Green Corridors Launches KMBC Green Concrete Pavers along withCampaign to Install in KwaMashu Schools

The Green Corridors’ KwaMashu Materials Beneficiation Centre has launched its Green Concrete Pavers along with a Crowd-Funding Campaign to install the pavers in KwaMashu and Inanda schools.

Sample of the pavers produced by Green Corridors at its KwaMashu Materials Beneficiation Centre.

200 crowd-funded pavers have already been installed at Isithumba Creche (Istihumba in the Valley of 1000 Hills). A further 200 pavers sponsored by Barlow World (Nike) using Nike shoe waste are currently being manufactured for installation at Shayamoya Primary School in KwaMashu, where two 16m paved walkways are to be built between the two main school buildings, (when it rains this area is muddy and wet and not conducive for efficient movement around the school with time constraints between lessons.)

Some of the pavers installed at Isithumba Creche in Isithumba in the Valley of 1000 Hills . Looking on are Green Corridors staff Jabulani Khanyile. Mfanawethu Makoba and Siphiwe Mthembu.

Green Corridors, the Durban NPO that rehabilitates and cares for green spaces in the City, is mainly funded by eThekwini’s Economic Development Unit. Its KwaMashu Materials Beneficiation Centre is essentially and research and development facility that looks at how waste products can be reused, or re-purposed as part of its bigger vision of growing a “circular economy”.

After many hours of Research, development, and testing, the KMBC is producing a green concrete paver made from 86% waste materials. These pavers are now ready to be installed in schools in the area, and Green Corridors has begun a crowd-funding campaign to help get them into the schools.

The waste used in the pavers includes community-purchased waste glass and non-recyclable toy waste, shoe waste, alien invasive plants, street-swept sand, and recycled concrete. The waste comes from non-recyclable plastics from curbside collections, (orange bags) donated sources as well as what is removed by Green Corridors’ from litterbooms, beach clean-ups, and riverine sweeps for alien invasive plants. Pavers are sealed with a hard-wearing UV stable coating to ensure no microplastics are released into the environment.

“A large focus of ours is on developing low tech, highly replicable, small-business models,” explains Jonathan Welch, Technical Expert at KMBC. “The fact that our products are made by previously unemployed and unskilled members of our local community is a testament to the City’s EDU’s vision that the green economy is an ideal way to both clean up the environment as well as create sustainable jobs.”

Brightly coloured plastics are used in the tops of the pavers for schools as a means to draw attention to the paver and stimulate conversations about its being made from 86% waste.

“We hope this in turn raises awareness of the importance to manage our waste responsibly.”

“Green Corridors is busy proving the viability of a model where multiple production facilities will be set up to produce high strength and aesthetically pleasing pavers and creating 4-6 direct and multiple indirect jobs in the process,” says Welch. “With each facility producing between 100 and 200 pavers a day, we expect there to be substantial demand for problematic waste materials currently entering the environment, thereby stimulating the collection of these materials rather than ending up in and damaging the environment.”

Green Corridors plans to build these facilities by both creating a demand for the above unique pavers at schools and facilitating the funding thereof through crowdfunding, corporate CSR projects, and donating one paver to a school for every 10 sold to the public.

“We hope to raise funds for several KwaMashu Schools in our catchment area in need of paving for children to get around the school safely and comfortably whilst being stimulated and learning about some of the challenges and opportunities presented by waste and particularly plastic in our environment,” explains Welch.

The next school in the area earmarked for the pavers is Zamokuhle School in KwaMashu.

To support this project and help towards pavers for schools contact the Green Corridors at KMBC-info@durbangreencorridor.co.za or donate here https://www.backabuddy.co.za/donate/champion/green-concrete-pavers-for-schools

-ends

Fourteen engaging short documentaries from Africa to be presented on Al Jazeera English

Fourteen engaging and insightful short documentaries from nine African countries will be presented in the second season of Africa Direct on Al Jazeera English Documentaries from 6 December 2022.

 Season Two follows the success of the first season in 2021, and presents another 14 episodes of short documentaries, made by Africans about Africans. They provide a vivid and fascinating look into the diversity of ordinary people on the continent. Whether they are unsung heroes, change champions or simply getting on with their lives, they are all agents in their own stories.

This year the countries represented include Mali, Rwanda, Kenya, South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon and  Mozambique. AJE welcomes back some alumni directors as well as new ones to the fold.

First Dance Steps: Don Sen Folo by award-winning previous Africa Direct documentary filmmaker Ousmane Zoromé Samassékou (Mali)

From Mali comes two compelling short documentaries: First Dance Steps: Don Sen Folo by award-winning previous Africa Direct documentary filmmaker Ousmane Zoromé Samassékou, who takes us into the creative world of a Malian contemporary dance company as they take inspiration from ancient ancestral moves for their modern choreography.

Medine, The Heritage by Africa Direct alumni filmmaker, Andrey S. Diarra (Mali)

The second Mali film Medine, The Heritage by another Africa Direct alumni filmmaker, Andrey S. Diarra, follows Bréhima Sissoko, a heritage guide at the Fort of Medine in the Kayes region of Mali. For nearly three decades he has worked to preserve this historical site and is now training his son to take over.

A Legacy by filmmaker Mutiganda Wa Nkunda (Rwanda)

From Rwanda comes A Legacy by filmmaker Mutiganda Wa Nkunda about the revival of the Amasunzu hairstyle, an eye-catching traditional style of extraordinary shapes, crests and partings, worn as a form of identity in pre-colonial times. 

Feeling the Game by Samuel Ishimwe (Rwanda)

Feeling the Game by Samuel Ishimwe follows Leonidas Ndayisaba a sports journalist in Kigali, who is almost blind. We see him in action, from pitch-side interviews to his radio show, unfolding the story of a man who doesn’t let his disability define or stop him in his dedication to sport in his country.

The Last Speaker by Nadine Angel Cloete (South Africa)

South Africa also has two films in the mix: The Last Speaker by Nadine Angel Cloete, champions a disappearing tongue as Claudia Snyman, a language researcher, tries to save the N/UU language from extinction. She works to create a dictionary with her grandmother, Katrina Esau, who is the last living fluent speaker of this ancient San, or Bushman, language, believed to be 25,000 years old.

 Guerrilla Garden directed by Omelga Mthiyane (South Africa)

 Guerrilla Garden directed by Omelga Mthiyane shows how a guerrilla gardening collective not only provides food but also an important sense of belonging for the residents of Khayelitsha, a sprawling apartheid-era township outside Cape Town . Residents plant, harvest, sell or exchange produce. This is a community built on the spirit of agency, self-help and action in the face of huge social and environmental problems. 

Studio Of Archives by Benjamin Kent (Ghana)

From Ghana Studio Of Archives by Benjamin Kent follows Ibrahim Mahama, an internationally acclaimed artist, known for his monumental installations, as he works, collecting artefacts and textiles for his installations, which explore the significance of historical memory through everyday objects.

Giant Little Choppers a film by JJ Nota (Mozambique)

A young bright 12 year old Mozambican Luciano Armindo features in Giant Little Choppers, a delightful film by JJ Nota, that looks at this boy’s fascination for engineering and his remarkable hobby - he collects cardboard and wire scraps and meticulously designs and builds life size models of helicopters and cars outside his home. 

