SPAR KZN School Girls’ Hockey Challenge Pongola: Sat 25 Feb Ferrum High Claims Back Regional Title in SPAR KZN

SPAR KZN School Girls’ Hockey Challenge

Pongola: Saturday 25 February

Ferrum High Claims Back Regional Title in SPAR KZN

It was a day that young hockey players had to really dig deep to sustain their games in sweltering heat in the first of the regionals in the 2017 SPAR KZN School Girls’ Hockey Challenge which saw Ferrum High School reclaim the Northern Regional title.

Defending champions Sarel Cilliers were unable to hold onto the cup, which they scooped from Ferrum last year, who have now been crowned champions six times in this region.

Participating teams included Newcastle High School, Ferrum High School and St Dominics also from Newcastle, Utrecht High School, Dundee High School, Vryheid High School, Pionier High School (Vryheid) and Pongola Akademie. 

The twenty-four minute games, were played in two pools with Ferrum topping the log of Pool A, meeting Pool B runners-up, host school Pongola Akademie in the first semi-final. The second semi had Pool A’s Pionier taking on Dundee, who topped Pool B.

Dundee were outright winners of their pool finishing their three games with 10 points having drawn against Pongola in the pool game. Pongola were two points behind them having drawn two of their games. 

Ferrum were clear dominators having won all of their games. The battle for second place was down to the wire with Sarel Cilliers and Pionier equal on nine points. The deciding factor was goal difference, and Pionier had to score more than two in their final game against Newcastle.

Pionier’s centre forward, Lara Dedekind, stormed down the middle of the field smashing a shot from the top of the circle landing their second needed goal in their last match to secure their place in the semis. Inspired by success the team continued to net another four more goals taking the final score to 6 – 0.

The first semi saw Pongola taking on Ferrum with Ferrum scoring their goal in the first half, and Pongola defended valiantly throughout the remainder of the game only having a few opportunities at the other end which they were not able to convert.

In the second semi-final, Dundee met Pionier for the first time in over a decade, and Dedekind netted another two for her team in between goals landed by team mates Johanette Wilken and Anlie Knoetze.

In the blazing sun, Pionier and Ferrum met for the finals with evenly matched play, as both sides had opportunities on either end. Earlier on in the day the two teams that had battled it out with Ferrum conquering Pionier 2-1. 

As the clock wound down in the final, left wing Lucrecia Struwig managed to beat the last line of the opposition’s sterling defense – goalie Lorma Janse van Rensburg to nudge the ball in. In the last minute of play, Pionier fought courageously being awarded with back-to-back short corners but were unable to equalize.

Captain of the winning team Sanelisiwe Mnguni, elated with the win said “We had to really work hard and persevere, especially when our energy levels were really low, but we held onto our motto Believe, Motivate and Communicate to get us through.”

The Most Promising Umpire was Que Mdletshe, representing Dundee High School.

Our 2017 tournament is well and truly under way with the fantastic community spirit both on and off the field, it always is a festive way to start our year.” said Les Galloway Tournament Director.

Max Oliva, Managing Director of SPAR KZN said “Well done to the teams that gave their all despite the relentless heat. We appreciate your dedication to your teams and schools, and to the camaraderie shown throughout the day.”  

Ferrum High school is the first team through to the grand finals which will be played at St Mary’s DSG in Durban at the end of July.

For more info like the Facebook page.

Results:

1 Ferrum High School, 2 Pionier High School, 3 Dundee High School, 4 Pongola High School, 5 Sarel Cilliers High School, 6 Vryheid High School, 7 St Dominics College, 8 Utrecht High School, 9 Newcastle High School

-ends

Durban Film Office Partners With Uzalo To Train Local Film-Makers

MEDIA RELEASE
DURBAN FILM OFFICE PARTNERS WITH UZALO TO TRAIN LOCAL FILM-MAKERS

Six aspiring Durban film-makers have been given the opportunity to work behind the scenes on one of South Africa’s most watched soapies Uzalo, which boasts a viewership of almost three million per day.

EThekwini Municipality, through its film industry development unit the Durban Film Office, facilitated the yearlong placement of the six trainees who will gain experience by working on the popular SABC 1 drama series. This demonstrates the City’s continued commitment to empower emerging talented youth in the creative industry.

This is the second year that the trainee programme, which covers a number of areas of film-making including sound, camera, make-up and hair, art, continuity and wardrobe, is being run by Stained Glass Productions.  The programme aims to empower young people and create more technically savvy people for the local film industry.

The six Durban youth, who were selected from over 70 applications, includes Pinky Sozombile (make-up and hair), Slindokuhle Msomi (continuity), Thokozani Mahaye (sound), Mbusi Harrison Msane (art department), Philile Masondo (camera) and Ntombifuthi Zakwe (wardrobe).

Pinky Sozombile, 22, from Newlands West who studied beauty therapy at the Creative Arts College in Durban said the scope to learn on set has been fantastic. “I now know that I can do so much more with make-up. It’s not easy doing make-up for film, but I am loving it and hope to learn more about special effects as well.”

Slindokuhle Msomi, 24, from Umlazi, who has a diploma in film and TV production is enjoying the responsibility that comes with continuity on a film set. “Already I have been given an opportunity to work on my own which was very nerve-wracking at first, but people have been very helpful.”

Ntombifuthi “G-2” Zakwe, a 29 year-old fashion design and video technology graduate from Mobeni Heights is loving the challenge of working on a soapie with the many costume changes required daily.  “You have to know your callsheet and script inside out to ensure that you are looking after the actors well. I have been so humbled by the experience, and appreciate learning to work with so many different personalities.”

Setting her long term goals on being a director of photography one day, Philile Masondo, 21, from Ntuzuma, who has a diploma in film and TV production, is based in the camera department. She says that Uzalo provides a “whole new experience."It is helping me aim to be the best that I can be. There is so much experience to gain here.”

Mbusi Harrison Msane, 25, from Wyebank, is in the art department and also has a film and TV diploma. The focus for him at the moment is in the construction of the sets for Uzalo. “Working on this soapie is really helping me to groom myself for a career in film – I am learning so much.”

In the sound department, Thokozani Mahaye, a 21 year-old graduate in music production and sound technology from the Creative Arts College is enjoying working hard and is determined to prove herself in this department.

