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I heart Market - 2 November 2024

I heart Market - Saturday, 2 November 2024 - 9am - 2pm -Northlands Primary School, 20 Gleneagles Drive, Durban North

This month’s I heart Market which takes place on Saturday, 2 November 2024 at Northlands Primary School, in Durban North promises to be full of fun and flair and a great precursor to the ubiquitous festive season shopping.

The Market offers a dazzling variety of handmade treasures—from organic skincare, unique art, and fashionable finds to home décor, fresh flowers, kids' toys, jewellery and so much more providing an opportunity to find the perfect festive gifts or the coolest summer essentials.

“We invite Durbanites to join the shop local movement and experience the incredible difference it makes to Durban’s small creative businesses,” enthuses Tanith Molliere manager of the Market. “There is a delightful saying - “When you buy from a small business, someone does a happy dance” and it couldn’t be more true. Every rand spent keeps our creative economy thriving, supporting passionate artists and makers.”


The market offers a retail experience for the whole family. While adults browse, children can enjoy a fun, supervised play area, and there is a wide delicious array of artisanal food and refreshment stalls, including a new and popular addition - a gin bar with vibrant new flavours.

Families can enjoy a relaxing day out together, with a dedicated, supervised play area for the little ones, ensuring everyone has a great time. Most of the market is housed in an air-conditioned hall, which makes shopping in the warmer weather much more comfortable, come rain or shine. There is ample parking with car guards.

For further details email info@iheartmkt.com.

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Workshop and mentorship programme for AI-generated documentaries and narratives

The French Institute of South Africa (IFAS), in partnership with the innovative French studio u2p050, and Playtopia Festival has announced an open call for theUnrecorded Voices, a unique workshop and mentorship programme exploring AI-generated documentaries and narratives

This programme invites South African artists, developers, and students to dive into the intersection of art, technology, and history, using cutting-edge AI tools to create speculative documentaries based on historical events and fictional narratives.

Playtopia Festival 2023 in Cape Town

The programme is open to South African residents, and will take place online, with a daily workshop from 29 October to 4 November at10:00 to12:00; an individual mentorship programme from 5 November to 24 November, with a final exhibition of the various creative outputs at the Playtopia Festival, the annual Indie games and immersive Arts festival and conference in Cape Town from 6 to 7 December.

Participation is free, however space is limited. Participants will be selected via the open call applications which must be submitted by Friday, 11 October 2024 at 5pm and can be done on this  application link.

Playtopia Festival 2023 in Cape Town

About the programme: 

This workshop, led by u2p050—a collective of artists, historians, and technologists—focuses on the creation of "synthetic archives" through AI-generated content that reconstructs historical moments or imagines speculative events.

Participants will learn to work with AI tools for text, image, and audio generation, developing their own AI-assisted content that highlights underrepresented or unrecorded historical events.

The programme includes philosophical and ethical discussions on AI and its potential to reshape narratives, especially in relation to underrepresented communities and social movements.

Participants will showcase their creations during the Playtopia Festival in Cape Town, Africa’s leading festival for indie games and immersive arts. This offers a significant platform to present their work to an engaged and international audience.

IFAS invites South African artists and developers involved in digital media or technology-based projects, art and computer science students to submit applications to participate. No prior programming experience is required, but applicants should be familiar with technology due to the steep learning curve

Playtopia Festival 2023 in Cape Town

Selected participants will gain hands-on experience with advanced AI tools such as GPT, Stable Diffusion, and ComfyUI, while collaborating on creative projects. Participants must be available for the online workshops and flexible for the mentorship programme.

This project is supported by the French Institute of South Africa and Institut français in Paris, under the banner of Novembre Numerique (Digital November).

Unrecorded Voices falls forms part of a broader initiative to promote digital culture through creative projects worldwide,” explains Emmanuelle Denavit-Feller, Regional Head of New Media, Film & Music at IFAS. “This initiative emphasises co-creation and aims to bridge South African and French digital art scenes, and we are very excited about the creative output that will emerge from the workshops and mentorships as we navigate and pioneer in this digital space.”

 

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European Film Festival line-up announced

A stellar line-up of films has been announced for the 11th European Film Festival in South Africa which runs from 10 to 20 October.  Including two Oscar nominations, the select showcase of 14 films features numerous award-winners that delve into a wide-range of topics under the overarching theme of Complicated Freedoms.  Cinema screenings take place in Johannesburg at Ster Kinekor, The Zone in Rosebank, and in Cape Town at The Labia.  Eleven of the films will be available in the free programme of online streaming accessible across South Africa during the festival period.  

The Films

Io Capitano

The festival opens with Italian director Matteo Garrone’s Oscar-nominated IO CAPITANO. It recounts the epic journey of two teenage boys from Senegal who make their way across Africa in pursuit of a dream called Europe, and is based on accounts of actual experiences by people who have undertaken these arduous contemporary odysseys. Amidst the multiple dangers of desert, sea and hostile racketeers along the way, IO CAPITANO is ultimately a journey of hope and heroism.  This film goes beyond the numbers to put a very human face on migration issues that remain a tragic challenge to the world, very much including African countries; it raises issues of inequality and racism, but also highlights the presence of humanity and compassion in unexpected places.

 

Baan

The Portuguese film BAAN directed by Leonor Teles epitomises the pensive restlessness of 21st century Youth. It’s an innate search for both freedom and belonging in what is ultimately a journey of ongoing self-discovery when L. meets the elusive K.  This explorative and gorgeously shot film is by one of the brightest young filmmakers emerging out of Portugal today – who wrote it, directed it and filmed it.

 

Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry

The Swiss film BLACKBIRD BLACKBIRD BLACKBERRY, directed by Elene Naveriani, is about a 48 year old woman in a Georgian village who finds herself passionately falling for a man, and is suddenly faced with the decision whether to pursue the relationship or continue her life of independence.  The film makes a powerful statement about ageism, sexual awakening, and self-empowerment.  BLACKBIRD BLACKBIRD BLACKBERRY won the Best Film prize at the Swiss Film Awards this year.

 

Citizen Saint

From Georgia, CITIZEN SAINT is an evocatively shot black and white classic by Tinatin Kajrishvili, which tells the story of a mining town where the disappearance of a revered statue of a saint coincides with the arrival of a mysterious stranger.  A series of miracles create more chaos than good and controversial choices have to be made.  This rather satirical film was Georgia’s submission to the Academy Awards this year.

 

Dying

From Germany, the often comedic DYING directed by Matthias Glasner, unpicks the dynamics and dysfunctionality between the very different members of the Lunies family; the demented father, the sickly wife, the orchestra conductor son, and the radical hedonistic daughter.  We see that Dying is one thing, but Life is the real difficulty…. DYING won the Best Film prize at the German Film Awards this year.

 

Grey Bees

The Ukrainian film GREY BEES, directed by Dmyto Moiseiev, is about the last two remaining inhabitants in a tiny village in the no-man's-land between loyalist and separatist forces in the Donbas region in the days before the Russian invasion. Sergiich the beekeeper is Ukrainian, Pashka is Russian, and circumstances have brought them together in a stubborn and sometimes adversarial companionship.  GREY BEES is a powerful testament to human connection going beyond our differences in moments of need.

 

Kneecap

From the UK, KNEECAP by Rich Peppiatt, presents a riotous look at a hip-hop trio in Belfast who by rapping in their native Irish language become the unlikely figureheads of a Civil Rights movement to save their mother tongue.  In this fiercely original sex, drugs and hip-hop biopic Kneecap play themselves, laying down a global rallying cry for the defense of native cultures. The film won the coveted Audience Award at Sundance this year. 

 

Love According to Dalva

From Belgium, LOVE ACCORDING TO DALVA  directed by Emmanuelle Nicotis a beautiful portrait of friendship, recovery and identity through a young girl's childhood sexual abuse story.  Nicot’s  poignant film explores the ramifications of abuse with deep sensibility and grace, in Dalva’s journey to reconstruction and hope.  This film deals with a highly sensitive subject but one that has relevance in SA where child abuse is very high. The film won a remarkable 7 awards at Belgium’s Magritte Awards including Best Film.

