Greg Lomas (director)
Greg Lomas | |
|---|---|
| Born | Durban, South Africa |
| Occupations | Documentary director, filmmaker, photographer |
| Years active | 2010s–present |
| Known for | Chasing the Sun |
| Notable work | Chasing The Sun (2020), Chasing The Sun 2 (2024) |
| Awards | Loeries Grand Prix (2021), SAFTA Best Made-for-TV Documentary (2021), International Emmy nomination (2025) |
Greg Lomas is a South African film and documentary director, creative producer, and photographer. He is best known for directing the acclaimed sports documentary series Chasing The Sun (2020), which chronicles the South African national rugby team's 2019 Rugby World Cup victory, and its sequel Chasing The Sun 2 (2024), which follows the Springboks’ 2023 Rugby World Cup defence. Lomas's work has been recognised with multiple awards, including major honours at the Loeries Creative Week and South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs), and an International Emmy nomination for Chasing The Sun 2.[1]
Early life and education
Greg Lomas was born in Durban, South Africa. He initially studied advertising, where he developed an interest in visual storytelling. Early in his career, Lomas worked in graphic design and marketing,[2] but he gravitated toward documentary photography and filmmaking as his primary creative pursuits. His photographic work included personal and editorial projects that informed his cinematic approach, blending visual sensitivity with narrative depth.[3]
Career
Documentary filmmaking
Lomas's transition into narrative filmmaking began with independent documentary features produced with long-time collaborator Colwyn Thomas under their production company, Scholars Film.[4][5][6] In one of their early collaborative projects, the independent feature documentary To Skin a Cat earned recognition at the SAFTAs, winning Best Achievement in Directing and helping launch Lomas's career in documentary filmmaking.[7][8][9]
Lomas gained significant public prominence as one of the directors of Chasing The Sun, a documentary series produced by SuperSport Originals that follows the South African national rugby union team (the Springboks) on their road to winning the 2019 Rugby World Cup. As part of a creative team that included co-director Gareth Whittaker and collaborator Colwyn Thomas. Lomas directed both interviews with key players and behind-the-scenes sequences that offered unprecedented access to the team's inner workings.[3]
The series won major awards at the 2021 Loeries Creative Week, including Gold and the Grand Prix in the Branded Content Film category.[10] It also received South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs) for Best Made-for-TV Documentary and Best Achievement in Cinematography.[11][12][13]
Lomas and his colleagues continued their work with Chasing The Sun 2, which documented the Springboks’ 2023 Rugby World Cup campaign. In 2025, the series earned an International Emmy Award nomination for Best Sports Documentary.[14]
Notable works
- To Skin a Cat (feature documentary; director): Early award-winning documentary that helped launch his film career.
- Chasing The Sun (2020): Director, SuperSport Originals sports documentary on the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
- Chasing The Sun 2 (2024): Director, sequel focusing on the Springboks’ 2023 Rugby World Cup campaign, International Emmy nominee.
Awards
- South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs): Best Achievement in Directing, To Skin a Cat.[7]
- Loeries Creative Week (2021): Grand Prix and Gold in Branded Content Film for Chasing The Sun.[10]
- South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs): Best Made-for-TV Documentary and Best Achievement in Cinematography for Chasing The Sun.[11]
- International Emmy Awards (2025): Nominee, Best Sports Documentary for Chasing The Sun 2.[14]
References
- ^ "Scholars". www.scholarsfilm.co.za. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
- ^ "About Greg Lomas - Greg Lomas Photography". cargocollective.com. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
- ^ a b "An Interview with Chasing The Sun's, Greg Lomas". Coffee Magazine. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
- ^ "Scholars Film". IDIDTHAT.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "About Us". www.scholarsfilm.co.za. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
- ^ Williams, Chad Anthony (2020-05-13). "SA directors win WHO award for short film about sleeping sickness". IOL. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b "All the winners at the 2017 SAFTAs". www.southafricanculturalobservatory.org.za. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
- ^ admin. "Film and Commercial Directors in South Africa". IDIDTHAT.co. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
- ^ "To Skin a Cat documentary". Pioneer Film & Media.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b Reporter, Sports (2021-10-25). "Bok doccie 'Chasing the Sun' wins more awards". The Citizen. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
- ^ a b staff, Sport24. "Famed Bok doccie Chasing the Sun bags more awards". News24. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "#Loeries2021: All the Grand Prix winners!". Bizcommunity. Archived from the original on 2025-11-14. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
- ^ "More honours for Bok doccie "Chasing the Sun"". SA Rugby News. 2021-10-25.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b "Chasing the Sun 2' Earns Emmy Nomination". Little Black Book.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
External links
- Greg Lomas at IMDb