“There is nothing better than learning through experience,” says Toni Monty, Head of the Durban Film Office. “Programmes like this play an instrumental role in enabling Durban to grow its share in the market. The programme has supported 11 trainees over the past 18 months, many of whom continue to work for Uzalo. We are pleased to see the high level of commitment and enthusiasm shown by these six young people, and appreciate the contribution Stained Glass Productions is making to develop the local pool of skills in the industry.”

EThekwini Mayor Zandile Gumede said this training was in line with the City’s vision to stimulate and develop the Durban film industry. “We need to grow a base of technically skilled people to support the production companies that choose to film here or are based in the City. The film industry provides great economic stimulation not only for film-related technical support but also other small, medium and micro enterprises such as freight and logistics, catering and security.”

She said the City working with Stained Glass Productions was a positive example of what can be done when the private sector and government collaborate with common aims.

ENDS

 

SPAR KZN School Girls’ Hockey Challenge Northern KZN Regional: Pongola, Saturday 25 February

SPAR KZN School Girls’ Hockey Challenge

Northern KZN Regional: Pongola, Saturday 25 February

The SPAR KZN School Girls’ Hockey Challenge moves north this weekend when the first regional of the seventh annual tournament takes place in Pongola on Saturday, February 25.

Hosted for the second time by Pongola Akademie, the regionals sees nine first team girls’ schools battling it out for the prized title in what promises to be a strong regional. Schools participating including defending champions Sarel Cilliers (Glencoe, Umzinyathi), Newcastle High School, Ferrum High School and St Dominics also from Newcastle, Utrecht High School, Dundee High School, Vryheid High School, Pionier High School (Vryheid) and Pongola Akademie. 

Defending champions Sarel Cilliers, who made their maiden appearance at the finals in Durban last year, having scooped the honours from five times northern regional champions Ferrum High, will no doubt be determined to hold onto their title, with Ferrum eager to claim it back.

Twenty-five minute games with two pools will be played on two fields with the winners of the pools going into a semi-final format. In Pool A are Pionier, Ferrum; Vryheid, Sarel Cilliers and Newcastle, and in Pool B Utrecht, Dundee, Pongola and St Dominics.

The tournament not only aims to support the development of the players, but also that of the umpires. Each school brings their best umpire to represent them on the day and at the end of each regional, one umpire is recognized as the “Most Promising Umpire”.

“Seven years down the line, and we continue to enjoy watching the impact that this tournament has on developing the game in the province,” says Tournament Director, Les Galloway. “There is definitely an increased interest in the game not only from the players perspective but also from the schools and the supporters point of view. We have seen more astroturfs being installed in the province, and a growing spectator base – all boding well for the increased support on all levels for the game.”

New Managing Director for SPAR KZN, Max Oliva said, “With this being the first tournament of my tenure as M.D, I look forward to the fantastic hockey that will be on display throughout the respective tournaments. We are proud to be associated with our sponsorship of girls hockey within our province and these events have grown into something we are particularly proud of. At SPAR we encourage our customers to enjoy a healthy lifestyle, so what better way to do this than providing a platform for a competitive yet super-friendly sporting engagement. We wish all our competitors and their supporters a great day on and off the field.”

Winners of the Northern KZN Regional will participate in the Grand Finals of the SPAR KZN School Girls Hockey Challenge that takes place at St Mary’s DSG over the weekend of 28 and 29 July.

For more info like the Facebook page.

-ends

Celebrating the Velobala Class of 2016: Group Exhibition

Celebrating the Velobala Class of 2016: Group Exhibition

The African Art Centre is pleased to host the Velobala Class of 2016 Group exhibition showcasing charcoal, pencil, oil pastel, chalk pastel drawings, paintings and jewellery.

The Velobala Programme is an African Art Centre Development Project that offers formal art classes to young talented black artists who do not have the financial means to enroll for tertiary-level art training. Initiated in 1994, this African Art Centre programme is an ongoing commitment to facilitate exploration of different mediums for young talented artists, including ceramics, drawing, painting, jewellery and printmaking. This project is supported by the Durban University of Technology’s Department of Fine Art and Jewellery Design.

Over a period of 10 months the 2016 Velobala Programme saw the development of 28 aspiring artists.  Major Ndlovu, a second year student of the programme, said this: “The Velobala programme meant a lot to me, it introduced me to the art industry and helped me to build a solid foundation. What I like most about the programme is that you attend as much as you can, their classes are unlimited. They provide upcoming artists enough time to shape and showcase their talent. Once you participate in the Velobala programme you become part of the African Art Centre family.”  Works produced by Major Ndlovu will form part of the Velobala 2016 exhibition.

The Velobala 2016 exhibition at the African Art Centre will be opened from Thursday 9 February.

The Centre would like to thank the Artists for Human Rights Trust, Mr Price Home and the Durban University of Technology Fine Arts and Jewellery Department for partnering with the African Art Centre on this programme.  The exhibition is supported by the National Arts Council of South Africa.

For more details contact the African Art Centre on 031 3034634 or email africanartcentre@afri-art.co.za

-ends

Flatfoot Dance Company to perform one-show only at KZNSA 17 Feb 2017

“connections between a quartet”

FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY @ the KZNSA Gallery

Friday 17 February 2017 at 6pm

Durban’s inimitable FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY continues its partnership with the KZNSA Gallery and its 2017 performance calendar with a once-off specially conceptualised performance “connections between a quartet” on Friday, February 17 at 6pm.

The work uses all the spaces of the KZNSA to evoke a journey through a site; a journey through the deeply interior (and ever moving) identities of the four FLATFOOT dancers as they collaborative create an evening to spark the senses, and which echo in the big and small spaces of the gallery.  

In “connections between a quartet”, Jabu Siphika, Zinhle Nzama, Sifiso Khumalo and Tshediso Kabulu, seamlessly move into the role of both choreographer and dancer as they begin to explore the nature of their own connections to one another and their connections to inner struggles around identity. As the dancers begin to metaphorically and physically peel off their layers of clothing, they reveal the vulnerable self that cannot but move audiences.

Directed and facilitated by FLATFOOT’s Artistic Director, Lliane Loots, this ‘event’ is a space to allow the emerging (and now award winning) artistic and choreographic voices of the four FLATFOOT dancers to shine.

FLATFOOT has a reputation for offering politically-charged dance theatre and this work is no exception. Small site-specific relationship vignettes play our between dancers who seamlessly move and flow between one another in close encounters. The gallery space allows for a more intimate engagement with the dance work and is ideal for a slightly voyeuristic look into the lives of others. As Loots says; “The four FLATFOOT dancers have created a landscape of intimate and deeply profound personal storytelling and I feel that we are seeing the new generation of Durban’s choreographers being born – do not miss it!”