 

Sweet Dreams

From the Netherlands, SWEET DREAMS, directed by Ena Sendijarević , is an audacious tale of the delicious demise of colonialism on a remote Indonesian island.  Satirical and sometimes surreal in tone, personal ambitions play out against a backdrop of workers uprisings, lust, and deep intrigue. Winner of the Best Film award in The Netherlands, SWEET DREAMS was also that country’s submission to the Academy Awards this year.

 

In the Spanish film THE OTHER WAY AROUND directed by Jonás Trueba, a filmmaker couple have decided to separate and come up with the idea of throwing a party to celebrate the break-up. It is a very contemporary comedy drama that teases out witty and highly believable performances from the cast with some revealing insight into how relationships work…. or don’t work. 

 

The Peasants

From Poland, THE PEASANTS, directed by Dorota Kobiela Welchman and Hugh Welchman, is a comic, tragic, and reflective story of one woman’s yearning for independence in a rural Polish village in the 19thcentury.  Full of ornamental song and rapturous dance, the acted performances are meticulously painted frame after frame by more than 100 oil painters in a unique form of animation, reminiscent of  the film LOVING VINCENT, by the same husband and wife directors. This film was Poland’s submission to the Academy Awards this year.

 

The Quiet Girl

In the Irish film THE QUIET GIRL, directed by Colm Bairéad, a young girl is sent away from her dysfunctional family to live with relatives for the summer where she blossoms and discovers a new way of living.  Similtaneously raw and profoundly empathetic, it is a story about childhood and the transformative power of love and human kindness.  THE QUIET GIRL won an Oscar nomination at the 2023 Academy Awards, the first Irish film ever to do so.

 

The Taste of Things

From France, THE TASTE OF THINGS is directed by Trần Anh Hùng, and stars Juliette Binoche and Benoît Magimel.  Set in 19 century France, it is a touching love story that revolves around gastronomy in a way you just won’t see in the modern foodie films and TV series.  This refined masterpiece of Cinema won the Best Director prize at Cannes and went on to be France’s submission for the 2024 Academy Awards.

 

Unruly

Women’s stories are very prominent in this year’s line-up and none more so than in the Danish film UNRULY.  Here, director Malou Reyman’s unflinching and empathetic depiction of young women battling patriarchy and suppression of their rights in a 1930’s women’s institution is a deeply personal example of how women’s voices will not be silenced.  It is also a strong reminder that achieving emancipation remains an ongoing process today. 

 For film synopses, film trailers and booking information visit www.eurofilmfest.co.za

 

The European Film Festival 2024 is a partnership project of the Delegation of the European Union to South Africa and 14 European embassies and cultural agencies in South Africa:  the Embassies of Belgium, Denmark, Georgia, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the British Council, Camoes Institute of Portugal, French Institute in South Africa, Goethe-Institut, Italian Cultural Institut, and Wallonie-Bruxelles International.  

 

The festival is organised in cooperation with Cineuropa, Ster Kinekor and The Labia and is coordinated by Creative WorkZone.

 

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Photos supplied:

More pics on this Google drive here

Audio : Co-director of European Film Festival - Peter Rorvik

Youtube link to trailer here:

Family Fun & Unique Finds at I heart Market Saturday, 5 October 2024

This month’s I heart Market takes place on Saturday 5 October at Northlands Primary School in Durban North, providing retail therapy that is always, fresh, exciting and surprising.

The market brings together like-minded “makers” and shoppers in a vibrant, safe, and caring space as some of the country’s finest artisans gather monthly to showcase their extraordinary handcrafted goods.

Whether one is in search of handmade treasures, artisanal foods, or eco-friendly items, the I heart Market has a range of carefully curated stalls featuring art, fashion, jewellery, homeware, and kiddies’ products, a perfect place to find those special, one-of-a-kind gifts as the festive season approaches.  The market also offers a selection of upcycled, recycled, and second-hand gems, each with its own unique story, and is particularly famous for its delicious array of food.

“The I heart Market isn’t just about shopping – it’s about creating memories,” says the manager of the market, Tanith Molliere. "By shopping here, one discovers unique products and supports local creatives and entrepreneurs who pour their passion and craftsmanship into each piece. Every purchase helps to grow and strengthen our community of talented artisans.”

Families can enjoy a relaxing day out together, with a dedicated, supervised play area for the little ones, ensuring everyone has a great time. Most of the market is housed in an air-conditioned hall, which makes shopping in the warmer weather much more comfortable, come rain or shine. There is ample parking with car guards.

Moliere welcomes traders to contact her if interested in joining this vibrant community of traders on the website iheartmarket.com/apply

For more information contact info@iheartmkt.com.

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SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Fast 5’s Netball Challenge Highway Regional Saturday 31 August

Host school, Hillcrest High School were on-song in the Highway Regional of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Fast 5’s Netball Challenge that took place on Saturday 31 August. 

They met Luthayi High School in the regional final, both schools have been one-time winners in the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Fast 5’s Netball Challenge, with Hillcrest taking the honours of the Durban Regional in the inaugural tournament in 2019, and Luthayi winning the Highway Regional in 2022.

On the day, both teams were unbeaten going into the final. Hillcrest tipped off with the ball ziplining its way to Goal Shooter, Michaela Clegg who pocketed her teams first point after 20seconds. 18 seconds later, Luthayi responded with an equaliser by their captain, Sibahle Ngubane. At 68 seconds into the game, Hillcrest scorecard rolled over by another Clegg point. Knocking in their second point, the home team ignited, upping the pressure with spectacular all-round defence. Luthayi, seemingly rattled and a bit on the back foot, only managed to net a point to every two goals by Hillcrest. The half time score was 8 – 4. 

After a two-minute break, Luthayi’s Goal Attack opened up the second half scoring with an exceptional 2 pointer, a glimmer of a comeback was sparked. Hillcrest’s response was three individual points, with their Goal Attack Julia Cameron getting in on the scoring action, netting two of the goals. Noxolo Linda from Luthayi boldly tried a couple more times to sink some adventurous 2 pointers, but sadly didn’t manage to find the centre of the ring. Both teams increased their tallies by 4 points in the second half, with the final score sitting on 12 – 8. 

A few of the learners participating in this regional enjoyed a more flamboyant attack of attempting to float in 2 or 3 pointers, compared to the norm of slotting in the more reliable 1 pointer from just under the net. 

Playing for third place, a determined Kloof High School dominated the game against Curro Hillcrest taking the honours of third place with a 14 – 3 victory. In the semi-finals, Kloof met Luthayi in a vibrant game that Luthayi won 10-4. While the home team, Hillcrest met the other local team, Curro Hillcrest, ending with an impressive 15 – 3.

This weekend, the action heads to Curro Salt Rock for the Durban North Regional. If you are unable to get courtside, you can catch all the action on SuperSports Schools. 

Finals Result

Hillcrest High School 12 vs Luthayi High School 8

Third Place Playoff

Kloof High School 14 vs Curro Hillcrest 3

Semi-Finals Results

Luthayi High School 10 vs Kloof High School 4

Hillcrest High School 15 vs Curro Hillcrest 3

Pool Results

Pool A

1 Hillcrest High School 12pts; 2 Kloof High School 7pts; 3 Westville Girls’ High School 6pts; 4 Curro Hillcrest Seconds 4pts; 5 Waterfall College 0pts

Pool B

1 Luthayi High School Firsts 12 pts;2  Curro Hillcrest Firsts 9pts; 3 Gelofte Skool 4pts; 4 Hillcrest High School Seconds 4pts; 5 Sastri College 0pts

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Announcing the Participants of the Southern Africa-Locarno Industry Academy Hosted by Realness Institute

Realness Institute has announced the six African film professionals selected for the third edition of its highly successful Southern Africa-Locarno Industry Academy(SALIA), a prestigious programme fostering talent in the film and television industry on the continent.

Left to right : Top Awoua Keita Epse Diallo (Côte d'Ivoire), Bethlehem Tesfu Estifanos (Ethiopia), Duwayne Murphy (South Africa).Bottom: Mphumelelo Mnisi (Eswatini), Rehima Awol Ibrahim (Ethiopia), Tshiamo Malatji (South Africa).

SALIA is a collaboration between Realness Institute, the Locarno Film Festival with the support of The Story Board Collective which takes place in partnership at FAME Week Africa. It aims to support the development of young film professionals working in sales, traditional and online film distribution, theatrical exhibition, and programming for festivals, and archives. 

