Biography

May 7, 1953 · New York City, New York, USA

John Louis Loffredo

His production of Just a Gigolo (1978) was Marlene Dietrich's last movie. It was also the first time since WWII that she worked with an all-German crew (albeit in Paris' SFP Studios). The experience of working again with a German crew delighted her and made her cry.

Professor in Comparative Theology.

In 2002, for his work as the creator and writer of the Shaka Zulu (1986) trilogy and for his work against apartheid, he received a commendation from US Sen. Dianne Feinstein and from US House of Representatives Rep. Diane Watson. Also for his work on Shaka Zulu (1986) and against apartheid, he received commendations in 2000 from Kweisi Mfume of the NAACP and Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi (Prime Minister of the Zulu Nation).

Contrary to some reports, he did not write the Shaka Zulu (1986) series based on the writings of Francis George Farewell. His trilogy was based on his own novel "Shaka Zulu" (1985). In this novel he literally used all the oral tradition he garnered from the Zulu people (having lived there for many months) and refined it, adding an international transcultural flavor to the story. In the final product, almost 50% of all the facts are not history but the fruit of his imagination honed by a great understanding and love for the Zulus. In that respect, one can say that "Shaka" is factually a "true story" inasmuch as it was the truth he felt while he was writing it. Indeed, when he was awarded a commendation by Zulu Prime Minister Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi, he mentioned how exciting it was for the future of South Africa that the story of Shaka should be conceived and created by a non-Zulu and non-South African. Having been a member of the African National Congress (when it was still outlawed), he felt that during the filming of "Shaka" some sort of control should be exercised on the South African apartheid production (contrary to popular opinion, "Shaka" was almost entirely financed and produced by SABC). He sued the South African government and received a restraining order in Vienna. According to this order, every page of the script had to be signed by all parties (in and out of South Africa). This guaranteed that the script that was shot was indeed the script he had conceived. It was important to him that no propaganda could be added to the piece so as to further the goal of apartheid.