Kenya Ice Lions by Moses Obuye  (Kenya)

Kenya Ice Lions by Moses Obuye follows the action of Benjamin Mburu, captain and assistant coach of the Ice Lions, the only ice hockey team in east and central Africa, which had competed internationally until the pandemic hit. He rallies the skaters and finds innovative ways to keep their skills, and the team’s finance, alive.

Conservation From Above by Rahab Wambui (Kenya)

Also from Kenya, Conservation From Above by Rahab Wambui witnesses Daniel Zuma, a surveillance pilot in Kasigau Corridor conservation area. He also does on-the ground work in conservation, including with local communities in which he grew up, conveying an important conservation message and leaving a legacy to pass on.

Dorcas Sheffy Bello’s A Stone Crusher’s Song (Nigeria)

Nigerian filmmaker, Dorcas Sheffy Bello’s A Stone Crusher’s Song observes grandmother, Mama Hamsatu Izang, as she navigates her two very different realities, that of a life-long stone crusher and now a social media star, in the hope that her new success might bring lasting change.  Traffic director Joy Onoja has found a way to keep cars moving and drivers cool-headed – she dances. 

Joy In The Traffic directed by Achor Yusuf (Nigeria)

Joy In The Traffic directed by Achor Yusuf gets behind the moves, motivation and mindset of this energetic traffic policewoman, to reveal a delightful side of urban life in Lokoja, the capital of Kogi State, Nigeria.

Modern Peanuts of Cameroon by filmmaker Christelle Otse (Cameroon)

Cameroonian peanut salesman, Hassan Mounpé stands out from the crowd in the markets of Yaoundé in Modern Peanuts of Cameroon by filmmaker Christelle Otse. In this delightful film, she explores Hassan’s work, ambition, imagination and style, a man on a mission who sees the humble peanut as the source of a great potential enterprise.  

Making Her Future by Amedee Pacome (Gabon)

From Gabon comes Making Her Future by Amedee Pacome who explores the prolific career of Diouck Saï who is at once a shop owner, restaurateur, DJ and is also setting up a new philanthropic foundation. The film reveals her motivation, drive and compassion as well as her determination to bring light into the world. 

“All these films focus on individual characters who stand out within their communities, each doing something compelling and in some way shaping the world around them,” says Ingrid Falck, head of documentaries at AJE. “They provide a window into everyday lives across the continent, a diversity which is too often overlooked from the outside. These films are engaging, insightful, unusual, extraordinary and sometimes utterly breath-taking. They draw us in and make us think, feel and even connect with people, reaching across the rich textures of the world and its people.”

Al Jazeera English partnered with South African production house  Big World Cinema for the Africa Direct project.

Dates of Episodes 

Episode 1: 6 Dec - First Dance Steps (Mali)  and A  Legacy (Rwanda) 

Episode 2: 13  Dec - The Last Speaker (South Africa) and Studio of Archives (Ghana)

Episode 3: 20 Dec - Giant Little Choppers (Mozambique) and Kenya Ice Lions (Kenya)

Episode 4: 27 Dec - A Stone Crusher’s Song (Nigeria) and Guerrilla Garden (South Africa) and Modern Peanuts of Cameroon (Cameroon)

Episode 5: 3 Jan -  Medine, The Heritage (Mali) and Making Her Future  (Gabon)

Episode 6: 10 Jan – Conservation From Above (Kenya)  and Joy in Traffic (Nigeria)  and Feeling the Games (Rwanda)

TV REPEAT PATTERN

A new episode starts each Tuesday and repeats at these times (GMT):

Tues 2230 GMT

Wed 0930 GMT

Thu 0330 GMT

Fri 1630 GMT

Sat 0530 GMT

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

Africa Direct on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram with our handle AJAfricaDirect

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/AJafricadirect

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/ajafricadirect/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/AJafricadirect

 -ends

I heart Market moves to Sugar Rush Park in Ballito from 3 December 2022

In time for the Festive Season KZN’s much-loved I heart Market makes a new permanent home up the North Coast at popular family entertainment venue - Sugar Rush Park in Ballito - with the season dates confirmed for 3, 10, 17 December 2022 and 7 January 2023 from 08:30 to 14:00.

Fun activities available at Sugar Rush Park

Situated next to Collisheen Estate, Sugar Rush Park is a hive of family-friendly activities. It serves as an activity hub and the base for Holla Trails - a network of biking, running or walking trails that go through the sugar cane fields. 

Sugar Rush Park, also has a restaurant -Food Fundi, a kids’ play area, mini-train, the Ndlondlo reptile park, The Jump Park, the Tree Trails obstacle course and Park Run every Saturday morning. 

Anna Savage, the market’s owner /manager explains the move, "The I heart Market is a local business hub, and our business is based on the success of small business enterprises. We have an obligation to provide the best sales opportunity for our traders and at the same time create a relaxed, fun day out for everyone.”

“As a result, we have made a  bold decision to move to Ballito, as we needed to find a venue that could provide us with the security of a long-term lease, and a vibrant well-kept venue that has additional family-friendly activities that our customers can enjoy. We have found the perfect venue at Sugar Rush Park. We realize that this move is a big jump in terms of location and that it may be far for some of our regular customers. But we can guarantee a great day out to those who can travel north, and make  a day of it by taking advantage of the other activities available.”

Makers Phumzile Zama and Nolwazi Zama with their Polka dot Coco store

The I heart Market has a reputation for supporting artisanal crafters, artists, and traders, offering fine, handmade goods that include jewellery, accessories, leather goods, ceramics, visual arts, décor, clothing, deli foods bakery goods including breads, pastries, cookies and cakes, and a delicious range of eat in foods. Echoing the market's name, the goods on offer are made with love, dedication to the craft, and personal integrity.

"Sugar Rush Park is excited to welcome the I heart Market to our activity hub. Celebrating and supporting small creative local businesses is vital to the local economy and has a special role to play post covid.  We invite our customers and Ballito locals to support this initiative and enjoy the fine products." Nick Jordan, partner at Sugar Rush.

According to Anna Savage, the market will continue to trade throughout the year on the first Saturday of every month. There is secure parking and entrance is free.

For more information, or to enquire about possible trading contact info@iheartmkt.com 

SA's Empatheatre invited to UN COP27 to present award-winning Climate Change Play

Durban-based award-winning theatre company – Empatheatre has been invited by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to present their hard-hitting play - Lalela Ulwandle (Listen to the Sea) at this year’s COP27 (6-18 November) in Egypt. 

Neil Coppen, Dylan McGarry  and  Mpume Mthombeni, the co founders of Empatheatre. Pic by Jacki Bruniquel

The production has been invited by the UNFCCC (The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) Secretariat to perform the award-winning theatre play Lalela uLwandle (Listen to the Sea in isiZulu) at the Capacity-building Hub of the Blue Zone of COP27 (14 November 2022, 17.40-18.40 Egypt time). 

Mpume Mthombeni in Isidlamlilo – The Fire Eater  - Photo by Val Adamson

The company is currently running its critically-acclaimed work Isidlamlilo – The Fire Eater featuring the award-winning actress Mpume Mthombeni at The Sneddon Theatre, UKZN which ends on Wednesday ( 9 November).

Following this Durban season, they rush off to Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt to perform their much-toured, impact theatre work Lalela Ulwandle at the “Oceans and Land” day event at the Capacity Building Hub at COP 27.