This year the programme takes place during FAME Week Africa from 1 to 7 September in Cape Town, with the programme will be led by Elias Ribeiro, director of Realness. Participants will be given the opportunity to network with global experts, attend masterclasses, workshops, and panel discussions. 

David Rimer, Founder of the Story Board Collective a Geneva-based organisation dedicated to advancing transformative storytelling, says, “StoryBoard recognizes the significant role that programs like the Southern Africa-Locarno Industry Academy play in advancing the careers of emerging African film professionals. By bridging local talent with international industry leaders, these initiatives help to enrich the film industry with diverse and authentic voices,” 

“We're excited for a new great edition of the Salia, for which our partners at Realness draft each year a strong and more interesting programme, which enables to create an incredible professional network in the region,” says Markus Dufner, Head of Industry, Locarno Film Festival.

“We are grateful to our partners and with the opportunity to hold space for distribution, one of the most fractured parts of the value chain in the audiovisual business in Africa,” says Elias Ribeiro  Realness Institute Co-founder. 

Participants include:

Awoua Keita Epse Diallo (Côte d'Ivoire) the Acquisitions Director at COTE OUEST, who brings over 15 years of experience in content acquisition, including work with American studios, telenovela producers, and European distributors. 

Bethlehem Tesfu Estifanos (Ethiopia) is the Festival Coordinator for the Addis International Film Festival (AIFF) on Human Rights. 

Duwayne Murphy (South Africa)
 focuses on environmental issues through film and is the Founding Director of the Roots Film Festival, and has worked on international films and significant projects like iKasi Voices Season 2. 

Mphumelelo Mnisi (Eswatini) is the Head of Programmes for Eswatini TV who has played a pivotal role in shaping the public broadcaster's programming and content strategies.

Rehima Awol Ibrahim (Ethiopia)
is an expert in television programming and media research, and a key figure at Kana Television since 2016, who has served as a jury member for the International Emmy Awards since 2018.

Tshiamo Malatji (South Africa)
is a filmmaker and exhibitor, who directs the CineBa! Film Club and Festival in Bloemfontein. 

For more information about the participants and the programme, please visit www.realness.institute

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SA documentary that has touched a nerve – picked up by international festival

Mother City, the hard-hitting South African documentary about the politics of urbanism premiered internationally at the Sheffield International Documentary Festival, and at the prestigious Encounters South African International Documentary Festival where it played to sold out houses. Since then, it has been in demand by audiences and festivals eager to engage with its content throughout the country and abroad.

The film received special mentions from the juries at both these festivals, and was shown to a packed audience of industry peers at the recent Durban FilmMart.

It had a special screening at the CineCentre GrandWest, Cape Town on 30 August followed by a robust panel discussion hosted by Daily Maverick journalist, Rebecca Davis with Disha Govender, Head of Ndifuna Ukwazi Law Centre; Nkosikhona Swartbooi, activist; Brett Herron, former Mayco Member for Housing, City of Cape Town, and Anthea Houston, CEO of Communicare.  

The London Renters Union, a campaigning union with branches across the UK, requested a special for the opening of their Housing Justice Assembly 2024 in London on 30 August.

Given the dire housing and land needs a robust impact campaign is created by the film makers and activists seeking various opportunities to screen the film to a wide and diverse audience in order to trigger discussion.

Where to see Mother City,  next:

In Cape Town a short season will follow at The Labia Theatre in Cape Town on Sunday 8 September, 2.30pm and from Friday 13 to Thursday 19 September 8pm.

Johannesburg public screenings take place at the CineCentre Killarney Mall from Wednesday 18 September at 19:00 with a special screening with the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation with Daily Maverick’s Ferial Hafajee hosting a post screening panel discussion.

It will screen at CineCentre on Friday 4 October at 7.30pm, Saturday 5 October at 5.15pm and Sunday 6 October at 2.30pm.

International screenings and festivals include:

●      Sheffield: The Showroom Cinema in Sheffield 28 October

●      London: Bertha DocHouse in London requested to screen Mother City  29 October 

●      Namibia at the Film Week in Windhoek

●      In Germany, at Afrika Film Festival Köln, 

●      and in Switzerland and USA in the next four months.

Seasoned impact filmmaker Miki Redelinghuys of Plexus Films and veteran investigative journalist Pearlie Joubert, directed and produced the film with renowned feature-producer Kethiwe Ngcobo. Described as a beautifully observed, deeply human and often heart-breaking look at the politics of urbanism, the filmmakers spend six years documenting the activists of the dynamic Reclaim the City movement, as they transform two mothballed state-owned buildings in Cape Town’s into homes for more than 1000 people.  The Woodstock Hospital was renamed Cissy Gool House by occupiers and the Helen Bowden nursing home in the Waterfront, Ahmed Kathrada House  .

“This is a classic David versus Goliath struggle, where activists challenge the powerful forces of politics and property. It has touched a nerve wherever we have screened the film and resonates deeply with audiences worldwide – this is not just a South African problem,” says Pearlie Joubert, who recently  screened the film to the Renters Union in London.

“All over the world people who are living on the edges are talking truth to power, taking their fight like the Reclaim the City movement - to the streets, the courts, high-end events, and governments determined to make their voices heard. We are hoping this film will create the necessary impact for activists as well as those in power whose decisions affect them, we want each and every person who sees this film to be moved to action,” says Redelinghuys.

 

Link to ticket sales

 Cape Town: https://bit.ly/3AGbNPc

Johannesburg: https://bit.ly/3X4UzT4

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Choreographer BreeH Cele’s work “uXinzelelo” wins  Pick of the JOMBA! Live Open Horizons Platform

In the first time since COVID hit the globe in 2019, JOMBA’s popular Live Open Horizons made its way back live into the theatre to an appreciative audience, with Pietermaritzburg Choreographer BreeH Cele’s work uXinzelelo taking the honours receiving the “Pick of the Platform” award last night (29 August).

BreeH Cele (2nd from left) receiving the Pick of the Platform Award from Tammy Ballatyne (left) Jabu Siphika and Yaseen Manuel (Right) - Pic by Val Adamson

Jurors for the Open Horizons were dancer/choreographers Yaseen Manuel (Unmute Dane Company) and Jabu Siphika (FLATFOOT Dance Company) and dance writer and researcher Tammy Ballantyne.

uXinzelelo by BreeH Cele- Pic by Val Adamson

The jurors' citation read: “The Pick of the Platform was “uXinzelelo”, choreographed by BreeH Cele, with a carefully conceptualised work encompassing the weight of unique struggles faced by the black community when it comes to mental health concerns. Cele wove magic through the use of powerful, live vocals, strong voiceovers, evocative lighting choices, and disciplined, focussed performers. The stage was covered in white maize meal, which the performers became caked in as the strong choreography unfolded, with good use of the floor and imaginative partnering. At times, there was a sense of call and response between singers and dancers, as well as clever changes in pace and rhythm. An impressive work by a young woman who is using this research as part of her Master's studies.”

uXinzelelo  was performed by Nandile Khumalo, Sabelo Cele, Asanda S. Khathi, BreeH Cele, Slindile Mthethwa, Thulisile Sithebe, S'khona Mathenjwa, Pertunia Msani, Neo Dube and Nomthandazo Nxabela.

Accepting the award, which carries a small cash honorarium, BreeH Cele, said that she is looking to use it to further develop a short film on the work.

Inescapable, choreographed and performed by Siphesihle Vilakazi and Anneline Mazibuko- Pic by Val Adamson

Other works included Inescapable, choreographed and performed by Siphesihle Vilakazi and Anneline Mazibuko, from Durban, SASACRIFICIUM choreographed by Versatile Youth Company’  Thimna Sitokisi from Gugulethu, SA, and performed by Inam Dyonasi; Ndimphiwe Koloti; Sandile Dyushu; Buntu Anta and Simthembile Mampufoand Giselle and me choreographed and performed by Sarahleigh Castelyn (SA/UK) .

SACRIFICIUM choreographed by Versatile Youth Company’  Thimna Sitokisi - Pic by Val Adamson

The jurors noted the common threads binding the four works on this platform – the deep, inner struggles with mental health and emotional trauma. All four found inventive ways to communicate their stories through well-rehearsed and conceived works, with attention to effective lighting and a variety of choreographic choices.