“connections between a quartet”, is for one night only. The performance begins at 6.15pm on Friday the 17th February at the KZNSA Gallery and tickets are R50 can be purchase up to 40mins before the show. The KZNSA Coffee Shop will be open at this time.

-ends

South African film, The Wound to open the Panorama programme of the Berlin International Film Festival

South African film, The Wound to open the Panorama programme of the Berlin International Film Festival

South Africa / Germany / Netherlands / France

By John Trengove

European premiere

Just after celebrating its selection to have its world premiere in competition at the Sundance Film festival in the USA, the film-makers of the South African film The Wound, have received news that the film has been selected to open the Berlin International Film Festival’s Panorama section in February 2017.

Produced by Urucu Media, directed by John Trengove and co-written by Trengove, Thando Mgqolozana and Malusi Bengu , The Wound stars multi-talented musician and novelist, Nakhane Touré in his acting debut, with Bongile Mantsai and Niza Jay Ncoyini.

The Wound tells the story Xolani, a lonely Xhosa factory worker who joins the men of his community in the mountains of the Eastern Cape to initiate a group of teenage boys into manhood. When a defiant initiate from the city discovers his best kept secret, Xolani's entire existence begins to unravel.

Speaking from Cape Town, producer Elias Ribeiro said “We could not have wished for a stronger start for The Wound. We will have the spotlight in the two top festivals in North America and Europe, and that bodes well for its future, as Pyramide, our International Sales Agents will be representing the film at their booth inside the European Film Market in Berlin in February.”

The Berlin International Film Festival website describes the Panorama programme as a showcase of “new films by renowned directors, debut films and new discoveries. The selection of films provides insight on new directions in art house cinema. Traditionally, Auteur Films – movies with an individual signature – form the heart of the programme, and aims to take quality independent film out of its niche into the spotlight of the international market.”

“The fabrication of masculinity has long been a consistent theme in Panorama,” said the statement from the festival. “Producer Elias Ribeiro previously delighted festival audiences in Panorama 2015 with Necktie Youth.”

John Trengove commented: “I was interested in what happens when groups of men come together and organize themselves outside of society and the codes of their everyday lives. I wanted to show the intense emotional and physical exchanges that are possible in these spaces and how repressing strong feelings leads to a kind of toxicity and violence. As an outsider to this culture, it was important that I approach this story from the perspective of characters who are themselves outsiders, who struggle to conform to the status quo of which they are part.”

The Wound is a co-production between South Africa, Germany, The Netherlands and France and was shot on location in the northern region of South Africa. The film was developed with the assistance of The Hubert Bals Fund and ARTE International Prize. The Department of Trade and Industry and The National Film and Video Foundationas well as The World Cinema Fund supported production and the film pre-sold to broadcasters ARTE France and ZDF in Germany. The film’s intended release in South Africa is July 2017.

For more information about The Wound, visit www.urucumedia.com/thewound

-ends

Sharlene Versfeld

Versfeld & Associates

Public Relations and Communications

Email: sharlene@versfeld.co.za

Twitter: sharlvers

Website: www.versfeld.co.za

Phansi Museum launches the 22nd Art Craft Tradition Calendar - Featuring the Human Rights Murals (Durban)

Media Release

 Phansi Museum launches the 22nd Art Craft Tradition Calendar - Featuring the Human Rights Murals (Durban) 

One of the most admired contributions the Bartel Arts Trust and the Phansi Museum have made to the enrichment of the cultural life in KwaZulu Natal is the annual Art • Craft • Tradition calendar.  This annual publication, now in its 22nd year of production was officially launched on Wednesday, 7 December 2016.  Each year, the Museum distributes 1 000’s of calendars to schools in cities, villages and in faraway rural areas, clinics, libraries, community centers and educational institutions across the province.  

The 2017 calendar features panels from the 1992 Universal Declaration of Rights and the 1994 Interim Bill of Rights murals painted on the surfaces of the east and south walls surrounding the former Central Prison in Durban.  Both these murals laid the foundations for the 1997 Human Rights Mural of the Final Constitution.  Just as the Rights in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the Interim Bill of Rights inspired the drafters of the Final Bill of Rights in Chapter 2 of the South African Constitution of 1996, so the works of the artists of the 1992 and 1994 murals came to inspire the artists who painted the 1997 Human Rights mural. 

Whilst the rest of the world commemorates International Human Rights Day and the 68th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 on 10 December 2016, the Phansi Museum will celebrate the launch of the Human Rights Mural Calendar of 2017 three days earlier.  The 2017 Human Rights Mural calendar aptly also pays tribute to late Terry-Anne Stevenson, (1950 -  2016) who initiated the Community Mural Projects and who tirelessly mustered the artists in Durban including Thami Jali, Sfiso Ka Mkame, Derick Nxumalo, Zamani Makhanya, Sibusiso Duma, Lalelani Mbhele and Joseph Manana to interpret the Bill of Rights on the prison walls and transform the streets of Durban with paint.  

Finally, to coincide with the launch of the calendar and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Phansi Museum in collaboration with Community Mural Projects, the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies, University of KwaZulu-Natal and Street Law will launch the Human Rights Art and Essay Competition for learners in Grades 7, 11 and 12.  The objective of this competition is to get learners from as many schools in KwaZulu Natal who see the calendar to illustrate their vision and understanding of our Human Rights. 

The calendars for 2017 in poster and desktop format will be available from the Phansi Museum and other retail outlets from 7 December 2016.

 For additional information please contact theMuseum on 031-206 2889 or admin@phansi.com

 -ends

Memorial for award-winning Durban filmmaker Junaid Ahmed - December 14 at 7pm

Memorial for award-winning

Durban filmmaker Junaid Ahmed

The family and friends of the award-wining Durban film-maker Junaid Ahmed who passed away on November 1 this year, extend a warm invitation to all who knew him to join them in a celebration of his life at the Suncoast Cinecentre on Wednesday, December 14 at 7pm. 

Born in Durban in 1959 Junaid went to Southlands High School and graduated from the University of Durban Westville in the 1980’s with BA (Honours) degree in Drama.

