AFDA Johannesburg masters student Tapiwa Chipfupa makes headway at SA’s major festivals
AFDA Johannesburg masters student Tapiwa Chipfupa, from Zimbabwe is staking her claim in the local and international film industry. Her film “The Bag on My Back” was recently screened at the Encounters Film Festival in Cape Town in June, and she has been selected as one of 40 participants in the 6th Talent Campus Durban at the Durban International Film Festival, which opens on July 18.
Chipfupa, a cum laude graduate from AFDA and a 2008 Mandela Rhodes Scholarship nominee, is currently completing her Masters Degree in Fine Arts in Motion Picture Medium at AFDA. As part of an exchange programme with Finland, she produced and co-directed two documentaries currently screening at festivals in Europe, and has won the Best Student Award at Tampere International Film Festival (2010). She pitched “The Bag on My Back” at Africadoc, securing sales in Europe and West Africa.
Well-known South African producer David Max Brown mentored Chipfupa through the production of the film, which is about her life in exile and the land issues in Zimbabwe as she followed her parents from farm to farm in the 80’s and 90’s until her outspoken father was retrenched from his job as a farm manager.
“I am really please that this film is getting so much attention,” says Chipfupa. “It was really encouraging to have had David’s guidance, and I have learnt so much in the process. As far as Talent Campus is concerned, I am really looking forward to being in Durban, as I have heard such great things about it from the opportunities to gather information and expert knowledge and networking with peers from across the continent to meeting film-makers from around the globe who are top of their game. And of course seeing so many brilliant films, we would not usually be able to access.”
For more information contact Mandy Day, office 27 21 448 7600, mobile 071 473 6412 or go on www.afda.co.za.
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