Giselle and me choreographed and performed by Sarahleigh Castelyn (SA/UK) - Pic by Val Adamson

JOMBA! continues until 8 September with performances workshops and discussions.

For more info go to jomba.ukzn.ac.za

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I heart Market Saturday, 7 September 2024 - Durban

Spring has sprung! This month’s  I heart Market at Northlands Primary School in Durban North, takes place on Saturday 7 September and features the Spring Sale, the second and final sale market of the year.

“If you love shopping for bargains and supporting local makers, this is the market for you—especially if you’re looking to get a head start on your Christmas shopping,” says Tanith Molliere, Manager of the Market. “These sought-after sale events are always well-attended because this is one of only two times a year where our vendors offer their amazing crafts and products at especially discounted prices.”

The I heart Market offers a carefully curated selection of exclusive, innovative, handmade, homemade, and locally designed products. Shoppers can expect to find a broad range of items, including unique crafts, art, fashion, jewellery, homeware, children’s goods, and upcycled treasures. Alongside the shopping experience, visitors can indulge in a mouth-watering array of food in the food court, as well as craft gin and beer in the garden.

“We’re always on the lookout for fresh talent to join our community of creators,” adds Tanith. “We encourage ‘makers’ with unique, self-designed, and locally produced items to connect with us. Whether a jeweller, ceramicist, chef, cook, designer or innovator, this could is an ideal opportunity for makers to introduce news creations at our market.” 

Makers and food vendors can apply to Tanith on this link : https://www.iheartmarket.com/apply/

For those with small children, there is a dedicated play area and a pram park, allowing adults to have a stress-free shopping experience. The School Hall has air conditioning, guaranteeing a comfortable visit rain or shine.  There are also designated areas for parking within the school grounds and precinct monitored by security guards.

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JOMBA! Digital Open Horizons Pick Of The Platform Announced

The 26th JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience, which is currently running in Durban, announced its JOMBA! Digital Open Horizons “pick of the platform” awards for 2024 on Wednesday 28 August. The programme was screened on the festival’s YouTube Channel and is available for the remainder of the festival until 8 September here

The Digital Open Horizons platform invites digital submissions of original works from new and established dance-makers across Africa. These works which last 3 to 8 minutes, were reviewed by an independent jury and seven selected for this platform at the festival: Lacuna by Louise Coetzer (South Africa, Darkroom Contemporary), Echoes by Femi Adebajo (Nigeria), As the Mountain Stood Still by Dave Gardner/Jacques Batista (South Africa), Internal Struggles by Diana Gaya (Kenya), Yolk by Skyla Buchanan (SA/Cyprus),Moments by Marcia Mzindle (South Africa) and Blue Funk by Louise Coetzer (South Africa, Darkroom Contemporary)

The jury selected Yolk in first place, Echoes in second and Lacuna in third as the “picks of the platform”.

Yolk by Skyla Buchanan (SA/Cyprus)

Yolk was selected in first place for its “innovation, beautiful cinematography and interesting settings as well as its subject matter”. Filmed by Beatrice Mariani, and choreographed, performed, directed and edited by Skyla Buchanan a contemporary trained dancer, practitioner and choreographer working with a multidisciplinary approach to performance. 

Yolk is set against the oppressive heat of summer, and explores the link between womanhood and fertility - where the sense of being a woman is derived from a "bioessentialised" maternal instinct: “A woman with no children is a wasted potential of a womb, wasted space, wasted time, wasted life- the wasted yolk of a fresh egg.”

Echoes by Femi Adebajo (Nigeria),

Nigeria’s Femi Adebajo’s Echoes, performed by Adebajo and Janed Aduayom was awarded second place. This work was selected for its “interesting pace and rhythm as well as its use of location and space and his creation of tension and suspense.”

Adebajo is a creative multidisciplinary artist who focuses on exploring art as a medium of connection to the human mind. 

Echoes provides a creative representation of the concept of pressure and its influence on both the physical bodies and mental states of individuals. It aims to offer a powerful and artistic insight into the human experience, highlighting the effects of pressure and its significance in our lives.

Lacuna choreographed and performed by Mthuthuzeil November, directed by Louise Coetzer

In third place selected for its “wonderful play between dark and light, its use of slow motion and its cinematic sets” was Lacuna choreographed and performed by Mthuthuzeil November, directed by Louise Coetzer with videography: Oscar O'Ryan, and produced by Darkroom Contemporary.

Coetzer is a versatile dance artist also renowned for her multidisciplinary approach to performance art. Lacuna traces the unfilled spaces of the brutalist architecture enveloping the dancer. It is a cinematic study of light and shade, seen and unseen

The Festival offers a range of workshops, talks and performances and runs until 8 September. Tickets are available through Computicket.

All festival information is available on the festival website:  https://jomba.ukzn.ac.za/

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Honouring Durban’s Wesley Maherry’s 15 years as Production and Technical Manager for JOMBA!

In a surprise citation and award ceremony on the opening night of the 26th JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience on Tuesday 27 August, in Durban, the festival’s Technical and Production Manager, Wesley Maherry, was awarded a special citation in recognition of his fifteen years of committed service to the festival.

Wesley Maherry Production and Technical Manager for JOMBA! receiving the citation at the opening of the festival from Lliane Loots Artistic Director/Curator of JOMBA!, and  Ismail Mahomed, the Director of the Centre for Creative Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Photo Val Adamson

“We often forget that live theatre cannot function without deeply motivated, organised and gifted people whose work is to technically serve the vision of the artists and make their work possible on stage. Long hours in dark theatres and endless admin, are some of the challenges. In this environment, the CCA and JOMBA! has been – and is – honoured to have Wesley Maherry in the role of Production and Technical Manager for JOMBA! and all its various offerings”, said Ismail Mahomed, the Director of the Centre for Creative Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

JOMBA! is South Africa’s longest-running and most successful African contemporary dance festival. In 2022, JOMBA! was awarded the National Institute for Humanities & Social Sciences Award for Best Digital Creations. In 2023, JOMBA! received an accolade from Business Arts South Africa for the festival’s outreach and activism work. 

“Wesley’s specialised stage production and digital technology skills underline why JOMBA! remains so highly acclaimed in the creative industries. His work on the online digital delivery of the JOMBA! MASIHMABISANI dialogues and colloquium and, of course, the main JOMBA! festival in both Durban and at our JOMBA! @ The Market Theatre in Johannesburg, is unprecedented. Fifteen years speaks to a deeply committed support of artists and artistic spaces”, says Lliane Loots, the Artistic Director/Curator of JOMBA! “2024 heralds the 15thanniversary year that Wesley Maherry has worked for UKZN’s Centre for Creative Arts and the JOMBA! Festival.”

Wesley works at UKZN’s Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre as a Production Manager. He is part of a very efficient but small team – headed by theatre manager Jackie Cunniffe - that keeps the Sneddon one of eThekwini’s preferred live theatre spaces. He has an undergrad degree in Drama and Performance Studies. In 2024, he graduated with an MA (through UKZN’s Drama Progamme) where he interrogated his lighting design practice with choreographers like Vincent Mantsoe and Lliane Loots. His MA began to look at how dance lighting can respond to the challenges and needs in Africa noting that most of the research around theatre and dance lighting is still only generated from Europe and America.

JOMBA! runs until Sunday 8 September in venues in Durban with a satellite event in Hilton and then goes to the Market Theatre in mid-September.

For more info go to jomba.ukzn.ac.za

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uKhoiKhoi performs with legacy artist Robyn Orlin at JOMBA!

South African live-looping band uKhoiKhoi will be on stage in a dance production by acclaimed choreographer, Robyn Orlin, to be performed for the first time in South Africa at the 2024 JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience in Durban, and at The Market Theatre in Johannesburg.

uKhoiKhoi

uKhoiKhoi, consisting of musician and composer Yogin Sullaphen and vocalist and performing artist Anelisa "Annalyzer" Stuurman, has been composing for and performing in Orlin’s stage productions since 2021. The band, together with dancers from the Johannesburg-based dance company Moving into Dance Mophatong, has toured extensively across Europe with these shows over the past 3 years.