Lalela Ulwandle explores themes of intergenerational environmental injustices, tangible and intangible ocean heritage, marine science, and the myriad threats to ocean health. Essentially this piece is an invitation to a participatory public conversation on ocean governance in South Africa (and beyond). The work was initially funded under the One Ocean Hub, the five-country hub of researchers exploring more democratic methods of engagement in ocean governance, and it is under this banner that the work will be seen at COP27.

“Finally we are bringing Empatheatre to the decision-making conference halls!” enthuses director Neil Coppen. “This means that these real stories are finally entering the United Nations, unedited and fully embodied! Through One Ocean Hub we have a spot in the Oceans and Land day event which seeks to respond to the mandate from COP to integrate and strengthen ocean-based action in their capacity-building efforts. In this context, there is a need for knowledge systems that include scientific, traditional, local, and indigenous knowledge to support decision making.”

“Our play, which has been touring South Africa since 2019 holding public storytelling events and tribunals has gathered thousands of coastal peoples' spiritual, cultural, and scientific understandings of the oceans in these critical climate-stressed times,” continues Coppen. “We have performed through droughts and floods, through pandemics and political struggles- through personal losses and through massive shifts in the way we work and practice.”

Lalela Ulwandle (Listen to the Sea) which features Alison Cassels, Mpume Mthombeni and Rory Booth is directed by Neil Coppen, and written by Coppen, with contributions from Helen Walne, Gcina Mhlophe, Mpume Mthombeni, Dylan McGarry, Taryn Pereira, Kira Erwin.  The UFC (Urban Futures Centre) at DUT has been deeply involved in the production from the outset under the leadership of Dr Kira Erwin.

Catch Empatheatre’s Isidlamlilo – The Fire-Eater  featuring Mpume Mthombeni, at The Sneddon, UKZN, Durban for 2 performances only on 8 November at 7pm and 9 November at 11am before they head to Egypt to present Lalela Ulwandle. Bookings are with

https://tickets.computicket.com/event/isidlamlilo/7201674.

-ends

Creativity a high priority in Finland echoed in the collaboration of Finnish choreographer Virva Talonen with Flatfoot Dance Co

Finnish choreographer Virva Talonen has spent the last few weeks working with Durban’s Flatfoot Dance Company in a collaboration entitled Portable Home which will be performed at The Courtyard Theatre at DUT, Durban on November 4 and 5.

Finnish choreographer Virva Talonen

According to Jonna Pukkila, Cultural Attaché from the Embassy of Finland (Pretoria), this is the fourth collaboration between Talonen and other dance companies, and the first with an African company. “High on the educational priority list is developing creativity and it’s interconnectedness with nature and this collaboration supports the country’s desire to extend its creative reach beyond the north,” she says.

“Culture has made Finland what it is today. Creativity is highly valued and each child is treated equally. All teachers in creative subjects have vocational degrees in arts. After basic education, creative studies continue in Finland’s top-class universities. Finnish Modern Dance is rooted and fresh at the same time. Even though contemporary dance is a relatively young art form in Finland, it is developing and growing all the time internationally.”

“Finland has reinvented itself in just one short century – and is still at it,” continues Pukkila. “The mindset that drove to build a new society is still hardwired into Finns – and it continues to drive Finland forward today. The Arctic climate gave us guts – or ‘sisu’ as we call it. A lot of Finnish inspiration comes from Finns unique relationship with nature. The only thing we have a lot of is trees and water. People, not so much. That’s why we believe in equality and take good care of each other – and know the value of doing things together. Virva in her work exercises exactly this. A great way for a Finn to express feeling is by actions and movements rather than words.”

Flatfoot Dance Company in rehearsal for Portable Home.

Portable Home is a long-standing project of Virva’s and an extension of her work done in Finland, Palestine and Japan which delves into concepts around home and its various definitions.

The work can be seen at The Courtyard Theatre on 4 November @ 7pm, and on 5 November at 2.30pm and 7pm.

Bookings are via Clarec1@dut.ac.za and go for R80 (students and scholars @ R50).

Please note that limited ticket available for 4 November @ 7pm.

For more information on Virva Talonen: www.virvatalonen.com

More information on Finnish Dance https://www.danceinfo.fi/en/

-ends

Call for Submissions: Realness/Netflix Episodic Lab and Development Executive Traineeship 2023 Inbox

 Realness Institute in partnership with Netflix, the world’s leading entertainment streaming service, has opened the calls for submissions to its 2023 Episodic Lab and Development Executive Traineeship (DET) programmes which will take place from 30 April to 30 July 2023.

The Lab and Traineeship aim to support screenwriters and mid-career industry professionals from Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya who are seeking opportunities to develop their original story ideas in any genre and are looking to enhance their skills as story consultants respectively.

Bringing together a wealth of creative talent from Africa in these programmes, Realness Institute offers the Episodic Lab participants the opportunity to pitch their incubated stories to Netflix executives at the end of the programme. It also offers DET participants a deeper understanding of the story development process, exposure to a more nuanced approach in the support of writers whilst simultaneously holding writers accountable for their creative work. 

To support the participants to focus on their involvement in the programmes, Realness Institute will provide a monthly stipend of ZAR 33,000 (Thirty-Three Thousand South African Rands) for the duration of the Lab and traineeship to help cover their living expenses.

“As filmmakers we understand how difficult it is to find time and space to focus on our creative processes: to unpack stories, mull over and bounce ideas off others, benchmark ourselves against our peers as we hustle to make films, and pitch and search for funding and finance,” says Mehret Mandefro, Director of Development and Partnerships, Realness Institute. “In understanding this landscape, we are delighted that Netflix has once again partnered with us, to bring these two symbiotic programmes for African filmmakers in our joint quest to grow African stories and content on the continent.”

While there is no guarantee that any proposal will be developed further by Netflix, it is a unique opportunity to interface at key milestones with Netflix executives and be afforded the opportunity to pitch. The 2022 Episodic Lab alumnus, Voline Ogutu from Kenya pitched an idea for a romance crime thriller Dilemma that has received a greenlight from Netflix for further development.

Reacting to her story idea being selected for further development, Voline Ogutu, who has now started to turn her attention to next steps which include Writers’ Room planning, says, “I am honored and grateful to be part of this rare opportunity. To those who dream of telling African stories on the global stage, it is truly within your reach. Thank you to the Netflix and Realness team who were part of this process.”

Commenting on Netflix’s partnership with Realness Institute, Allison Triegaardt, Manager for GROW Creative Africa at Netflix says, “We are so thrilled to be continuing our partnership with Realness Institute for the 2023 edition.  It is such a great opportunity to find, grow and nurture African storytellers and their uniquely African stories by giving them the time and resources they need to fully realize their vision and someday share their stories with a global audience.”

The Lab and Traineeship take place online and then for a week in-person in July 2023 at the Coot Club in Stanford, Western Cape.

Interested participants are encouraged to visit https://www.realness.institute/episodic-lab for Episodic Lab programme application and https://www.realness.institute/det for Development Executive Traineeship programme application and wait to be shortlisted.

Application submissions open October 26th and close on 22nd December 2022.

To know more about the Realness Institute and its programmes, visit www.realness.institute.

-ends

Empatheatre presents Isidlamlilo (The Fire Eater) with Mpume Mthombeni

Empatheatre in association with the NAC and The National Arts Festival presents…

Isidlamlilo (The Fire Eater)

Limited Run in Durban @ The Sneddon Theatre 

(4 to 9 November 2022)

Durbanites are in for a rare theatrical treat when Isidlamlilo- the Fire Eater begins a week-long run at the Sneddon Theatre on the UKZN campus from 4 to 9 November 2022.

