Durban International Film Festival
The Durban International Film Festival “entitled ‘LOVE FILM HATE XENOPHOBIA ‘ takes place this week from the 23 July to the 3 August – Durbanites make sure to get amongst, hook yourself up tickets for both Triomf and Jerusalema, two of this years ‘must see’ flieks. This year DIFF gathers together an expressive concentration of 71 South African films, comprising 10 feature films, 29 documentaries and 32 short films which indicate the steady growth of filmmaking in this country. Underscoring the broader African presence of a further 38 films from the continent will be the Ousmane Sembene Retrospective, a presentation of all the major works of the late, great father of African cinema. Principal screening venues of DIFF 2008 are Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre; Nu-Metro Cinecentre – Suncoast; Ster Kinekor Musgrave, Cinema Nouveau – Gateway; Ekhaya Multi-Arts Centre in KwaMashu; KwaSuka Theatre, and the BAT Centre, with further screenings in township areas where cinemas are non-existent, and a special programme of screenings at Luthuli Museum on the North Coast. Read more below, booking info at the bottom: Cinema in all its diversity will once again be celebrated at the 29 th Durban International Film Festival which runs from 23 July to 3 August. Featuring more than 200 films from more than 95 countries, spread over more than 300 screenings at 26 venues across the city, the festival will bring together established masters of cinema and innovative new talents from around the world. Alongside the presentation of the some of the year’s finest films, the festival will run an extensive workshop and seminar programme giving the regions aspirant filmmakers an opportunity to learn from and be inspired by some of cinema’s greats. Opening the festival is the African Premiere of Ralph Ziman’s Jerusalema, a gritty gangster thriller set on the harsh streets of Johannesburg . The festival will close with Mike Leigh’s uplifting new comedy, Happy-Go-Lucky . The festival will offer an exciting journey into the world of contemporary cinema with a range of feature films, documentaries and short films that will not only entertain, but enlighten and inspire. Festival director Peter Rorvik explains: “ The Durban International Film Festival opens a window on the world, provides access to many different cultures and provides a space in which the cinematic art form transcends national boundaries. The recent tragic events in South Africa give cause to highlight what has long been a central idea of the Durban International Film Festival: to create understanding and acceptance of different cultures through the medium of film. A special programme of films focuses on the issue of xenophobia, and some of its attendant roots such as...
AKENOSI finds his Polena
We love the democratic casting process of the North West crew’s latest creative venture, Akenosi starring Presley Chweneyagae in the lead role as AK. The film production process also started off with a launch party at Roka two weeks ago, setting an upbeat tone for the crew, we look forward to sharing the film’s journey with you: The movie is based on the 1994 civil riots in Mafikeng and follows the life of a 30-year-old heroic young man called Akenosi who suffers the consequences of being involved in the Bophuthatswana riots. AK (Akenosi) is going into production in July, and we are proud to announce that it will feature our home brewed stars such as our Oscar winning North West born Presley Chweneyagae, Boikie Pholo, Zenzo Nqcobe and one of our internationally recognized lyrical genius HHP, amongst others. The Akenosi auditions held at the Mmabana, Mmabatho Drama Studio this past weekend were a huge success. Like HHP, KB, Presley Chweneyagae, Zenzo Ngqobe, Tuks etc – there is always a new star coming out of the North West! Over a 100 hopeful young women between the ages of 23-27 from all over the North West turned up to participate in the auditions for the character Polena – who would act alongside Presley Chweneyagae (AKENOSI). The auditions took two days. The producers of AKENOSI were on their way to determine who this lucky young lady would be.The session started off with screen tests where the ladies introduced themselves, then the stages became more intense when 26 of the young ladies where chosen from the lot.. then eventually only 9 where given the script to show off their raw talent. The producers watched with such awe as one by one, many a lady, displayed such innovative and varied acting abilities. This is despite the fact that almost all of these young ladies do not have any formal training in acting. In the end it was a tie between two ladies – a lot of deliberations went on among Presley Chweneyagae (Lead), Rabotho Rakgajane (Director/ Co-producer) and Joan Legalamitlwa (Co-producer). Lerato Motswiri and Lebogang Matsosi where the top two. Lerato, a young woman from Lehurutshe was raised by a group of women in the small village of Lobatleng. This young promising actress kept it together under the raving talent of Presley. The producers are now proud to introduce this talent to you. Please see attached photos of Lerato Motswiri – our Polena in the movie...
Filmmakers – Opportunity for EU funding
We tried to make sense of it all on your behalf, but we’re never great with the small print in life. From our understanding, essentially, the EU has over R60 million to invest each year in African, Caribbean and Pacific based film projects, focusing on training initiatives, animation, documentaries and series with a view to exploring cultural stories from these areas. The call for proposals has just gone out, so if you’re a ‘veritable’ production company based in Africa wanting to tell your story or train people in film making and need some funding (doh!), make sure to kick off the process by scouring the site to see if you qualify and then rapidly getting all your ducks in the row as applications close early September and there’s lots to do before then. You know how the saying goes, if you don’t ask, you don’t get. We’d be interested to hear who, if anyone, manages to get some funding, so please keep us in the loop. More below: The African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States Secretariat (ACP Secretariat) launches a call for proposals financed by the “ACP-EU cooperation support programme for the ACP cinema and audiovisual sectors”, to support projects in the intra-ACP cinema and audiovisual fields, aiming at contributing to the development and structuring of the ACP States’ cinema and audiovisual industries, so that they can create and distribute their own images more effectively. It also aims to enable more promotion of cultural diversity, the networking of ACP cultural identities and intercultural dialogue. The current call for proposals will award grants to three types of Actions in the cinema and audiovisual fields: – Production projects of cinema and audiovisual (television) works (Lot 1) – Promotion, distribution, dissemination and networking of the cinema and audiovisual sector in the ACP States (Lot 2) – Professional development and training of ACP professionals in the cinema and audiovisual sector projects (Lot 3) The full Guidelines for applicant can be consulted on the Programme website (http://www.acpfilms.eu), and on the EuropeAid Calls for proposals and tenders website (http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/work/funding-opportunities/index_fr.htm). he deadline for submission of proposals is 5 September 2008. Kind use of image – thanks to Turkairo according to Creative Commons BY...