 Orlin, a world-renowned and award-winning South African choreographer, is honoured as the 2024 JOMBA! Legacy Artist at the JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience, hosted by the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Centre for Creative Arts from 27 August to 8 September 2024 in Durban. Orlin’s work “we wear our wheels with pride, we slap your streets with color…we say ‘bonjour’ to satan in 1820”, which pays homage to Durban’s rickshaw drivers, will be performed in South Africa for the first time during the 2024 JOMBA! dance festival.

As composers of the music in “we wear our wheels with pride…uKhoiKhoi forms an integral part of the performance. On stage, multi-instrumentalist Sullaphen and vocalist Stuurman, known for her blend of indigenous chanting and operatic styles, use a multi-layered approach to create the music with their distinctive Afro-electro sound. In real-time, they seamlessly layer electronic, acoustic and indigenous instruments, together with Stuurman’s vocals, resulting in a dynamic musical experience.

Recently, uKhoiKhoi has also been collaborating with Orlin on another one of her dance productions, “...How in salts desert is it possible to blossom...”, together with the Garage Dance Ensemble from O’Kiep in the Northen Cape. In June this year, they toured with this production across the south of France, with more performances scheduled in Italy and France towards the end of the year. Orlin says, “One day I hope ‘...How in salts desert…’ will also come to South Africa.”

In addition to the international performances with Orlin’s stage productions, uKhoiKhoi has since its formation in 2019 performed across South Africa at festivals, such as Mieliepop and Fête de la Musique, and at other live events.

uKhoiKhoi is currently working on a new album which is scheduled for release in 2025. This is in addition to their debut offering which was a self-titled 3-track EP, released in 2020, followed by their second EP “Nongqawuse”, released in 2022.

About the upcoming performances in Orlin’s dance production at JOMBA!, Stuurman says, “We are excited to perform ‘we wear our wheels with pride…’ for the first time in South Africa after having toured internationally with this production over the past few years. It is an honour for uKhoiKhoi to collaborate with a choreographer of Robyn Orlin’s stature.”

uKhoiKhoi will be on stage in “we wear our wheels with pride… at JOMBA! in Durban at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre on 7 and 8 September 2024, and at a satellite festival at The Market Theatre in Johannesburg on 11 and 12 September 2024.

Tickets for “we wear our wheels with pride…” at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre are available at Computicket, and for the shows at the Market Theatre tickets can be purchased from Webtickets.

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Dancers from Bangalore (India) for this year's   JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience

The UKZN Centre for Creative Arts' JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience, which takes place from  August 27 to September 8, will feature two exceptional performances from India by the Bangalore-based dancer and choreographer Deepak Kurki Shivaswamy. These performances will be presented both at UKZN, Durban and at The Market Theatre in Johannesburg with the support of the Consulate General of India (Durban & Johannesburg), and the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), Government of India.

The performances will be at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre in Durban on Thursday 5 and Friday 6 September, and at JOMBA! @The Market in Johannesburg on 11 and 12 September. These performances are part of a larger contemporary dance programme that includes workshops, panel discussions, and virtual screen dance presentations taking place at various venues in Durban, and followed by a condensed version in Johannesburg.

Deepak Kurki Shivaswamy.

Deepak Shivaswamy, trained in Yoga, and Indian martial art Kalaripayattu  has been developing pedagogy for contemporary dance since 2004. He is a significant figure in contemporary dance, exploring modern Indian identities and its evolving concept of home. His latest double bill, titled "Vasudaiva Kutumbakam," which also features choreographers and dancers Prashant More and Mirra, reflects this journey. The term, which translates to "the world is one family," serves as a guiding principle for his performances at JOMBA!. Shivaswamy explains, “This concept of universal kinship inspires our work, using dance as a universal language to connect and resonate with audiences globally.”

Weight of Time

Deepak Shivaswamy’s first piece, Weight of Time, challenges conventional notions of art's purpose. It invites audiences to let go of expectations and simply be present, savouring the performance as an experience in itself. His second piece, Mycelium Maatu, draws inspiration from the mycelium—a natural network of fungal threads that interconnect in intricate, organic patterns. This concept profoundly influences Shivaswamy’s approach to dance, encouraging a creation that mirrors the mycelium’s interconnected and evolving structure.

Mycelium Maatu

Among the exciting additions to JOMBA! 2024 are opportunities for audiences to engage directly with dancers and choreographers. These include special sessions where attendees can hear from the artists about their creative processes and works. On September 6, Deepak Kurki Shivaswamy will join JOMBA! curator Lliane Loots for an on-stage discussion following his performance, as part of the JOMBA! TALKS DANCE series. This conversation will offer deeper insights into Shivaswamy’s work and creative vision.

On Friday, September 6, Deepak Kurki Shivaswamy, alongside Prashant More and Mirra, will lead a free open workshop titled Aattam Idam: A Place for Playing. Scheduled from 4pm at the UKZN - Howard College Campus Drama and Performance Studies Dance Studio in Durban. This workshop is based on the concept of “PLAY.” It invites participants of all skill levels to explore dance and movement through creative and joyful expression. This is followed by another workshop on September 12 at The Market Theatre.

These workshops are offered free of charge to participants, but booking is essential as places are limited. The workshop is only open to dancers over 16 years. Book with e-mail thobimaphanga@gmail.com.

They will also present a closed workshop with Rudra Dance Company and ParamAtham Dance Theatre in Durban on Saturday 7 September,

Performance timings are 7pm on Thursday 5 and Friday 6 September at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre, and at 6.30pm on 11 and 12 September at The Market in Johannesburg

For more information and to see the full programme, go to: https://jomba.ukzn.ac.za/

Booking via COMPUTICKET for Durban, and by WEBTICKETS for Johannesburg.

Green Corridors, ETH Zürich and Kimberly-Clark Collaborate to Tackle “Nappy” Waste Crisis in Durban Informal Settlements

In partnership with Swiss University ETH Zürich and Kimberly-Clark, Green Corridors, the NPO dedicated to environmental and social initiatives in Durban, earlier this year embarked on a groundbreaking project to address the pressing issue of dumped disposable nappies and other absorbent hygiene products (AHPs) such as panty-liners, wipes and sanitary pads in informal settlements.

Amina Keneta (Supervisor AHP Collections) at Johanna Road informal settlement, shows one of the dedicated AHP bins that has helped to lessen the impact of improperly disposed hygiene products on the community, environment and public health. Pic by Val Adamson

“Disposable AHP’s which are designed to absorb fluid, are made from plastic and other materials, posing a significant environmental challenge due to their non-biodegradable nature,” explains Green Corridors Green Spaces Project Officer, Musa Shange. “Their improper disposal leads to environmental contamination and health hazards, including the spread of diseases. These products, especially nappies, also often cause blockages within sewerage systems, which can result in sewerage overflow and contamination of waterways.” 

This Green Corridors initiative, known as the Inhlanzeko Bin Project aims to pilot an AHP collections system to lessen the impact of improperly disposed hygiene products on the community, environment and public health. The project has been rolled out in Johanna Road and Blackburn Village informal settlements, with trained community liaison officers participating in educating and guiding residents.  In most informal and rural settlements, the ‘normal’ option for nappies disposal by residents is nearby open dumpsites.

Specialized nappy bins have been provided in selected locations, ablution blocks and creches in these settlements. The bins have been managed by the three part time employed community members in each community. They encourage residents to dispose of nappies safely, collect, check and weigh the bagged contents from the bins, and remove the bags to temporary storage containers, for weekly collection by CSW contractors and disposal at registered landfill sites. 

The “nappy” bins are being trialled at the two settlements, and different methodologies for fostering change in disposing behaviour are being tested. This included providing incentives and training community field workers to conduct caregiver meetings, home visits, and creating online caregiver networks.

:Amina Keneta (Supervisor AHP Collections), with Nontuthuko Ncopheni (Field Worker), Martin Mekkattu Master’s student from the Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering at ETH Zürich (Switzerland), and Okuhle Mdutshane (former Field Worker in the  Johanna Road Informal Settlement.

Three Swiss Master’s students, supervised by Dr. Marc Kalina from the Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering at ETH Zürich, have been responsible for designing and implementing the collection system. The locations for the bins were mapped out by Engineering student Timo Stutz. Another engineering student Dominik Huber, planned and helped design and install the network of bins and their management for his Master’s thesis. While a third Master’s student, Martin Mekkattu, has been responsible for optimising and evaluating the implemented collection system.