Junaid’s passion was always in the creative industries and he had a varied and prolific career in the arts.  He produced, workshopped, acted in and directed many theatre productions at various community venues including the Asoka Theatre, the Market Theatre and at the National Arts Arts Festival. He also wrote and directed the acclaimed musical, Bombay Crush, which starred well-known SA actress Kajal Bagwandeen.

A former board member of the National Interim Film Fund Board (now the National Film and Video Foundation), the international award winning director and producer also had a string of successful film projects to his name. His short film highlights include directing The Vow for Miramax and Channel 4 Films. He also produced the short film Lucky, which was screened at over 80 international festivals in 2006 and was nominated for the 2006 British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Best Short film award, and it won Best Short Film at over 40 international film festivals.

He directed the feature film More Than Just A Game for which Sony Pictures International (SPI) acquired the international distribution rights and was broadcast in over 40 countries. Together with Helena Spring, Junaid was, at the time of his death, producing a slate of nine films supported by the NFVF. The first of these - Hard To Get opened the 2014 Durban International Film Festival, and was released in cinemas later that year. Then in February this year their co-produced film Happiness is a Four Letter Word  (with Khanyi Mbau, Renate Stuurman and Mmabatho Montsho in lead roles) was the best performing film of all new releases, in South Africa on its opening weekend. They were currently working on their next film Keeping up with the Kandasamys directed by Durban’s Jayan Moodley, which is in post-production.

Prior to his filmmaking career, he spent ten years as the secretary general of the Congress of South African Writers (COSAW) for some time, he edited poetry anthologies and his articles on arts and culture related issues were published in a number of international publications. 

He is survived by his wife Liza, sons Tariq and Jarred and daughter Taegen.

-ends

The Wound to Make World Premiere at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival

The Wound to Make World Premiere at the

2017 Sundance Film Festival

Johannesburg, South Africa — The Wound, a film by by John Trengove, will make its world premiere in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. The Sundance Film Festival takes place January 19-29 with screenings in Park City, Salt Lake City and at Sundance Mountain Resort, Utah. The Sundance Film Festival has introduced global audiences to some of the most groundbreaking films of the past three decades, including Boyhood, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Fruitvale Station, Whiplash, The End of the Tour, Little Miss Sunshine, Reservoir Dogs, An Inconvenient Truth, Precious and Napoleon Dynamite.

The Wound tells the story Xolani, a lonely Xhosa factory worker who joins the men of his community in the mountains of the Eastern Cape to initiate a group of teenage boys into manhood. When a defiant initiate from the city discovers his best kept secret, Xolani's entire existence begins to unravel.

The Wound was co-written by John Trengove, Thando Mgqolozana and Malusi Bengu and produced by Urucu Media. It stars multi-talented musician and novelist, Nakhane Touré in his first ever film-role, alongside Bongile Mantsai and Niza Jay Ncoyini. It was shot entirely in South Africa with an all-male Xhosa cast.

"What a privilege to have worked with this fearless cast and insanely talented team of collaborators. I am so grateful for the many Xhosa men who contributed in big ways and small ways, and, miraculously, trusted me to make this film. Whatever comes next, we made The Wound with our eyes and hearts wide open," says Trengove.

The Wound is a co-production between South Africa, Germany, The Netherlands and France and was shot on location in the northern region of South Africa. The film was developed with the assistance of The Hubert Bals Fund and ARTE International Prize. The Department of Trade and Industry and The National Film and Video Foundation supported production and the film presold to broadcasters ARTE France and ZDF in Germany. International Sales will is handled by Pyramide in Paris. The film’s intended release in South Africa is July 2017.

This is John Trengove’s debut feature film.

For more information about The Wound, visit www.urucumedia.com/thewound

-ends

Applications are now open for the Realness Pan African Scriptwriting Residency 2017

Media Release

APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN FOR THE REALNESS PAN AFRICAN SCRIPTWRITING RESIDENCY 2017

Following the success of the inaugural scriptwriting residency, Realness is thrilled to announce the call for submissions for the 2017 edition.

Realness is a pioneering residency that provides filmmakers with the opportunity to hone and develop their creative scriptwriting skills. It serves to address the need for promising African film projects to be supported in their development phase to be able to realistically compete in global film markets.

This year five filmmakers - Amirah Tajdin (Kenya), Hiwot Admasu (Ethiopia) Luck Razanajaona (Madagascar), Sheetal Magan (South Africa) and Wim Steytler (South Africa) spent six weeks at the Nirox Artists’ Residency in the Cradle of Humankind under the mentorship of script consultants Selina Ukwuoma and Nadja Dumouchel, including attending the Durban FilmMart and Talent Campus at the Durban International Film Festival. 

“The success of this residency is not only evident in the encouraging feedback from the participants, who welcomed the opportunity to be in a quiet headspace to tap into their creative sources, but it is also evident in the numerous awards they have received and the progress made following the residency,” explains Elias Ribeiro, Creative Director of Realness. “Luck, for example, had a project selected for the Durban FilmMart prior to the residency, where we met and worked with participants as a precursor to programme. Here he walked off with awards from CineMart (International Film Festival Rotterdam) and the International Organisation of La Francophonie to further develop his script. Hiwot has since won an award to participate at another residency programme in Switzerland the Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur, and two of the projects have signed co-production agreements since completing the residency.”

As a result of the Realness programme, Ribeiro has,been invited to present the initiative at five major international festivals since starting it earlier this year, namely Berlinale, Cannes, Locarno, Venice and Torino. “The continued interest is very encouraging and serves as a platform for the residents to maintain the momentum towards getting their films made. We have structured Realness in a very holistic and strategic way, engaging with heavy-weight partners and advisors in developing the framework for the programme. It is rewarding to see the genuine interest in developing synergy between African cinema and the rest of the world.”

Amirah Tajdin said “Realness made me realize that…time and space really does make all the difference during script writing.” Wim Steytler said that Realness gave him the courage to “throw my script and 8 months of work into the bin. I gained important insights into how to take my story from decent to good. After Realness my goal is to take the project from good to great.”

Realness is proud to announce that the partnerships established in 2016 will continue into the second edition, which means that the 2017 residents will also have the opportunity to further develop their projects through the awards offered by the Durban FilmMart, Locarno Filmmakers Academy, Torino Film Lab, Midpoint, EAVE and La Fabrique des Cinema du Monde.