Isidlamlilo is an electrifying new one-woman tour-de-force brought to life by acclaimed actress Mpume Mthombeni (who plays Agatha on E-tv’s Durban Gen) and award-winning theatre-maker Neil Coppen with set design by Greg King, lighting by Tina Le Roux and sound-design by Tristan Horton. 

This acclaimed new South African play premiered on the main programme at the 2022 National Arts Festival to rave reviews and standing ovations with critic Steve Kretzeman writing: “Woven together from true stories and testimonials gathered by the Empatheatre company, with a near flawless presentation and delivery, Isidlamlilo expands our horizons so often cramped by fears real and imagined, and imparts some of the courage the dispossessed have to daily gather to continue to live. This is fantastic theatre.”

Mpume Mthombeni in Isidlamlilo

Over the course of 80 minutes, Mthombeni, through frank, comic and captivating storytelling, relays the death-defying life story of Zenzile Maseko. Maseko, a sixty-something Zulu grandmother, rents a cramped room in a Durban women’s hostel, and is haunted by her past working as an IFP assassin (fire-eater) in the build-up to the 1994 elections. When the home affairs mistakenly declare her dead and are unable to reverse the error on their system, Zenzile finds herself cast into the middle of a Kafkaesque nightmare, driven to desperate measures to prove she is still alive and made, in the process, to reawaken parts of her identity and past that she has spent a majority of her adult life trying to suppress.

Maskeo’s story seamlessly propels us back and forth through time, traversing the shifting landscapes of KwaZulu-Natal and while charting critical events in the province's post-1994 trajectory through to its present-day floods and insurrections. While the story offers a critical look at the eddying cycles of violence and revenge that play out across generations, it is most of all a story about redemption, regeneration and reinvention.

The script is written by Standard Bank Young Artist Award winner Neil Coppen in collaboration with Mthombeni, and is based on a range of testimonials shared with them during their Empatheatre research processes alongside the Urban Futures Centre (UFC). Together, the creative team has woven in elements of Zulu folklore, biblical mythology, magical-realist framings to make for an unforgettable theatrical experience that speaks to both the country’s haunted past and present-day complexities.

Together Mthombeni and Coppen alongside Dylan McGarry, are the co-founders of Empatheatre which sees the team forging creative responses to complex social concerns. The company was recently awarded the prestigious Bertha Artivism Award for its theatre and social-justice work. Mthombeni and Coppen have worked in close collaboration for the past 15 years creating and touring works both locally and internationally including the multi-award-winning Tin Bucket Drum which went on to tour the country and world for several years.

Isidlamlilo has been made possible by funding from the NAC PESP fund, The National Arts Festival with additional support and thanks to the Drama department and the UFC (Urban Futures Centre) at Durban University of Technology.

Isidlamlio takes place on Friday 4, Saturday 5 and Tuesday 8 November  at 19:00, Sunday 6 November at 14:30, Wednesday 9 November 11:00 (For schools/Community Theatre groups and open to public). The performance is 80 minutes long, and there is an age restriction of 13+

Tickets are R130.  10% Group discounts for block bookings of ten or more. Student/scholar and pensioner discount price of R110 applicable at outlets on presentation of a valid card. Bookings through Computicket. https://tickets.computicket.com/event/isidlamlilo/7201674 or call 0861 915 800.

For schools and community theatre bookings contact Margie at margie@thinktheatre.co.za or on 0832519412

-ends

Finnish choreographer Virva Talonen works with Durban’s FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY

Portable Home, a global dance project by Finnish choreographer Virva Talonen comes to Durban, South Africa! The project has already been presented in various artistic versions in three countries. For its 4th instalment and first in Africa, Talonen has collaborated with Durban’s Flatfoot Dance Company. Portable Home will be showcased atThe Courtyard Theatre for three performances only on November 4 and 5.

Virva Talonen

In a bold move to support cultural collaboration and partnership between Finland and South Africa, the Finnish Embassy in Pretoria, with support from Dance Info Finland, offered an open call to South African dancers and dance companies to apply to work with - and host - Finnish choreographer Virva Talonen. The call process was efficiently facilitated by South African Dance Arts Alliance (SADA). After a slew of applications and interviews, Durban’s FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY was finally selected and, according to Flatfoot Dance Company’s Artistic Director Lliane Loots, “it has been a love project from day one!”

In her artistic dance work, Virva often focuses on the contradiction between the fragility and strength of the human self, and her free flowing and grounded dance technique is both deeply meditative and deeply mesmerising in its fluid power. Loots says that “it has been such an enormous pleasure and learning curve hosting and working with Virva these past few weeks. Her quiet dedication and very focused clear methodology of working has won over the six resident FLATFOOT dancers – I am really looking forward to seeing the final outcome of this extraordinary dance exchange!”

Virva is working on her long-standing project Portable Home with FLATFOOT in continuation of work done in Finland, Palestine and Japan. Portable Home is a contemporary dance project which delves into concepts around home and its various definitions. Home can be a practical or a concrete place, but it can also refer to a state of mind or a bodily sensation. Most often the definition of home is in constant flux. The Portable Home project, which embraces all these open ideas of home, is co-created by Virva Talonen and Finnish lighting designer Nanni Vapaavuori. During the years 2016 - 2018, the Portable Home project visited in Japan, Palestine and Finland. In every country Virva and Nanni presented Portable Home, they have worked together with local artists on the theme of home to create a localised dance performance. Portable Home is now visiting Durban and South Africa where Virva is collaborating with the dancers of FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY; Sifiso Khumalo, Jabu Siphika, Zinhle Nzama, Sbonga Ndlovu. Siseko Duba and Ndumiso ‘Digga’ Dube.

Flatfoot Dance Company

Working off improvisation and dance interactions that eventually get structured into some incredible and soulful dance work, Virva’s South African leg of her Portable Homequartet will be on show at The Courtyard Theatre on 4 November @ 7pm, and on 5 November at 2.30pm and 7pm. 

Bookings are via Clarec1@dut.ac.za and go for R80 (students and scholars @ R50). 

Please note that limited ticket available for 4 November @ 7pm. 

For more information on Virva Talonen: www.virvatalonen.com

More information on Finnish Dance https://www.danceinfo.fi/en/

 -ends

4 days left for European Film Fest - ends 23 October

Four days left to catch award-winning films at European Film Festival SA (Online and in Cinemas)

There are only 4 days left to catch 15 award-winning films at the European Film Festival. The fest is currently running online, and has screenings at The Labia and The Zone, in Rosebank, Johannesburg until 23 October.

The fest offers 16 films, with one, the Oscar-nominated The Worst Person in the World, having sold out in its 3-day limited period of screening, and some pending sell-out in the next day or two.

Each film has one screening in cinemas, with online screenings available across South Africa, but with a cap on the number of views per film.  Some films will soon have reached this cap, so film-lovers are encouraged to go online and watch soon.

There are insightful online Q & A’s conducted by local creatives available on the fest website.

· Laura Samani (Small Body) interviewed by Khwezi Becker

· Elie Grappe (Olga) interviewed by Yolanda Mogatusi

· Maryna er Gorbach (Klondike) interviewed by Mitchell Harper

· Erik Poppe (The Emigrants) interviewed by Yolanda Ncokotwana

· Stefan Arsenijević (As Far As I Can Walk) interviewed by Welile Masuku

· Aga Woszczyńska (Silent Land) interviewed by Khwezi Becker

· Sebastian Meise (Great Freedom) interviewed by Tiny Mungwe

· Shariff Korver (Do Not Hesitate) interviewed by Menzi Mhlongo

Q&As are located on the website here: https://www.eurofilmfest.co.za/2022-home/q-a-sessions/
 

Tickets for The Labia are R70 and for The Zone R80. Online screenings are free.

Visit www.eurofilmfest.co.za for more information or to book online for the European Film Festival.

-ends

Migration and Displacement on Film – a Live Zoom discussion at the European Film Festival

A live zoom discussion titled Migration and Displacement on Film featuring directors of the films Silent Land, The Emigrants and As Far as I Can Walk and a local sociology academic and migration specialist, will take place during the European Film Festival on Monday 17 October at 6pm.

A report just released by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees indicates that that the total of displaced persons in the world has now topped 100,000,000! The Africa Centre for Strategic Studies notes that the number of forcibly displaced people (internally displaced, refugees, asylum seekers) in Africa continued its uninterrupted escalation over the past decade—expanding by 12 percent in the past year to over 36 million people.

Stefan Arsenijevíc director of As Far As I Can Walk)

Forced displacement is an outcome of conflict, violence, and persecution usually of a religious, national, social, racial, or political nature, but also including reasons such as gender or sexual orientation. There are other causes too; droughts, floods, earthquakes, weather disasters, and the impacts of climate change. Then there are a wide range of migrants who are not necessarily refugees, from migrant children, migrant workers, economic migrants to migrants simply seeking another way of life. Even the word migrant is a contested term considered by some as demeaning and dehumanising. Whatever the terminology, it is a subject that precipitates cultural divisions and sometimes violent responses. But migration is not new, it has been happening since time immemorial as people assimilate into new environments often bringing positive social, economic and cultural contributions to their newfound societies. It is a global reality that demands cooperative understanding and practical solutions.

Erik Poppe - Director - The Emigrants

Film of course is a powerful and socially influential medium that plays an active role in shaping our thoughts, feelings and opinions about migrants and migration. In the Live Zoom discussion Migration and Displacement on Film during the European Film Festival in South Africa, three filmmakers whose films touch on migration in different ways will explore the messaging film conveys about this highly topical subject. The filmmakers, all directors of films showing in this year’s festival, are Aga Woszczyńska (Polish director of Silent Land), Erik Poppe (Norwegian director of The Emigrants), and Stefan Arsenijevíc (Serbian director of As Far As I Can Walk). Bringing local contexts and perspectives to the discussion is migration specialist Prof Pragna Rugunanan, Head of the Department of Sociology at the University of Johannesburg. Moderated by Liza Aziz of Fineline Productions, this Live Zoom event takes place at 6pm on Monday 17 October.

Aga Woszczyńska director of Silent Land)

Liza Aziz - Moderator

Visit www.eurofilmfest.co.za for more information about the festival.

Details of session (and to access the zoom link on the 16 Oct at 6pm) on this link: https://www.eurofilmfest.co.za/2022-home/live-sessions/

Prof Pragna Rugunanan, Head of the Department of Sociology at the University of Johannesburg.

The European Film Festival 2022 is a partnership project of the Delegation of the European Union to South Africa and 14 European embassies and national cultural institutes in South Africa: the embassies of Austria, Belgium, Georgia, Italy, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the British Council, Instituto Camoes (Portugal), French Institute of South Africa, Goethe-Institut, Italian Cultural Institute and Wallonie-Bruxelles International. The festival is organised in cooperation with Cineuropa and coordinated by Creative WorkZone.

-ends

Durban FilmMart calls for Animation Projects from African filmmakers

Durban FilmMart calls for Animation Projects from African filmmakers

The Durban FilmMart Institute (DFMI) has opened the call for animation projects in development for the 2023 Pitch and Finance Forum, together with Cape Town International Animation Film Festival (CTIAF) and Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct (Tshimologong).

The DFMI hopes to select 10 official animation projects in development to present to a panel of international decision-makers consisting of potential co-producers, broadcasters, film funds and distributors in the 14th Durban FilmMart (DFM) taking place in July 2023.

“2022 marked the first time in which DFM formally welcomed animation projects to pitch at the market,” says Magdalene Reddy, DFMI General Manager. “Pitches were well received from industry and filmmakers were eager to share their stories, which we cannot wait to see in the very near future. Together with our partners from CTIAF and Tshimologong, we hope to deepen the programme for animators on the continent offering more pitching opportunities, extended development, and greater engagements with the industry.

The DFM Pitch and Finance Forum consist of public pitching, one on one meetings with decision-makers and 8 weeks of online mentorship prior to the pitch in Durban. This year we are able to offer 5 of the 10 project teams the opportunity to participate in the Road to Annecy at CTIAF in addition to their participation in Durban.

“This has proven to be one of the most successful and impactful partnerships that offer our talent an opportunity to engage with decision-makers” says Lesley Donna William – CEO Tshimologong. “DFMI and CTIAF continue to play a vital role in providing platforms where our talent can gain access to industry experts through the mentorship programme and allow them to pitch to a panel of decision makers in the broadcasting and distribution sector. We are proud to announce that we will be renewing our partnership with DFMI and CTIAF. We look forward to working together in developing and providing market access to the animation industries from different parts of the continent.”

“The best way to perfect a pitch is to practice a pitch. Events like this are integral to getting market ready and I encourage everyone to enter competitions like this to hone their skills,”says Dianne Makings, director of CTIAF.

The Animation Pitch and Finance Forum will form part of the 14th annual Durban FilmMart event which will take place in July 2023 as an in-person event in Durban, South Africa.

The Road to Annecy will be presented at the 2023 Cape Town International Animation Film Festival which will take place April 2023 in Cape Town, South Africa.

Animated Fiction and Documentary projects in development with at least one African citizen in one of the key creative roles (writer, director or producer) will be considered for the programme. Proof of African citizenship or birth must be provided through a certified passport/I.D. or birth certificate. Projects need to have both a director and producer attached. Projects will be selected by an external panel of industry professionals.

Shortlisted projects will be contacted via email in November 2022.

For submission criteria visit: https://durbanfilmmart.co.za/pitch-and-finance-forum-application/

To apply: https://durbanfilmmart.co.za/pitch-and-finance-forum-application/

Deadline for applications: Monday, 31st October 2022 at 23:59 CAT

For further questions: info@durbanfilmmart.com

The call for live action projects will open in December 2022.

The Durban FilmMart Institute receives principal funding from the Durban Film Office and the eThekwini Municipality.

The Durban FilmMart animation programme is supported by the project “Cultural and Creative Industries” which is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and in cooperation with the Goethe-Institut. It improves employment and income opportunities for creative professionals in six partner countries; Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Kenya, Senegal, and South Africa and operates mainly in the music, fashion, design and animation sectors. In addition to promoting the development of entrepreneurial, digital, creative and technical skills through training programmes, the project aims to strengthen the framework conditions and the ecosystem

ENDS

About the Durban FilmMart Institute:

Durban FilmMart Institute is a premier business hub for African film industry professionals and products. Its mission is to provide appropriate and effective programmes and services to promote, support and facilitate investment in the African film industries.