As community engagement and education plays pivotal roles in driving behaviour change, the programme has trained local fieldworkers, over a couple of years, who conduct home visits and host meetings to raise awareness about the importance of safe AHP disposal. 

Communication tools such as WhatsApp messages, posters, and videos are being used to reinforce the message and engender personal responsibility.

Results show more than 1,000 kg of AHP waste collected monthly per community, with 93% purity of collected AHP waste.

“While challenges persist in applying integrated and effective waste management systems in Durban’s informal settlements, this Green Corridors project marks a positive step towards mitigating the AHP waste crisis in our informal settlements, alongside drives towards redesign for re-usable AHPs,” says Shange.  “We hope that by providing a well-managed case study with solid data, it lays a foundation for informing future strategies for safe and environmentally-friendly AHP waste disposal.”

For more information or to become involved in the Green Corridors AHP project contact Musa Shange, musa@durbangreencorridor.co.za

 More info about Green Corridors:  https://durbangreencorridor.co.za/

 

ENDS

SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Fast 5s Netball Challenge Southern Regional Saturday 3 August

A smiling Shayamoya shone at the KZN Southern Regional as they defended their title in the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Fast 5s Netball Challenge that took place at King Edward High School in Matatiele on Saturday 3 August.

 

In a flamboyant display of sensational netball, Shayamoya Area Secondary School dominated from the very first whistle of their nine game path to victory. In the concluding game, they met host school King Edward High School, this is the second year in a row that the two teams have taken each other on in the regional final.

The defending champs took 12 seconds to open up their account in an exhilarating game of aerial onslaughts, exceptional groundwork, thrilling intercepts and sure-fire passes that constantly fed their forwards. The towering and agile attackers, Asiphe Manyaba, Esethu Mbele and Snegugu Gamede had a fantastic day in the circle pocketing 26 goals in the final against King Edward. The local team fought hard against the visitors but only managed to net 6 goals.

Leading up to the final, the Kokstad based school played in seven round robin games, followed by a semi-final and then the all-important regional final. The crowd favourites had a total of 159 goals and only allowed their opponents to slip in a total of 39.

The path to the finals, Shayamoya finished the round robin stage on top of the log with 21 points and seven wins. King Edward ended in second place on 16 points followed by St Monica's Diocesan School and Mthatha High School on 10 points. In the first semi-final Shayamoya met Mthatha where the final score was 17 – 5 to Shayamoya, and in the second semi-final King Edward played neighbouring school, St Monica’s with the home team taking the win 14 –

The next regional heads to St Henry’s Marist College for the Durban Central Regional on Saturday 25 August, followed by the Highway Regional taking place on Saturday 31 August at Hillcrest Hi

Matrics participating in the netball, also have the opportunity of winning a bursary that is valued at R74,000 through eta College in Durban.

Those unable to make it courtside, can catch all the games on SuperSport Schools website or App.

  

Finals Result

Shayamoya Area Secondary School 26 vs King Edward High School 6

 

Semi-Finals Results

Shayamoya Area Secondary School 17 vs Mthatha High School 5

Kings Edward High School 14 vs St Monica's Diocesan School 6

 

Round Robin Results

1 Shayamoya Area Secondary School, 2 King Edward High School, 3 St Monica's Diocesan School, 4 Mthatha High School, 5 Kokstad College, 6 iXopo High School, 7 St Thomas Residential School, 8 Bergview College

SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Fast 5’s Netball Challenge North Coast Regional

A triumphant host school, Hoërskool Richardsbaai were crowned champions in the North Coast Regional of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Fast 5s Netball Challenge on Saturday 13 July.

The locals met visitors, Empangeni High School’s team in the concluding game of the day.  Empangeni had the centre pass and from the whistle eagerly moved the ball around in the attempt of crafting their first attack, but the savvy home team were wise to their gameplan and intercepted, sending the ball down to their sturdy and steadfast goal shooter, Jané Taljaard who netted the first point of the game 35 seconds in. 

Empangeni didn’t let the early turn around get to them, and whisked the ball to their adventurous Goal Attack, Amanda Shelembe who bravely lofted a 2 pointer that neatly slotted into the net, going a point ahead. The two teams game plan was obvious, Richardsbaai soldiered the ball up quickly to Taljaard who wasted no time firing in her attempt, usually from just under the net. Empangeni were more flamboyant in their play, whizzing passes around the center of their court as their attackers settled up ahead. Once they advanced, they weren’t shy in giving Shelembe the space to try land her looping 2 pointers. 

Going into half time, only one point separated the two, with Richardsbaai being ahead on 7 to Empangeni’s 6 points. In the second half, agile captain for the home side, Anneke Louw ignited her team with four phenomenal aerial intercepts that encouraged her players to change gears. Between Taljaard and Goal Attack, Tiana de Beer for Richardsbaai, they knocked in 6 shots taking their final score up to 13, while Empangeni only managed to net 3 more shots, two of which being magical 2 pointers slipped in by the crack shooter Shelembe, taking their score up to 11 in total. 

This is the third time Empangeni High School has featured in the regional final’s medal game, earning a silver in 2019, and gold in 2022, with an impressive second place this year. While Richardsbaai featured twice, improving on their silver from last year, to hoisting the trophy this year. 

In the third-place game, Eshowe High School took on the second team from Empangeni, with the score finishing on 15 – 13 in favour of Empangeni High. 

The next regional takes place at Creston College on 27 July with teams from the area participating in the South Coast Regional. August has three tournaments, followed by two tournaments in September and the last one wrapping up the year in October. 

 

For more info like the challenge’s Facebook page sparkznfast5s or follow on Instagram sparkznnetball

 

Results

1 Hoërskool Richardsbaai, 2 Empangeni High School, 3 Empangeni High School’s Seconds, 4 Eshowe High School

Pool results

Pool A

1 Hoërskool Richardsbaai 12 points; 2 Empangeni High School Seconds 9 points; 3 Tholokuhle High School 6 points; 4 Felixton College 1 point; 5 Eshowe High School Seconds 1 point

Pool B

1 Eshowe High School First 10 points; 2 Empangeni High School 9 points; 3 John Ross College 7 points; 4 Hoërskool Richardsbaai Seconds 3 points; 5 Nkombose High School 0 points

 

ENDS

France heads to the Durban FilmMart - Africa’s Top Film Industry Event

Durban, South Africa: The Durban FilmMart (DFM) has firmly established itself as one of the most important meeting grounds to conduct the business of film on the African continent. After the renewed and extended co-production agreement between South Africa and France entered into force in 2023, a delegation of 12 film professionals from France and Reunion Island driven by the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS) will make its way to the DFM, taking place from 19 to 22 July, to network with South African filmmakers and begin discussions around possible co-productions for the future.

“This is a very exciting time for filmmakers, as the benefits of co-productions are really enormous,” says Emmanuelle Denavit-Feller, Regional Head of New Media, Film and Music at IFAS. “The fact that a year after the entry into force of this new agreement, we have some serious conversations taking place, is a testament to the will of the French industry to pursue and develop discussions with the South African audiovisual industry including development organisations, film commissions, government structures, individual producers, and other film professionals, that could help pave the way for future productions.”

“As we know, the business of film creates large, small, and micro business ecosystems that not only support the economy, but it also acts as a holistic driver for growth, inclusivity and capacity building. This initiative aims to help the French delegates to scout, network, and build relationships within the local film industry, fostering cross-country collaboration, co-productions and new shared stories to tell.”

In driving French-South African collaboration forward, the DFM will also host a ‘Co-Production Focus: France’ session that focuses on co-production opportunities and more broadly on the support schemes proposed by France to international players. The panel will comprise of French delegates Rémy Jacquelin, President of Paradoxal, an audiovisual production company, Morad Koufane, Director of International and Young Adult Fiction at France Télévisions, and Céline Leclercq, Head of the Co-production, Cooperation and World Cinema Department at the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée (CNC), as well as South African industry experts, Terrence Khumalo, Project Monitoring & Evaluation Manager at the NFVF, and Ramadan Suleman, Producer and Founder of Natives at Large.

The delegation will also participate in panels where 20 animation, documentary, and fiction film projects will be pitched to other potential co-producers, sales agents, broadcasters, and film funds at the DFM Pitch and Finance Forum. Here they will give feedback on the public pitches and also take one-on-one meetings with the filmmakers.