Filmmaking Youth Take Action
The University of Jozi in conjunction with the Gauteng Film Commission will be hosting an international film festival to coincide with Youth Day this year. It’s a Mexico/SA collaboration and they’ll be flying about 7 of Mexico’s most inspiring filmmakers to SA and teaming them up with SA filmmakers. The awesome FYTA film festival is taking place at UJ on the 13 – 16 June, offering free workshops, showcase opportunities and a South Africa-Mexico exploratory and expressive film platform, young film makers, get amongst! FYTA FILMS: Through imagery and sensation language and ethnicity become blurred, making film an awe-inspiring transformer of society. Read more below.The first ever FYTA Film Festival (Filmmaking Youth Taking Action) launches in June 2008. Inspired by the need to fight against young minds being numbed by stereotypes, conventions and trashy entertainment, this festival aims to reignite the passion in young filmmakers. It aims to encourage them to speak their minds and join the movement realizing that while escapism is great, when it outweighs and white-washes all reason it becomes dangerous. FYTA Films also enables young filmmakers to tell their own stories. There are voices outside of Hollywood and FYTA is there to help uncover them amongst the true free spirits of society- the youth! This year we join forces with Mexican filmmakers to explore the common ground between our countries- in film, in history and in daily life. The Festival: Entrance to all screenings and workshops is free. FYTA Films in 2008 is presented by the University of Johannesburg in association with the Gauteng Film Commission, Embassy of Mexico in SA and Nedbank. It will be held from 13 – 16 June at the University of Johannesburg’s FADA Building on Bunting Rd Auckland Park. The Festival consists of three main categories: 1. Mexican-South African Film Showcase: FYTA Films will screen several African premières. In addition, filmmakers from both countries will be in attendance at screenings for discussions and workshops. Guests: Some of the well-known Mexican guests include Elena Fortes Acosta, director of the Ambulante documentary festival run by Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna, Flavio Florencio, creator of the Africala festival which highlights the ancient connection between Africa and Latin America and the African roots present in South America. Other guests include Alejandro Ripstein; son of veteran filmmaker Arturo Ripstein, Francisco Vargas whose magnificent film El Violin has won over 30 awards at film festivals around the world, Elisa Miller, winner of a Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival last year and animator Ricardo Arnaiz winner of a Mexican Academy award for The Legend of Nahuala. Workshops and colloquia With so many interesting visitors...
Filmmakers – just do it – without funding!
For various reasons, and not only because Editorista was hanging out in ‘film city’ Cape Town with the rest of Jozi this Krismuzi, films and how to make them seems to be highly topical. Well in our world anyway. Ed’s got friends moving to Durbs to make wildlife documentaries (lions in Durbs?), chomees in the Eastern Cape building their own crew accommodation ’cause there’s none available, Jozi film mates driving frantically round dodgy areas looking for a cheap laugh on HD and amazing travelogues being produced on a song and a prayer using 30 second still cameras (Ed will remain the originator of this one!Trademark.) So we decided to ask one half of one of our favourite film teams, CoalStove, to give us their predictions for all filmmakers in SA in 2007. Scotnes Smith, you rock! Leading Questions. There is something about leading questions that gets one so much quicker to the point then an ordinary monologue. Phrases like, “Did you have sexual relations with you secretary Mr President?” or “So you took a shower before or after the affair sir?” always get a conversation moving along swiftly. So imagine my surprise when Editorista herself dropped me a line and asked me to do an article for the glossy pages of Represent. What was surprising wasn’t that she asked, but that she asked me to do it by myself. That left me with that slightly vacant look of someone being caught enjoying a really good fart. Faced with the terrifying task of spilling my guts alone, I had better go big. Last time I was talking about an event we at Coal Stove launched last year called Off the Shelf. Its about celebrating young film talent. We hope when people leave they do so with a warm feeling that something is being done to change the face of filmmaking in South Africa. It’s something fuzzy feeling you get watching Bambi. That is not the sense you get sitting in the auditorium at the Gauteng Film Commision’s first annual Film Indaba though. Picture this: a room full of weather-beaten filmmakers, going at the throats of a group of flustered civil servants trying to explain that the ways of getting the money are complicated but do exist. Flying insults, cups of tea and the occasionally pantaloons; besides, it was a decidedly drab affair. Everyone in the room is convinced that the only way to build the local film industry is by having the government sponsor films which don’t make their money back. Here is where I get gutsy. THAT IS NOT THE ANSWER! The way to get the film industry going...
Proudly brought to you by:
