television. Her award-winning documentaries and feature films — often centering on vulnerable people navigating complex social realities — have screened at major international festivals and sometimes involved working with minors in complex, sensitive storylines.

Sara's commitment to safety on set has been a defining thread throughout her career. As the founder of SWIFT (Sisters Working in Film and Television), she helped establish the organisation as the leading advocate for gender equity, safety, and transformation in the South African screen industry. This work deepened her awareness of the risks faced by performers — both adults and children — and the need for formalised structures of care.

In 2019, Sara trained as an Intimacy Coordinator under Ita O'Brien (Intimacy on Set) and later with Safe Sets, where she consolidated her practice through mentorship and advanced training. She has since become one of South Africa's most experienced ICs, working across television, film, and theatre. As co-founder of Safe Sets, she has also been part of the Safe Sets team that has taught intimacy practices across the world, training cohorts in Johannesburg, Cape Town, London, Spain, Italy, and Poland.

Her intimacy coordination credits include projects for Netflix, HBO, Showmax, and Amazon, spanning series, feature films, and telenovelas. Many of these productions required her to safeguard minors and younger performers in scenes involving intimacy, family conflict, violence, and trauma — areas where her dual expertise as a director and IC proved essential in supporting both performance and well-being.