“We are really pleased that such a high-level delegation will be representing the French film industry at the DFM,” says Magdalene Reddy, Director of the Durban FilmMart Institute. “Over the past 15 years, the DFM  has seen the tangible results of the robust engagement that emanates from the market, and we believe that the delegation will be stimulated by the quality of projects and the stories that are being developed on the continent.”

Additionally, IFAS is supporting pan-African talent through DFM's Jumpstart programme, a dynamic incubator that equips aspiring filmmakers with skills in scriptwriting and project packaging, and aims to empower them to tell their stories with authenticity and impact. This initiative is hosted in collaboration with Produire au Sud, the film industry market of Festival des 3 Continents in Nantes, France.

The project is supported by the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs and Institut français in Paris, with IFAS and Alliance française in Durban, as part of a strategy for the international export of cultural and creative industries. It also benefits from the support of the Reunion Island Film Commission.

For more information about IFAS go to www.frenchinstitute.org.za

For more information about the Durban FilmMart go to www.durbanfilmmart.co.za

 

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IFAS to host High-Level French Film Industry Delegation in South Africa

This July, the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS) is bringing a highly esteemed delegation of twelve audio-visual professionals from France and the Reunion Island to South Africa under the banner of “New Shared Stories”. This is an endeavour to assist them to scout, network and develop relationships with the local film industry and stimulate cross-country collaboration and co-productions.

“In June 2023, an extended co-production agreement between South Africa and France entered into force. It is a unique agreement for France as it includes audiovisual co-productions. It is designed to encourage the creation of new content and narratives by expanding and stimulating co-productions between the two regions. It is a crucial step forward for new shared stories to be invented and for reciprocal investment and partnership,” says Ambassador of France to South Africa, Mr. David Martinon. 

This delegation follows a successful partnership between IFAS, the NFVF, and IDC which supported a visit of a South African delegation to the Series Mania Forum in France – the biggest series market in Europe, where the outcomes of this focussed effort led to successful business and networking opportunities for future audio-visual collaborations.

“The visit to South Africa has been built on the success of this, and together with local and French partners, we are excited to host twelve professionals who bring with them a variety of interests and expertise,” adds Mr. Martinon. 

In Cape Town, the delegation will visit Cape Town Film Studios, meet industry professionals, visit key locations, and attend the premiere of the film Pierre de Coubertin: An Olympic Life– about French educator Pierre de Coubertin, father of the modern Olympic Games.

Following this, the delegation will visit Durban to attend the Durban FilmMart, the annual business hub of the African film industry, and the Durban International Film Festival which celebrates its 45th edition this year and will also have a French Focus.

At the DFM, the delegation will participate in panels on animation, documentary and fiction film project pitches in the market’s Pitching Forum. In addition they will visit locations, network, and take business meetings with various other South African and African professionals, audiovisual agencies and commissions in attendance at the market.

The delegation includes:

Mounia Aram, who is President of Mounia Aram Company, specializes in entertainment and cultural exchange, develops innovative productions, and manages distribution as an agent.

Mathieu Ageron is the Deputy Managing Director, Co-Founder and Producer of Nolita which produces series, documentaries, dramas, music videos, and films for various platforms and channels.

Lynn Bou Malham is Head of Development of Federation Middle East Africa Caribbean (MEAC) a subsidiary of Federation Studios that creates and generates IPs from these regions, and produces high-end local films, TV series, and documentaries.

Emmanuel Eckert is Deputy Purchasing Director at Mediawan Rights, a leading audiovisual group in France and the second largest in Europe, with almost seventy production companies in 7 territories.

Frédéric Fiore is President of Logical Pictures Group which produces and co-produces, finances, and distributes films, series, documentaries, and commercials in France and internationally.

Michaël Gabrion is Producer at Gaumont Film Company, a French production and distribution company for feature films, television series, and animation programmes founded in 1895.

Benjamin Guéniot is a writer-director from Reunion Island with 15 years' experience of making TV series, commercials and short films in Reunion Island and Madagascar. Since 2023 he has been the founder of Storyto Films, an audiovisual and film production company.

Rémy Jacquelin is President of Paradoxal an audiovisual production company. He was responsible for theatrical distribution, international sales and the financing at Gaumont for ten years, and in charge of acquisitions of feature films and series at TF1 from 2000 to 2012. He joined Malberg Pictures and oversaw programme distribution and co-production and financing.

Morad Koufane is Director of International and Young Adult Fiction at France Télévisions a public broadcasting group, France's No. 1 media company. His unit is responsible for acquiring foreign series, co-producing international series, and producing young adult series for the French market. 

Céline Leclercq is Head of the Co-production, Cooperation and World Cinema Department at CNC (French National Centre for Cinema and Moving Images), a public administrative body responsible for devising and implementing French government policy in the fields of cinema and other moving image arts and industries, in particular audiovisual, video and multimedia, including video games.

Jérémie Palanque is Associate Vice-President and Producer of Woooz Pictures which is particularly interested in creators and stories from the world, through international co-productions.

Abel Vaccaro is a director and a producer from Reunion Island who is currently the managing director of Wopé, a short films, documentary and institutional productions company focused on showcasing content from the island.

IFAS will further be supporting the development of pan-African talent through DFM’s Jumpstart programme, a vital incubator dedicated to providing aspiring filmmakers with essential tools and techniques for scriptwriting and project packaging hosted in partnership with Produire au Sud, the film industry market arm of Festival des 3 Continent, in Nantes France. Four projects from the continent have been selected to benefit from Jumpstart in 2024.

A French focus also features at the Durban International Film Festival, and includes documentaries and films such as DahomeyAll We Imagine as Light, and Four Daughters, co-produced with producers from around the globe.

The project is supported by the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs and the French Institute, with IFAS and Alliance française in Durban as part of a strategy for the international export of cultural and creative industries. It also benefits from the support of the Reunion Island Film Commission.

For more information about IFAS go to www.frenchinstitute.org.za

 For more information about the Durban FilmMart go to www.durbanfilmmart.co.za

For more information about the Durban International Film Festival go to https://ccadiff.ukzn.ac.za/

 

-ends

Creatives Focus on Climate at Durban FilmMart

Durban, South Africa: In a major film industry collaborative effort Climate Story Lab South Africa, Doc Society – Climate Story Unit, STEPS, and the Global Impact Producers Alliance (GIPA) presents the Climate Focus at this year’s Durban FilmMart which takes place from 19 to 22 July.

Climate Focus promises stimulating sessions to seek tangible approaches to communicate the climate-crisis through film with panel discussions, hands-on dialogues around potential impact strategies to effect change through film, brainstorming sessions, and networking opportunities for film industry participants creating content for this secto

Emily Wanja, who is Director of African Programmes at Doc Society - Climate Story Unit, says, “This climate focus at DFM is part of Climate Story Unit’s commitment to support transformative storytelling that advances a climate just and biodiverse future by storytellers, impact producers, and movement builders. Collectively we can envision, experiment and share how an abundant world for all could look like. DFM provides an opportunity to strengthen partnerships across the information ecosystem on the continent for this work to thrive.”

Filmmakers and activists, in an invigorating panel titled Don’t Stop Talking About Climate Chaos! discuss the role creatives play in sounding the alarm on the climate crisis, and inspiring effective action, including the building of African climate movements. Nasreen Al Amin (Climate Story Lab Lagos), Kudzayi Ngwerume (UMI Fund), Pete Murimi (BBC Africa Eye), Simeon Letoole  (Human Rights Activist) and Kumi Naidoo on video (Activist and former Director of Greenpeace) feature with moderators Anita Khanna (Human Rights Media Trust/Uhuru Productions) and Emily Wanja (Doc Society - Climate Story Unit).

In the session titled Partnerships and Pathways to Reach Audiences, the need for collective focus and political will to effectively address climate change is unpacked and paralleled with the HIV/AIDS crisis in South Africa, where miscommunication, denialism, and fake news hindered efforts to change behaviour and create impactful solutions. The progress in reducing HIV/AIDS-related deaths was achieved through collective efforts. The panel will address how the climate crisis needs a similar collective effort from all sectors including filmmakers through innovative partnerships with funders, broadcasters, and alternative distribution models, decentralised to unlock impactful audience reach.