The submission window opens on 28 November 2016 and closes on 31 January 2017:

Applicants must submit ONE PDF dossier containing:

• a motivation for wanting to participate in REALNESS (1 page)

• a synopsis of the proposed feature project (1 page)

• a narrative treatment of the proposed feature project (6 pages)

• a draft of the screenplay (if available)

• a writer's note of intention (1 page)

• a short biography (1 paragraph)

• two links to samples of previously produced work, uploaded to vimeo. If selected, residents will be required to donate one copy of their previous work to the Nirox film library.

The call is open to screenwriters from across the African continent and selection will be based on artistic merit. REALNESS will hold no legal claim over the work once the residency is completed.

All submitted material must be in English. A committee appointed by the Realness team and their partners will read the project entries and conduct interviews with a shortlist of candidates in April. The REALNESS selection will be announced at an event hosted by the pavilion Les Cinemas du Monde in Cannes, 2017.

Dossiers must be submitted to realness@urucumedia.com. For further information and to download the application form go to www.urucumedia.com/realness.

Independent cinemas extend the run of award-winning film - Train of Salt and Sugar in Cape Town and Johannesburg

Media Release

Independent cinemas extend the run of award-winning film - Train of Salt and Sugar in Cape Town and Johannesburg

Train of Salt and Sugar, recent winner of the Best Film award at the Joburg Film Festival, has had its run extended at local independent cinemas in Johannesburg and Cape Town.

The Mozambican film directed by Licínio Azevedo, is set in the civil-war-torn northern Mozambique during the late 80’s has received critical acclaim since premiering in August this year at Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland. The City Press’s film critic Charl Blignaut described the film as “a superb, gritty, mystical, African love story”.

A selected project at the 2014 Durban FilmMart, the film has been produced by Ukbar Filmes (Portugal), Ébano Multimédia (Mozambique), Les Films de l’Étranger (France), Panda Filmes (Brazil), and new-wave South African company Urucu Media with the support of M-Net and M-Net’s Portuguese channel Jango Magic in Africa.  M-Net will screen the film on Jango in 2017.

The film’s run has been extended at the Bioscope in Johannesburg until the end of December this year, and at The Labia in Cape Town until December 2.

For screening details go to www.thebioscope.co.za  or www.thelabia.co.za

-ends

CAPTION: Artworks created by 2015 Velobala Art Class attendee Zakhele Hlabisa:  Amandla Okudla_Strength from food, Acrylic on canvas, 45.5 cm h x 56 cm w,

Next week’s annual Jazz Jol is going BIG - Durban, South Africa

Next week’s annual Jazz Jol is going BIG

The Centre for Jazz and Popular Music at the University of KwaZulu-Natal presents its 28th Jazz Jol on Wednesday, November 30 at 6pm.

The annual Jazz Jol, has become something of a legendary year-end celebration for music-lovers, with proceeds going to the Ronnie Madonsela Scholarship that assists disadvantaged jazz students at UKZN with financial aid or support. This year the Jol features student ensemble Nyimbo ya Bantu, the recently launched UKZN Big Band, the UKZN Trebles - a vocal group featuring UKZN Voice students, as well as a selection of students that have featured in the Centre’s showcases throughout the year.

Nyimbo ya Bantu, which means “people's song” in a blend of kiSwahili and isiZulu, is comprised of junior and senior jazz studies students from UKZN’s music discipline within the School of the Arts: Tseleng Mokhatla on flute, Ildo Nandja on double/electric bass and vocals, Nic Pitman on guitar, Zibusiso Makhathini on piano and Riley Giandhari on drums.

The ensemble’s repertoire mixes original compositions influenced by classic jazz, afro jazz and world music, with South African jazz standards and music by local artists from KwaZulu Natal. At the Jazz Jol they will perform, amongst other pieces, Rachel, composed by Pitman; Metamorphosis, composed and arranged by Nandja; End Times by Giandhari and Spirit of the Messenger by Makhathini. Audiences can also expect a cover composed by renowned South African pianist Bheki Mseleku. Nyimbo ya Bantu has performed at the Grahamstown Standard Bank Youth Jazz Festival, the Oslo Jazz Festival in Norway as part of the Nordic showcase and performs regularly at the Chairman in Durban.

“Audiences should expect a high quality musical performance with a fresh blending of traditional classic jazz with contemporary sounds of African and world music,” says Nyimbo ya Bantu’s band leader Nandja.

Directed by Burton Naidoo, the UKZN Big Band which was launched in June this year features a line-up of top talent - pianists Abigail Giddings and Jaedon Daniel, bassist Llewelyn Chetty, drummer Riley Giandhari, trumpeters, Siyanda Zulu, Sanele Qwabe, Phuti Mofokeng, and Talente Mhlongo, guitarist Kaylin Naidoo, Snothile Mkhize on clarinet, alto saxophonists Nwabisa Kheswa, Simone van Niekerk, Tim Lewis and Phumlani Mtiti, Tenor saxophonist Bonginkosi Mkhize and Trombonists Thembinkosi Khumalo, Mokgethisi Nkotsi, Tseleng Makhatla (flute) with Special guests Prof Salim Washington (tenor saxophone), Prof Mike Rossi from South African College of Music, University of Cape Town and George Mari (trumpet).

The Band will play a selection of favourites from their repertoire including standards such as Moten Swing by Buster Morten and two songs by living legend Ndikho Xaba arranged by John Kordalewski - Mad Mad and Nomusa.

“We are particularly excited by the band’s selection of music,” says Neil Gonsalves, Director for the Centre for Jazz and Popular Music, “John Kordalewski and Bab’ Ndikho Xaba, the great KZN pianist and struggle stalwart, met in the late 1970’s while Bab’ Ndikho was living in USA Washington DC. It was here that he mentored John. In 2014, John came to see Bab’ Ndikho and spending time at the keyboard together in his house led to the idea of writing arrangements of Baba’s music to preserve his cultural legacy. John wanted to create a unique combination of the “big band” sounds and colours with South African fundamentals that are in Xaba’s compositions. They eventually recorded a few ideas, which John uses as a reference for his arrangements. John worked with the UKZN Big band in September, and is excited to present his arrangements of these works with these talented musicians.”

The Ronnie Madonsela Scholarship also provides bursaries for deserving students and also funds students’ travel visas for overseas trips, as well as national travel and accommodation to the National Youth Jazz Festival in Grahamstown and other educational festivals, workshops and conferences.

The Jazz Jol takes place at The Centre for Jazz and Popular music (CJPM), Level 2, Shepstone Building at UKZN Howard College Campus. Tickets are R120, pensioners R80, and students R60 at the door. For more details contact Thuli Zama on 031 260 3385 or email Zamat1@ukzn.ac.za

-ends

Action in Autism’s Year End Social

Media Release

Action in Autism’s Year End Social

Action in Autism is hosting its annual Year End Social on Saturday, 3 December from 10am to 2pm at the George Campbell School Grounds. This event is free to all people with autism and their families and there will be snacks and refreshments, a jumping castle, fun and games for all.

Action in Autism, based in Sydenham, houses an early learning intervention centre for children ages 2 to 6 years, and provides free support, advice, research and information to people with autism and their families. A free monthly diagnostic clinic is offered to families who do not have access to medical aid, and Action in Autism runs bi-annual training workshops, hosted by a team of professionals, that aims to share information and transfer skills and techniques for communication to parents and professionals.

Anyone wishing to attend this social, to make a donation to help cover costs or for more information about Action in Autism,  can call 031 2074858, or email info@actioninautism.org.za.  The webiste address is www.actioninautism.org.za for more info on the organisation.

- Ends

Durban's Flatfoot Dance Company performs at Goree Island Diaspora Festival, Senegal in November 2016

MEDIA RELEASE

FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY

performs, as a special envoy of the National Arts Council of South Africa, at the prestigious GOREE ISLAND DIASPORA FESTIVAL (Dakar, Senegal)

25 – 27 November 2016

Durban’s acclaimed contemporary dance company, FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY, is one of four companies invited by the National Arts Council of South Africa to represent South Africa in Senegal at the prestigious Goree Island Diaspora Festival at the end of this month.

FLATFOOT is one of two dance companies to get the invite and will be presenting a double bill (titled “Southern Exposure”) of choreographer (and artistic director) Lliane Loot’s recent dance works. Over 2016 Loots has presented two linked dance works that have dealt with hard-hitting themes around displacement, migrations and refugees. The first titled “HOMELAND (security)” was presented in April at the Sneddon Theatre and looks into issues of identity from the pain of the global refugee crisis that sees millions of people (mostly from developing contexts like Africa) forced to leave or evacuated their homes due to war, and political and social disasters.

In this highly praised work, Loots and the FLATFOOT dancers respond to false notion of belonging to a nation state and of feeling safe at ‘home’. With a deep resonance towards the pain of South Africa’s own xenophobia and continued racism, Loots’s “HOMELAND (security)” begins to claim back the internal safety of a resistant (dancing) self that seeks community.  

The second work, “MIGRATIONS (at the feet of Kali)” sees FLATFOOT collaborate with spoken word poet Iain ewok Robinson and classical Indian Kathak dancer Manesh Maharaj. Bordering on performance installation, this dance theatre works is physical journey into the heart of colonial and post-colonial rememberings around the violent movements/migrations of people. Using personal memory as the starting point, this work interfaces with the confluence of colonial Indian and South African histories and sees the meeting of spoken word, African contemporary dance, classical Indian Kathak dance and video installations.  This work premiered at the 2016 JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Festival in September this year.

Loots says; “Given that the 8th Edition of this Goree Island Diaspora Festival is themed “MEMORY AND RESILIENCE,’’ from the past to the present, how can we heal the divides in human society?”, FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY’s dance work is perfectly situated to sit in the framework of the festival and add to the artistic debates around issues of memory, resilience, home and the myriad identities of South Africans (and Africans)”.

She adds, “We are thrilled to be going. Not only to share our work on our own continent but to take dance work that means something to us and to the lives of African bodies that must speak”.

Goree Island, like its twin Robben Island, is a site of memory and history for Senegal and was used as a slave outpost during the colonial era. The island has been turned into a museum and visitors can walk through slave holding cells and walk through the “door of no return” – the infamous door that saw slaves loaded onto ships bound for Europe. The festival brings together various African artist each year in a festival that allows for collective healing.

FLATFOOT dancer Sifiso Khumalo says; “this is a big one for us – not only to walk the history of Goree Island and our West African brothers and sisters but it is also a time to remember that our art is a weapon for remembering. I cannot wait to dance and speak the truth of our South African bodies in Senegal."

“We leave Durban on 24 November and while this is not a sports tour, we are looking at this as the “team South Africa” in a spirit of letting our cultural ambassadors feel as significant as our sporting ones?” says Loots.

 -ends

Caption to Photos by VAL ADAMSON

0381: FLATFOOT dancers with Tshediso Kabulu in front and at the back Njabulu Zungu, Jabu Siphika, Sifiso Khumalo, Zinhle Nzama and Kim Mccusker-Bartlett in Loots’s critically acclaimed “HOMELAND (security)” that will travel to Dakar, Senegal in November.

0418: FLATFOOT dancers Zinhle Nzama on left, Kim Mccusker-Bartlett being lifted and in order front to back Tshediso Kabulu, Jabu Siphika and Sifiso Khumalo in Loots’s critically acclaimed “HOMELAND (security)” that will travel to Dakar, Senegal in November.

0495: FLATFOOT dancers Sifiso Khumalo on the floor, back couple on left Najbulo Zungu and Zinhle Nzama, back couple on rightKim Mccusker-Bartlett and Tshediso Kabulu in Loots’s critically acclaimed “HOMELAND (security)” that will travel to Dakar, Senegal in November.

Train of Salt and Sugar – wins Best Film at Joburg Film Festival

Media Release

Train of Salt and Sugar – wins Best Film at Joburg Film Festival

The Mozambiquan Train of Salt and Sugar directed by Licínio Azevedo, which had its African premiere in competition at the Joburg Film Festival won the Festival’s inaugural Best Film Award on Saturday. This follows its Independent Italian Critics Award (Boccalini d’Ouro) for Best Film at the Locarno Film Festival at the Piazza Grande in Locarno, Switzerland in August this year.

Train of Salt and Sugar, which is due for a two week independent release in Johannesburg and Cape Town next week, is set in the civil-war-torn northern Mozambique during the late 80’s. It has been hailed by some critics as the first “great African Western”.

The film has been produced by Ukbar Filmes (Portugal), Ébano Multimédia (Mozambique), Les Films de l’Étranger (France), Panda Filmes (Brazil), and avant-garde South African company Urucu Media with the support of M-Net and M-Net’s Portuguese channel Jango Magic in Africa.