For more information on the Durban FilmMart Institute – the annual market and year round programmes, visit:

https://www.durbanfilmmart.co.za/

Sibikwa Arts Centre Presents Body Moves an International Inclusive Dance Festival 10 – 16 October 2022

The Sibikwa Arts Centre presents the first International BODY MOVES Dance Festival for able bodied and disabled dancers to be held at the Sibikwa Arts Centre in Benoni from 10 - 16 October 2022.

Flatfoot Dance Company with the Flatfoot Downie Company

The Festival challenges perceptions and expands understanding of dance and disability, promoting cultural exchange, collaboration and cooperation between African and European countries. The participation of the dancers and dance companies from Ireland, Italy, Flanders and the Netherlands has been made possible by the generous support of their respective European embassies. The South African dancers have been supported by the Gauteng Department of Sports, Arts and Culture, and Joseph Tebandeke, a choreographer from Uganda, has received financial assistance from the British Council and Tractus Art.

Tebandeke (Uganda)

Four new works will be premiered at the Festival:

• A collaboration between Moving into Dance disabled dancers from their Enable Through Dance programme and Sibikwa dancers from the Inclusive Creative Arts Programme (ICAP). This new dance piece yet untitled will be choreographed by Joseph Tebandeke from Uganda.

• Unmute Dance Company from Cape Town in collaboration with MonkeyMind Company, a Flemish contemporary and Performance Company based in Ghent lead by choreographer Lisi Estaras.

• A new duet will be created for Eva Eikhout a Dutch dancer and TV presenter to be partnered by Thapelo Kotlolo, a dancer from Sibikwa. Adriaan Luteijn from Introdans in the Netherlands will choreograph the duet.

• The Italian company Officine di Creazione will premiere a new work and Sighile Hennessey from Ireland will make her debut solo performance.

The South African companies participating in the Body Moves Festival supported by the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture (Gauteng) are Flatfoot Dance Company from Durban, Sibikwa Arts Centre, and Moving into Dance. Unmute from Cape Town has received financial assistance from the General Representation of the Government of Flanders in South Africa.

Unmute

This multi-faceted Festival includes workshops from 10 – 14 October at Sibikwa and open to all abled and disabled dancers. Choreographers from the Netherlands, Ireland and Italy will facilitate the international workshops. Unmute Dance Company will facilitate workshops in schools.

To promote conversations between academia, civil society organisations and artists about disability and dance a hybrid colloquium hosted at the Sibikwa Theatre and live streamed on the Sibikwa Arts Centre Facebook page will take place on Thursday 13th October from 18h00 – 19h30 and Saturday 15th October from 16h30 to 18h00.  

The entire Festival including workshops and rehearsals will be filmed as part of a collaborative research project on Disability Dance and Citizenship in Africa, spearheaded by Dr Lliane Loots [Founder of Flatfoot Dance Company & Lecturer at KZN SA] and Prof Yvette Hutchinson [University Warwick UK].

All events will take place at the Sibikwa Arts Centre, Cnr Liverpool and Bolton Rd Benoni. 

Registration to participate in the workshops and colloquium is free on Quicket. Tickets are available on Quicket for the dance programme on the 15 & 16 October from 2 – 4 pm, tickets bought on Quicket are R80 per person, for a group booking of 10 or more R70 per person, and R100 at the door.-ends

European Film Festival in eSwatini and Lesotho

European Film Festival in eSwatini and Lesotho.

As part of the European Film Festival in South Africa a 3-day film programme will take place at the Alliance Française in Mbabane between 21 and 23 October, and at the Alliance Française in Maseru between 28 and 30 October.

Films for eSwatini and Lesotho

This Is Not A Burial, It’s a Resurrection

This year’s extension to Lesotho and eSwatini is an opportunity for new audiences to see award-winning films that are unlikely to reach local screens in these countries.  Due to technical conditions, the Alliance Française line-up is different from that in South Africa. A cornerstone of the programme is the presentation of two landmark films that have emerged out of both countries in recent years.  The multi-award winning Sotho film, This Is Not A Burial, It’s a Resurrection is the only film ever submitted to the Academy Awards by Lesotho.  Directed by Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese, it is the story of an 80-year old widow who ignites the spirit of resilience within her community when her village is threatened with forced resettlement due to the building of a dam.   In the exceptional Swazi story Liyana, five orphaned children under the guidance of story-teller Gcina Mhlophe, transform past personal trauma into an original tale about a girl named Liyana.  Directed by Aaron and Amanda Kopp, this well-crafted mix of animation and documentary has won awards all over the world for Liyana.   This Is Not A Burial, It’s a Resurrection and Liyana demonstrate the exciting potential for filmmaking that exists in Lesotho and eSwatini.

As Far as I Can Walk

Migration is a way of life for many in Lesotho and eSwatini who travel to South Africa and other destinations searching for work or a new life.  Three of the films in the festival look at migration from different perspectives.   As Far As I Can Walk, the Serbian/ French/ Luxembourgian/ Bulgarian/ Lithuanian co-production directed by Stefan Arsenijević, highlights that it’s not just securing a roof over one’s head but also the challenges of emotional and intellectual deprivation that young migrants in Europe face today.  The Oscar-nominated film The Man Who Sold His Skin directed by Kaouther Ben Hania is a unique co-production between Tunisia, France, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, Turkey and Cyprus that uses the tension between art and commerce as fuel for a sobering story about a Syrian refugee who allows his back to become a canvas for a famous tattoo artist.  Austrian Arash T. Riahi’s Oskar and Lilli: Where No-one Knows Us focuses on two Chechen refugee children living in Austria who are separated from their mother and how their hopes of being reunited with her sustain their lives in challenging circumstances.

Supa Moda

Completing the programme at the Alliance Française, in both eSwatini and Lesotho, are the films France and Supa Modo. The high-paced France by French filmmaker Bruno Dumont takes a satirical look at modern media through the life of a celebrity journalist who loses confidence as she experiences an identity crisis.  A choice for families and younger audiences alike is Likarion Wainaina’s German-Kenyan production Supa Modo, the heart-warming story of a young girl whose dream of becoming a superhero is threatened by terminal illness, and how her village rallies together to make her dream come true.

Film screenings will be free, visit the Screenings page of https://www.eurofilmfest.co.za for more information on the programmes in eSwatini and Lesotho.

Accessing the South African online programme

Exciting news for film-lovers is that films from the South African programme will be available online in both eSwatini and Lesotho between 13-23 October. 

The European Film Festival 2022 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 Austria, Belgium, Georgia, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the British Council, Camoes Institute of Portugal, French Institute in South Africa, Goethe-Institut, Italian Cultural Institute and Wallonie-Bruxelles International. The festival is organised in cooperation with Cineuropa and coordinated by Creative WorkZone.

The 2022 festival in Lesotho is presented in partnership with the EU Delegation to Lesotho and the Alliance Française.

-ends

New Hike Launched with Green Corridors in Durban's rural Maphepetheni area

As South Africa celebrates Tourism Month in September, Durban’s Green Corridors continues to offer ‘on-your-doorstep’ highly accessible excursions for the whole family, and has announced a brand new hiking experience in the heart of the exquisite rural Maphepetheni area.

The recently launched Amatata Adventures in Maphephetheni, the mountainous area north of Inanda Dam, founded by local qualified nature guide Mlungisi Mthembu, offers two beautiful options of hiking trails for nature lovers, birders and adventurers. Amatata Adventure is also a perfect location for picnics and overnight camping with Green Corridors’ Pop Up Camps.