Nadine Cloete (NFVF), James Smart (Nation Media Group), Pete Murimi (BBC Africa Eye), Noel Kok (NEWF), Nonto Sibanyoni (Sunshine Cinema), Theresa Hill/Tiny Mungwe (STEPS) and Cindy Makandi (Tunga Afrika) feature here with Miki Redelinghuys (Climate Story Lab ZA) as moderator.

In practical tool-kit styled approach the session Impact Strategy in Action, aims to equip impact producers with the insights necessary to create effective impact strategies. The panel will explore key issues such as identifying target audiences, setting measurable goals, leveraging partnerships, and maximising impact through media and outreach efforts.

Tiny Mungwe (STEPS) moderates this session which features Emily Wanja (Thank You For The Rain Impact Producer), Rumbi Katedza (Transactions Director) and Anita Khanna (Temperature Rising Co-Director).

Well-known impact producers and strategists Liani Maasdorp (Climate Story Lab ZA), Emily Wanja  (Doc Society), Nasreen Al Amin (Climate Story Lab Lagos) and Tiny Mungwe feature on the panel in the Impact Hackathon moderated by Miriam Ayoo (Global Impact Producers Alliance). Here one of the Africa Labs Showcase projects which has been working with mentors during the DFM, will participate in a high-energy, interactive session to unpack the impact potential of the film.

Aspiring impact producers will also have an opportunity to connect with GIPA members at a session at the DFM, to find out more about joining GIPA which nurtures the work of the unique, often overlooked, but powerful community of impact producers.

In a practical session Who’s Watching Our Films?  Alternative Distribution Mapping, Doc Society - Climate Story Unit, CSL ZA, STEPS, DOCA, TUNGA Afrika partner in a session moderated by Cindy Makandi (Tunga Afrika) to ignite an initiative they have started to help film industry professionals to unlock both existing, new and effective distribution pathways to ensure stories reach the people they are meant for. In this session they will map out alternative distribution avenues that extend beyond conventional routes. The goal is to create an open-source model that filmmakers can use to discover viable distribution partners across the continent.

Award-winning impact producer Anita Khanna, (Uhuru Productions), says, “It's shocking how little attention is being given to the biggest threat humanity has ever faced, but we know as activists that this is often because people face many challenges that are more immediate to them. If we can use our artistry and our campaigns to, at the very least, keep people fully informed of what the climate emergency means to them, and at most, get people motivated to organise around climate demands, then we will see some serious movement. It's a thing that artists have done in the past, around vital social matters, we need to be doing it now, on steroids.”

For more information about the Climate Focus at DFM in Durban go to https://climatestorylabza.org/dfm-2024/

For more information on the DFM go to https://durbanfilmmart.co.za/

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Compelling Line-Up of Films for Encounters South African International Documentary Festival

The 26th Encounters South African International Documentary Festival, which takes place in Cape Town and Johannesburg from 20 to 30 June, features a compelling line-up of films from around the globe that promise to spark debate, stimulate conversations, and shed new light on controversial subject matter.

From the Congo to Kenya, USA and Europe, Lebanon to Japan with gripping tales of resilience to thought-provoking explorations of contemporary issues, these films reveal a rich tapestry of global storytelling and celebrate the power of documentary cinema to inspire, inform, and ignite change.

Soundtrack to a Coup d'État

The multiple award-winning Soundtrack to a Coup d'État, is a riveting documentary that delves into the complex relationship between music and political upheaval. Directed by Johan Grimonprez (Belgium/France/The Netherlands) jazz and politics are intertwined in this depiction of murky international interference in decolonisation and the Cold War.  It’s 1960 and against the background of jazz sounds of Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, and Nina Simone, a wave of decolonisation movements tear through Africa, and the struggle for civil rights marches on in the USA. Beat by beat, Grimonprez traces Patrice Lumumba’s rise to become Congo’s first democratically elected prime minister—and the meddling forces that conspired his assassination. Deeply researched, the film interweaves archival records, home movies, unheard speeches by Lumumba, and memoirs by Congolese activists and writers with the story of the Black jazz legends who defined the era. Pulsating with the energy of the period, this masterpiece of documentary filmmaking is a chilling indictment of the colonial impact on Africa. 

Moving to East Africa and keeping with the thread of international interference, the Kenyan film Our Land, Our Freedom directed by Zippy Kimundu, is a highly charged conversation about stolen land that follows a woman’s attempt to reclaim ancestral land. What begins as a search for her father’s remains soon turns into a tense national issue surrounding British colonialism, freedom fighters, and an unjust reality. It is pure grit, determination, and a genuine love for her people that keeps her going, pushing her to provide for those who did so much for her country yet received so little reward for their sacrifice. 

Black Box Diaries 

Of particular interest are two fascinating films from Japan: In a raw, riveting, and singular work, playing like a procedural thriller for social media, Black Box Diaries (Japan/USA/UK) directed by journalist Shiori Itō bravely investigates a case of sexual violence perpetrated against her—to bring her powerful, politically connected assailant to justice. As she pieces together evidence, she exposes the paralyzing roots of patriarchy in Japan. Her brave story is a reminder of how far the world still has to go in believing women, and the trauma of survivors. Her quest results in a landmark case in Japan, exposing the country's outdated judicial and societal systems. The film won the Human Rights Award at CPH:DOX in Denmark.

Johatsu – Into Thin Air

Then the beautifully photographed film - Johatsu – Into Thin Air directed by Andreas Hartmann and Arata Mori explores the phenomenon of people who disappear known as Johatsu or “the evaporated” in Japan where around 80,000 people vanish every year. Most are found or return home but thousands simply disappear. We meet people who have chosen to do this and those looking for them, as well as the people who help them so they can reset their lives in places where no one knows them. Johatsu provides an intimate window into the lives of those who have decided, for one desperate reason or another, that they need to start anew.

Hollywoodgate

In true “eyes-on-the-ground” and breathtakingly edgy filmmaking, Egyptian director Ibrahim Nash'at scores a major coup in Hollywoodgate (Germany/USA) when he is granted permission to document the transition of Afghanistan to Taliban rule after the US withdrawal in 2021. The Taliban took over one of the USA’s CIA bases with infrastructure of containers bearing the name "Hollywood Gate" filled with weapons enabling them to equip a new combat unit. Over a year, Nash'at follows the development of this unit and provides an authentic inside glimpse into the Taliban's rapid rise to power. 

Encounter screens “two must see” films that audiences might have missed:

Dancing on the Edge of a Volcano

Dancing on the Edge of a Volcano, directed by Cyril Aris (Germany/Lebanon), is a heartwarming and lucid documentary. After a massive explosion devastated the port in Beirut in August 2020, a determined crew of filmmakers continued their project in an effort of resistance. Amidst the city's destruction and an economic crisis during COVID-19, this family of artists finds meaning and purpose through the transformative power of cinema.

The Mother of All Lies

The Mother of All Lies (Morocco/Egypt) is a poetic, captivating, and cathartic exploration of the lies and memories of director Asmae El Moudir’s family, surrounding the Casablanca Bread Riots of 1981. The period of repression known in Morocco as the “Years of Lead” is hardly discussed. Narratives of trauma, loss, and love are recovered here through exquisite re-enactments played by handmade figurines, sculpted by El Moudir’s father and dressed by her mother, placed in a scale model of her neighbourhood.

Cinemas that will screen the 2024 Encounters’ line-up:

In Cape Town - Ster-Kinekor V&A Waterfront, The Labia Theatre

In Johannesburg - The Zone @ Rosebank, The Bioscope Independent Cinema 

For more information go to: https://encounters.co.za/

Encounters is Supported and Funded by: 

The City of Cape Town, Bertha Foundation, National Film and Video Foundation of South Africa, the University of Cape Town and the Centre for Film and Media Studies, Mail and Guardian (Media Partner), Al Jazeera Documentary, UWC The Centre for Humanities Research, Known Associates, Refinery, Institute Francais, Goethe-Institut of South Africa, Heinrich Böll Stiftung, Heineken Beverages, DOK.fest Munich, German Films, Documentary Filmmakers Association, South African Guild of Editors, anima, Pressure Cooker Studio.

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Joy Sapieka - Joy Sapieka & Associates 

joyls@mweb.co.za 

joysapieka0@gmail.com 

Sharlene Versfeld 

sharlene@versfeld.co.za