“We are completely overwhelmed by this fantastic acknowledgement,” says Elias Ribeiro of Urucu Media. “This movie has been an incredible labour of love for all of us. This harrowing story based on true facts revealed such fascinating complexities of the human lot and mixed with a dose of magic realism, the director has managed to capture the imagination of audiences to provide us with a riveting story that engages and fascinates. Thanks to the Joburg Film Festival for providing us with the opportunity to present this film at its first edition.”

Train of Salt and Sugar, a selected project at the 2014 Durban FilmMart, will have a  short theatrical release in Johannesburgand Cape Town from the 11th of November for two weeks only. Joburg screenings will be at the Bioscope, check their website for schedule (www.thebioscope.co.za), and in Cape Town at the Labia with a daily screening at 6:15 pm.

-ends

Juego Flamenco 8-11 December 2016

Juego Flamenco - 8-11 December 2016

Centre for Jazz and Popular Music on the UKZN’s Howard College Campus

The Linda Vargas Flamenco Dance Company in collaboration with jazz musicians Neil Gonsalves (piano), Demi Fernandez (jazz/flamenco guitar) once again take to the intimate venue of UKZN’s Jazz Centre to present Juego Flamenco, the latest instalment  in what is now an annual treat for Durban audiences from these well-respected performers.

Having previously explored the fusion between flamenco and Jazz, Arabic, Indian Kathak, Celtic, and South American styles; Juego Flamenco, meaning ‘flamenco game,’ is a playful blend of these musical and movement styles whilst still embracing the flamenco essence.  Featuring pulsating rhythms and exhilarating music and dance, Juega Flamenco will provide audiences with yet another feast for the senses. There are only 4 performances once again, which usually sell out very quickly, so book early to avoid this treat not to be missed!

Backed by Demi Fernandez and Neil Gonsalves, these world renowned musicians in their own right present new compositions alongside the dance. Their unique style and talent continue to leave audiences spellbound. They are joined by Bryan Stone on percussion who will also add live singing, alongside Gemma Schumann – who made her singing debut as a highlight in last year’s show.

Linda Vargas is the founder and director of the Linda Vargas Flamenco Dance Company. She has choreographed numerous flamenco dance productions as well as the opera productions La Traviata, Amal, Faust, Salome and Carmen. Linda co-founded the international organization Alianza Flamenca and is a member of its Board of Directors, as well as its panel of international examiners. She currently lectures at UKZN and performs, examines and conducts educational and corporate workshops both nationally and internationally. Her educational dance workshops in schools and for NAPTOSA assist teachers to incorporate dance in the formal school curriculum. Linda holds a Masters Degree in Education as well as B.A. Honours in Drama, LISTD and Final Diploma (ISTD, London).

Neil Gonsalves holds a Masters degree in Music and currently lectures at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. He has performed in various national music festivals with numerous South Africa jazz and Afro-beat luminaries as well as his own band, Tonk. He has also toured internationally, including a 4 year stint as part of Johnny Clegg’s band. He has released a solo album “North Facing” which represents a blend of modern South African and Nordic Jazz.

Demi Fernandez was born in Brazil of Spanish Parents and spent many years living and performing in Flamenco Tablaos in Spain. Demi has also appeared as leading flamenco guitarist with numerous South African and international Spanish Dance Companies.  He is resident guitarist for the Linda Vargas Flamenco Dance Company and AlianzaFlamenca. He has composed musical scores for several SABC TV productions and also appeared in numerous productions including “Guitars for Africa” in Durban and at the Grahamstown National Arts Festival. He currently lectures in the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Jazz programme.

Juego Flamenco runs at the Centre for Jazz and Popular Music on the UKZN’s Howard College campus from 8-11 December. Performances are nightly at 7pm and on Sunday the 11 December at 3pm. Entrance Fee is R130 (R100 students / pensioners). Bookings through Linda on: lindavargasflamenco@gmail.com (please note new email address) or 031-201 0750 (mornings only). Tickets are limited for each performance so advanced booking is advised to avoid disappointment.

-ends

Issued by Wesley Maherry

on behalf of the Linda Vargas Flamenco Dance Company             

maherry@ukzn.ac.za

+27 82 950 8188

African Art Centre – Christmas Exhibition - Florida Road, Durban

Media Release

African Art Centre – Christmas Exhibition - Florida Road

The African Art Centre will be opening its annual Christmas Exhibition on Thursday, 11 November 2016. This year’s exhibition, titled “An African Christmas”, will feature a wide range of affordable handcrafted beaded, wood carved, telephone wire and embroidered ornaments produced by artists and crafters from the KwaZulu-Natal region.   

Since its inception in 1959, one of the Centre’s core objectives has been to facilitate development projects to enhance the creative skills of our crafters and artists. The new direction of the Centre to make our craft more contemporary but keeping the African aesthetic has become the focus of the development project which was the precursor to the 2016 Christmas exhibition.  It was decided that this year’s new design theme “An African Christmas” would break away from the traditional Christmas look and will draw inspiration from contemporary vibrant African textile designs.

Crafters who have contributed towards the exhibition inlcude Happiness Dladla, Dumsile Mathe, Thokozane Mathe, Ntombi Mbambo, Mavis Jali, Nqobile Jeza, Tholani Mchunu, Ntombizonke Hlambisa, Maningi Mbonambi, Hlengiwe Mbhele, Mbaliyethu Mabuza, Ntokozo Mseleku, Sphindile Nkosi, Widus Mtshali, Sibusiso Gumede, Bheki Mkhumbuzi, Sibusiso Maphumulo, Phumlani Mbhele, Jabulani Mkhize and Vincent Tshulupi.

“An African Christmas” will be opened by celebrated South African composer and performer Sazi Dlamini.

The public is invited to enter the festive season in a proudly South African style and to support local craft producers exhibiting at “An African Christmas” exhibition.

The exhibition will be open on Thursday, 11 November 2016.  For additional information contact the African Art Centre on 031 303 4634, or visit at 94 Florida Road, Morningside.

-ends

Action in Autism Skills Transference Workshop - Oct 21 and 22

Media Release

Action in Autism Skills Transference Workshop

Action in Autism will hold a Skills Transference Workshop on Friday 21 October and Saturday 22 October, at the Moth Hall, King Dinizulu Hospital in Durban.

Some of the greatest challenges for autistic people is verbal and non-verbal communication, sensory processing difficulties and the demands of social interaction.  In an ever changing fast paced social world, it is tough for autistic people to feel embraced and supported.   