Mlu Mthembu

The hike starts off at Amatata Adventures in Maphephetheni about 45 kilometres from Durban’s CBD. Set on and around the escarpment of the majestic Inanda Mountain, the hike takes in spectacularly breathtaking views of the uMngeni Valley and Inanda Dam winding through luscious indigenous forests, valley bushveld and the rare sandstone sourveld grasslands of the area.

There are two distances on offer - a 7,5km or a 12,7km for the fitter and more resilient hikers. These hikes take adventurers through a richly biodiverse environment with abundant birdlife and indigenous scarp forest, and grasslands. These are fairly rigorous hikes that are not for beginners but accessible for people with an average fitness, and have plenty of stops and rests to soak up the sheer beauty of the area, or listen to Mlu tell of local folklore, and customs.

Hikes take you through rural homesteads, as the community welcomes you.

Mlu lives and grew up in the area and is well-known to the local community. At the heart of his adventure-offering is a sincere desire to care for this natural environment and preserve it for future generations, while demonstrating to both locals and visitors the positive impact rural tourism has on communities.

And, being a community-minded individual, Mlu has begun an important programme working through Green Corridors to ‘adopt” a local school Maphephetha Secondary School which offers tourism as a matric subject. He visits the school, giving talks about the value of local tourism for the heartbeat of a community as well as the economic benefits it has not only for the guides but for people who provide other services such as catering, security, transport and accommodation.

A group of hikers enjoying the views over the Inanda Valley

“It has been incredibly rewarding beginning Amatata Adventures, and the impact it has already had in showing the community the benefits of inviting and welcoming tourists to the area,” enthuses Mlu. “And it is a bonus to be able to go to a local school, and really show young people that this is a viable option as a career, to be able to put food on the table, and become small business entrepreneurs.”

Spring is here and there are many options available for hikes, picnics, camping and adventures with the Amatata Adventures, and many locally-based community tourism sites which all offer unique outdoor experiences supported by Green Corridors.

To book for an Amatata Adventures hike and for other Green Corridors activities  contact +27 (31) 322 6026 or email frontdesk@greencorridors.africa. . For more information on the various offerings visit the Green Corridors website: www.greencorridors.co.za.

-ends

Luthayi High wins SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Fast 5s Netball Challenge Highway Regional

A sparkling performance by Luthayi High School saw them claim victory in the penultimate netball challenge at the Highway Regional of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Fast 5s Netball Challenge that took place at Hillcrest High School on Saturday 17 September.

In the regional final, Luthayi took on Durban Girls’ High School, where they dominated from the get-go. It took 11 seconds for Luthayi to register their first goal, and with a goal a minute, they concluded the game at 16 – 6.

Luthayi gave no room to Girls’ High in the first half, not letting them settle at all. An alert Luthayi defence and midfield were on the ball, intercepting countless times and sending play up to Miss Consistent, the power house Goal Shooter and captain AphiweThusini , who was camped out directly under the goals and who netted majority of her teams points throughout the day.

After 8 minutes of play, the scoreline was 8 – 3 at half time. Durban Girls’ High School worked valiantly in the second half, battling to get into their stride and try and find some rhythm as they forced their way into the Luthayi circle but were just unable to capitalise on these opportunities. As they tried to claw their way back into the mix, Girls’ High had to navigate around a livewire Luthayi centre, Sisanda Ngubo who drifted all over the court, surprising Girls’ High with some magical pounces as she halted their advances several times.

Luthayi concluded their day with a marvelous 16 – 6 win. After the game, Captain for Luthayi High, Aphiwe Thusini said, “It was a really great tournament, the other teams gave us a lot of pressure throughout the day. We are delighted that we managed to win the nail-biter against Curro. They were a hard team to beat.”

Former Luthayi High School graduate, and captain for the SPAR Proteas Netball team, Bongiwe Msomie, was announced as the Telkom Woman of the Year at the recent Momentum G-Sports Awards ceremony. Inspired by her hero Msomie, a young Thusini shared, “We are so proud of her and her ongoing achievements. We are raising this trophy up today in her honour.”

It wasn’t all smooth sailing for the eventual winners, in their semi-final, Luthayi had to grind their way to victory against Curro Hillcrest in an action-packed game that flowed rapidly from side to side. The score was level on 13 each at full time, so the game went to one minute decider in extra time. Luthayi earned two 1 pointers, while Curro Hillcrest Goal Attack, Taylor Adlam floated in a fantastic 2 point equaliser. After 60 seconds of play, the game was still all tied up at 15 all. Another minute of play gave Luthayi the edge and saw them score the all-important 1 point allowing them the golden ticket to the regional final.

In the bronze medal game, Curro Hillcrest who had left everything on the court in their semi, met Gelofte High School who were firing on all cylinders. Gelofte opened up the scoring and for majority of the game, had the advantage but a late surge by the local team saw Curro come back to a 15 – 14 victory, taking a well-deserved third place.

Rounding off the 2022 challenge is the midlands’ schools meeting at Voortrekker Hoërskool for the Pietermaritzburg Regional on Saturday 15 October.

All games will be livestreamed on the SuperSport Schools mobile app or website. For more info like the challenges Facebook page or follow on Instagram.

Medal Games

1 Luthayi High School; 2 Durban Girls’ High School; 3 Curro Hillcrest; 4 Gelofte High School

Pool A Results

1 Durban Girls High School 12 points; 2 Curro Hillcrest 9 points; 3 Westville Girls High School 6 points; 4 Indlovukazi Invitational; 5 Ridge Park College 3 points

Pool B Results

1 Luthayi High School 12 points; 2 Gelofte High School 9 points; 3 St Henry’s Marist College 6 points; 4 Hillcrest High School 3 points

ENDS

European Film Festival in South Africa goes hybrid

The European Film Festival in South Africa goes hybrid for its 9th edition between 13 and 23 October.

Festival co-director Magdalene Reddy explains that the festival will continue to cater for its viewers and followers who have become accustomed to the ease of watching films in the comfort of their own homes, while also providing for those who long to return to the full cinema experience. ‘This is our transitional approach of coming back to theatres gradually,’ she says. The online screenings will be free while a ticket price will be charged for the theatre screenings. Each film will have a single screening at both Ster-Kinekor’s The Zone in Johannesburg and at The Labia in Cape Town.

Sixteen award-winning films, eight of them by women directors, will be screened. This year’s theme, Innocence and Beyond, explores innocence not just as a legal concept, but as a human quality. This includes two stand-out perspectives through the eyes of children in Petite Maman and Playground. Petite Maman is a tender tale of memory, friendship, and family by the gifted and often unpredictable French filmmaker Céline Sciamma, while in Playground Belgian director Laura Wandel deploys cameras rigged at child level to effectively portray the emotions and experiences of school bullying from a child’s point of view.

There is no set age for when loss of innocence can occur and a number of films focus on youth as they navigate the often turbulent process of growing into adults. From the Netherlands, Shariff Korver's slow-burning psychological thriller Do Not Hesitate depicts unprepared Dutch youths thrown into the crucible of war, a situation complicated by their naiveté when encountering other cultures. Swiss film Olga, by Elie Grappe, is a tense but sensitively handled tale of exile reflecting the clash between the personal and the political in a young Ukrainian gymnast's search for identity against the backdrop of revolution in her mother country. The riveting women-driven film Small Body is an adventure story infused with a wonderful mythological sensibility that earned Laura Samani the best new director prize at Italy’s David d’Donatello awards. How much does innocence inform a young woman's quest for love and meaning as she enters her 30s without any idea about her identity and purpose in life? This is the question in Joachim Trier’s The Worst Person in the World, a Norwegian/ French/ Danish/ Swedish co-production that earned two Oscar nominations this year. Then, Stefan Arsenijević’s Serbian/ French/ Luxembourgian/ Bulgarian/ Lithuanian co-production As Far As I Can Walk highlights that it’s not just securing a roof over one’s head but also the challenges of emotional and intellectual deprivation that young migrants in Europe face today.