Action in Autism, a non-profit organisation based in Sydenham, supports this community by providing a highly-intensive 2-day workshop for parents, educators, professionals and those who interact regularly with autistic people. These workshops offer skills, techniques and supports for communication, social interaction, sensory processing challenges and informs and explains the reasons for some of the behavioural challenges experienced by autistic people. These supportive strategies will enable autistic people to better navigate the world they live in and empower people with best practice skills in supporting them. 

Hosted bi-annually by a team of six professionals, a parent and a young adult with autism, the workshop includes both theoretical and practical components, as well as opportunities for networking. The team of professionals comprises of a clinical psychologist, educational psychologist, a speech therapist and a specialist in augmentative and alternative communication systems, an occupational therapist, and an educator.

All parents, professionals and those that support autistic people are invited to join Action in Autism’s next Workshop on Friday 21 October and Saturday 22 October, to be held at the Moth Hall, King Dinizulu Hospital in Durban. The workshop cost of R850 per person covers course materials, refreshments and meals. All parents who cannot afford the costs are sponsored by the organisation.  Please contact the Action in Autism office on 031 207 4858 or send an email to info@actioninautism.org.za for a registration form. Places are limited to 40 people per workshop.

For more information about Action in Autism, the Skills Transference Workshops, or other services and support offered by the organisation, please call 031 207 4858 or email info@actioninautism.org.za.

Ends.

Train of Salt and Sugar – a film by Licínio Azevedo for Joburg Film Festival

Media Release

Train of Salt and Sugar – a film by Licínio Azevedo for Joburg Film Festival

 In a harrowing revelation of a particular time and place, comes a universal story of mankind’s extraordinary collective ability to survive and press-on against all odds.  This is the latest film by celebrated Brazilian-born, Mozambiquan-based auteur Licínio Azevedo: Train of Salt and Sugar which will have its African premiere in Competition at the Joburg Film Festival on October 29, 2016.

Set in the civil-war-torn northern Mozambique during the late 80’s, the film has been hailed by some critics as the first “great African Western”, when it premiered in August this year on the 300-square metre screen in at the Locarno Film Festival at the Piazza Grande in Switzerland to a crowd of more than 7000 people. The film won the Independent Italian Critics Award (Boccalini d’Ouro) there for Best Film.

With script by the director together with Teresa Pereira, adapted from the book of the same name written by Azevedo, the story unfolds in Mozambique in the midst of civil war. A single train connects Nampula in Mozambique to Malawi. No civilians are allowed and yet hundreds risk their lives through 700km of sabotaged tracks. Salomão and Taiar are two soldiers who don’t get along. Rosa is a young nurse on her way to her first job, who soon becomes an object of desire. Mariamu, her close friend, only hopes to trade salt for sugar. Amongst bullets and laughter, life goes on and stories unfold as the train advances under attack, ever so slowly, towards the next stop.

“I was in Cuamba, the capital of the province of Niassa in the north, the last train stop before the border to Malawi, its final destination,” says Azevedo.  “The city was isolated from the rest of the country by road. The train’s arrivals got increasingly spaced in time and a large crowd would gather in the station to meet them. I had the chance to see one of the arrivals and see the terrible state of those who disembarked, weeks after starting the journey in which they risked their lives.”

“I was interested in the people that travelled on this train taking salt from the coast to exchange for sugar in Malawi. Then they returned to Mozambique and sold the sugar. This was to support their families. But is was a hellish journey.”

Produced by Ukbar Filmes (Portugal), Ébano Multimédia (Mozambique), Les Films de l’Étranger (France), Panda Filmes (Brazil), and avant-garde South African company Urucu Media with the support of M-Net and M-Net’s Portuguese channel Jango Magic in Africa. Internationally the film won production awards from Ibermedia, CNC, Fundo Setorial, Euroimages to name a few. Urucu Media previously produced best South African Film Award winner at DIFF, Necktie Youth by Sibs Shongwe La-Mer in 2015 and will release in early 2017 the anticipated feature debut by John Trengove The Wound, which won two awards at the Venice Film Festival for work-in-progress.

Train of Salt and Sugar was filmed in southern Mozambique and stars Matamba Joaquim as Taiar, Melanie de Vales Rafael as Rosa, Thiago Justino as Salomão, António Nipita as Sete Maneiras and Sabina Fonseca as Mariamu.

Getting permission from the government to film was not easy says Azevedo “The authorities finally gave us the go ahead when we had already started shooting. We were grateful that the Ministry of Defence, actually supported the production and ended up giving us thirty soldiers who trained our actors.”

The film, shot over 7 weeks on 13 wagons of a train, was a challenge for the production and creative team. Describing the process, Azevedo says “It was practical and infernal. It would have been impossible without the unconditional support from the Mozambican Railways. During the shooting, the sound engineer did an amazing job, sieged by the sounds of wheels creaking, the engine running… back then they couldn’t ever turn off the engine because if they did so, the engine wouldn’t start. That’s a little piece of realism we brought into the movie. The train’s cacophony is permanent, a fundamental sound track that was punctuated by Schwalbach with traditional African instruments, drums and using the mbira to punctuate the love scenes.”

Although the film is set in a specific period, South African producer Elias Ribeiro, of Urucu Media believes that it tells a story that speaks to many realities of conflict around world, and moves beyond its specific locale. “Its tangible tension, terrifying cruelty, yet inspiring and heart-warming humanness is what will speak to any audience across the world.”

Train of Salt and Sugar, which was a selected project at the 2014 Durban FilmMart, has it’s SA premiere at the Joburg Film Festival on 29 October at 4 pm. Entrance is free of charge on a first comes first basis at the iconic Alexander Theatre in Braamfontein. Melanie de Vales Rafael (Rosa), the director and Urucu Media team will be in attendance at the premiere in Johannesburg. It will play again at 4 pm on the 2nd and the 5th of November at Nouveau Rosebank as part of the festival, patrons will need to buy tickets for these screenings in Rosebank.

Following the festival run the film will have a limited theatrical release in Johannesburg  and Cape Town from the 11th of November for two weeks only. Joburg screenings will be at the Bioscope, check their website for schedule (www.thebioscope.co.za), and in Cape Town at the Labia with a daily screening at 6:15 pm.

-ends

Sharlene Versfeld
Versfeld & Associates
Public Relations and Communications
Mobile: +27 (0) 83 326 3235
Tel: +27 (0) 31 811 5628
Post: P O Box 30547, Mayville, 4058
Email: sharlene@versfeld.co.za
Twitter: sharlvers
Website: www.versfeld.co.za