Ali and Ava (UK)

Is innocence solely about what’s right and what’s wrong? Sometimes it’s about what we don’t do. Sometimes it’s about making choices that impact both ourselves and those around us, and in some cases society and the wider world? Silent Land, by Poland’s Aga Woszczyńska, is a case of what the protagonists didn’t do, and how that leads to the collapse of a relationship. The film is also about the collapse of value systems in the modern world, about a general indifference to reality, and about social lethargy. Erik Poppe’s Swedish film The Emigrants is an epic period drama about a poverty-stricken family who emigrate from Sweden to the United States in the 1800s. Told from a woman’s perspective, their search for a second chance in life is, like the stories of migration in our current era, about a journey of hope. From the Republic of Georgia, Levan Koguashvili’s comedic Brighton 4th is a portrait of parental sacrifice and the love of a father for his son that also offers an authentic look at the immigrant experience and the elusiveness of the American Dream. Enveloped in music and humour, Ali and Ava, written and directed by one of the UK’s most distinctive cinematic voices, Clio Barnard, is about a couple from different cultural backgrounds beginning a relationship with a mixture of nervous excitement, openness and innocence. The Good Boss, directed by Fernando León de Aranoa, is the Spanish film in this year’s festival – it’s a hilarious satirical comedy about the indignities of working life, with the questionable innocence of Javier Bardem in the spotlight.

As Far as I can Walk (Co-Production)

Overturning conventional definitions of innocence Austrian Sebastian Meise’s Cannes-winner Great Freedom explores tenderness, love, lost time, and the tenacity of the human spirit while chronicling an ignominious chapter in queer history. Portuguese director Catarina Vasconcelos’s unorthodox film The Metamorphosis of Birds sifts through the memories and dreams of her ancestors in an extraordinary homage that demonstrates how something deeply personal can be profoundly universal. Is a humanoid robot innocent? That’s one of the questions in the witty and delightfully entertaining German film I’m Your Man by Maria Schrader. It’s a spunky sci-fi dramedy that also asks what it is that humans want in relationships, and if AI beings should have rights.

The Emigrants (Sweden)

Finally, the world is again witnessing and affected by a terrible war, and innocence is an unfortunate casualty during wartime, at all levels. Along with the already mentioned war drama Do Not Hesitate, there is director/screenwriter/editor Maryna Er Gorbach’s Ukrainian-set drama Klondike. About the travails of parents-to-be living near the Russian border this film couldn’t be more timely as it exposes the absurdity of war and how it affects those who aren't directly involved just as easily as those who are.

The EU Ambassador to South Africa Sandra Kramer comments; “This year’s European Film Festival has been inspired by innocence as a human quality. The festival’s theme – Innocence & Beyond – tries to capture our loss of innocence on a number of levels as we deal with the present and lay foundations for the future. I invite you to join us for the best of European cinema: award-winning films that will not only offer a temporary escape, but also a space for pause and reflection.”

eSwatini and Lesotho

This year’s festival extends its reach to neighbouring countries eSwatini and Lesotho with 3-day programmes of screenings and discussions taking place at the Alliance Française in Mbabane (21 to 23 October) and the Alliance Française in Maseru (28 to 30 October).

Side Events

Real-time Zoom panel discussions and Q&A’s with film directors will enrich the experience and understanding of the filmmaking processes and motivations as well as the topics raised in the films, while a programme of Filmmaker Engagements is formulated to inspire young filmmakers at film schools in South Africa.  In addition, with an emphasis on youth, the festival will again provide a number of screening and discussion programmes at select secondary schools and community centres in different parts of the country. 

For film synopses, trailers and how to watch visit www.eurofilmfest.co.za

The European Film Festival 2022 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 Austria, Belgium, Georgia, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the British Council, Camoes Institute of Portugal, French Institute in South Africa, Goethe-Institut, Italian Cultural Institute and Wallonie-Bruxelles International. The 2022 festival is presented in partnership with the Labia Theatre and Ster Kinekor The Zone. The festival is organised in cooperation with Cineuropa and coordinated by Creative WorkZone.

-ends

Climate Story Lab ZA offers Southern African creatives an opportunity to make an impact on the climate crisis

Calling creatives to act on the most pressing emergency facing humanity - the climate crisis. Climate Story Lab ZA invites Southern African creatives to submit innovative and imaginative projects for an opportunity to participate in a four-day residential lab near Cape Town, South Africa in January 2023. The first Climate Story Lab ZA is an incubator aimed at shifting the narrative and amplifying communication around climate change in order to make positive impacts against the global crisis.

Art and Activism: In December last year, activists began a successful campaign against Shell’s attempt to prospect for gas off the Eastern Cape Wild Coast, amplifying it with short films, street art and even dedicated music tracks which helped to bring more people out to support frontline communities, and help protect our marine life. It is this creative energy that the Climate Story Lab aims to harness.

Climate Story Lab ZA calls for submissions of creative narrative-based projects whether they are films, animation, social media campaigns, XR/VR/AR, theatre, dance, stand-up comedy, poetry, children’s/teen/adult fiction writing, podcasts, visual art, performance art – anything that uses a creative medium  to communicate a message about climate change.

Up to eight projects will be selected for CSL ZA, and up to two team members per project will be invited to a four-day lab near Cape Town from 22 to 26 January 2023. The lab will focus on developing the stories, designing impact strategies, and introducing projects to potential partners.

Creatives from Southern African countries including Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, DRC, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe may apply.

“We keep hearing about the issue and how dire the situation is,” explains Dr Liani Maasdorp, CSL ZA co-director, impact consultant and UCT film lecturer.  “People feel overwhelmed and sometimes don't do anything because they don't think they can make a difference. But one person can - as long as we all do something. Statistics and graphs don't move people to action, but emotions do. That is why we are inviting creatives to come together to make their stories as strong as possible and make sure they reach the right audiences to take action against the climate crisis.”

“We see creatives as a kind of emergency corps rushing in at a time when global leaders are just not acting fast enough,” explains Anita Khanna, climate justice activist, producer and CSL ZA co-director. “Creatives can help spread the message about how urgent this is, push back against false solutions to the crisis in accessible ways, help to  get people to see that climate impacts are affecting every part of their lives, and importantly, give us a vision of a world that sustains life, not one that destroys it.”

“We firmly believe that storytelling can reach into the hearts and minds of people and shift behaviour and inspire action. Now is the time to harness our creative energy to support urgent and innovative action on the climate crisis” says Miki Redelinghuys, CSL ZA co-director, documentary filmmaker and impact producer. 

This intensive residential Lab is supported by the UMI Fund and hosted by the UCT Centre for Film and Media Studies in partnership with Doc Society and the Climate Story Unit. 

Applications can be made online: https://climatestorylabza.org/application-form/ and close on 7 October at 5pm SAST.

Follow CSL ZA on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn.