European Film Festival line-up announced

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

The Films

Io Capitano

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

Baan

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

Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry

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

Citizen Saint

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

Dying

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

Grey Bees

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

Kneecap

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

Love According to Dalva

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

Sweet Dreams

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

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

The Peasants

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

The Quiet Girl

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

The Taste of Things

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

Unruly

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

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

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

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

-ends

Photos supplied:

More pics on this Google drive here

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

Youtube link to trailer here:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Where to see Mother City,  next:

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

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

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

International screenings and festivals include:

●      Sheffield: The Showroom Cinema in Sheffield 28 October

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

●      Namibia at the Film Week in Windhoek

●      In Germany, at Afrika Film Festival Köln, 

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

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

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

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

Link to ticket sales

 Cape Town: https://bit.ly/3AGbNPc

Johannesburg: https://bit.ly/3X4UzT4

-ends

Creatives Focus on Climate at Durban FilmMart

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

-ends

Triggerfish Scoops Multiple Honours as African Animation Shines this Award Season

Internationally renowned South Africa/Ireland-based animation studio, Triggerfish has bagged a number of honours this award season, marking a significant triumph for African animation in the highly competitive motion picture industry.

The ground-breaking Disney+ Original Series Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire has just clinched the prestigious Annie Award for “Best Limited Series” (TV/Media) at the ceremony in Los Angeles on Saturday 17 February.  The series also recently won the Kidscreen Award for “Best Animated Series (Tweens/Teens)” in San Diego, earlier this month.  These accolades recognise the creativity and storytelling expertise of the multi-talented team at Triggerfish, the lead production studio behind the anthology series

Enkai : Kizazi Moto: generation Fire

The action-packed animated sci-fi series Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire presents futuristic visions from Africa inspired by the continent’s diverse histories and cultures, and has been enchanting audiences worldwide with its compelling narrative, vibrant imagery, and original characters since its release in July last year.

This achievement is a testament to the exceptional collaboration of the team behind the scenes. Guided by Disney, executive producers Peter Ramsey, Tendayi Nyeke and Anthony Silverston and helmed by a group of 14 directors from across the African continent including Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, and  Zimbabwe, the series was brought to life with authenticity and passion. The star-studded voice cast, included Florence Kasumba (Black Panther, Wonder Women), Pearl Thusi (Queen Sono), Nasty C (multi-award winning South African rapper) and Kehinde Bankole (The New Normal, Sista) delivering captivating performances, breathing life into the characters and enhancing the storytelling experience.

The winning series episode Enkai, directed by Kenyan Ng’endo Mukii and produced by Blink Industries, is a striking cosmic, end-of-the-world, high-stakes fantasy.  It was also selected as a finalist for Prix Jeunesse International in the 7-10 Years Fiction category.

Aau’s Song

Triggerfish also won an Annie Award for “Best Music - TV/Media” at the ceremony for its short film Aau’s Song, a fantasy Star Wars-inspired journey of a child finding her destiny, created for the Star Wars: Visions Vol. 2 anthology series by South African directors Nadia Darries and Daniel Clarke. Additionally, Aau’s Song has been nominated for a Prix Jeunesse International award. The series as a whole has also taken home the Lumiere Award for the "Best Episodic - Animated.”

Supa Team 4

In addition to this long list of recent accolades, Triggerfish’s original Supa Team 4 on Netflix, inspired by Zambian creator  Malenga Mulendema, is up for “Best International Series” at the British Animation Awards in March.

“The affirming acknowledgement from these global awards marks a significant milestone not only for all at Triggerfish, but the African animation industry too, highlighting the growing recognition and appreciation for fresh storytelling and authentic representation of African narratives in animation,” says Triggerfish Executive Producer, Anthony Silverston.

-ends

African-European Co-Pro to open European Film Festival in SA

The celebratory 10th edition of the European Film Festival in South Africa, opens with the African–European film GOODBYE JULIA, set in Sudan, at Ster-Kinekor’s The Zone in Rosebank, Johannesburg on 12 October.

Goodbye Julia directed by Mohamed Kordofani

GOODBYE JULIA is a remarkable six-country coproduction between Sudan, Egypt, Germany, France, Sweden and Saudi-Arabia, and the first film from Sudan ever to be presented in the Un Certain Regard competition at the Cannes Film Festival, where it won the prestigious Prix de la Liberté (Freedom Award).   

The film tells the story of two women who represent the complicated relationship and differences between northern and southern Sudanese communities. The multi-layered narrative takes place in Khartoum during the last years of Sudan as a united country, shortly before the 2011 separation of South Sudan.  

Supported by superb cinematography by South African Pierre de Villiers and a moving musical score by Sudanese musician Mazin Hamid recorded during ongoing clashes between the military and civil society in Khartoum, this is a powerful directorial debut by the largely self-taught filmmaker Mohamed Kordofani.  Pierre de Villiers, will be in attendance at screenings of the film in Johannesburg and Cape Town, and will also present cinematography workshops at film schools in both cities during the festival.

After kicking off the festival on 12 October, GOODBYE JULIA will have subsequent screenings on 22 October at The Labia, Cape Town, and on 21 October at Ster-Kinekor Gateway, Durban. 

African stories

Mother directed by Bulgarian Zornitsa Sophia

Connecting the festival more closely to the contexts and the continent in which this festival takes place, GOODBYE JULIA is one of three African stories in this year’s festival.  At the heart of the  film MOTHER, directed by Bulgarian Zornitsa Sophia, is the unfolding of the narrative in Kenya, where a theatre director undergoes profound transformation during her experiences at a local orphanage in Kibera, often called one of the biggest slums in Africa.  MOTHER is based on the true story of artist and cultural activist Elena Panyatova.   NAYOLA, directed by José Miguel Ribeiro, is a thrilling animated story about three generations of women plagued by the long civil war in Angola.  Based on a play by José Eduardo Agualusa and Mia Couto, NAYOLA is bold and thrilling storytelling alive with vivid eye-candy animation! 

Nayola irected by José Miguel Ribeiro

The European Film Festival runs from 12-22 October, with screenings in cinemas, as well as online. Visit www.eurofilmfest.co.za for the film synopses, trailers and screening schedules.

The European Film Festival 2023 is a partnership project of the Delegation of the European Union to South Africa; the participating European embassies of Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Italy, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Switzerland and Ukraine; and the cultural agencies of British Council, Camoes Institute of Portugal, Diplomatic Representation of Flanders, French Institute in South Africa, Goethe-Institut and Italian Cultural Institute.  The festival is organised in cooperation with Cineuropa, supported by Ster Kinekor, The Labia and coordinated by Creative WorkZone.

-ends

10th European Film Festival Programme 12-22 October 2023

Film Line-up for 10th European Film Festival

The European Film Festival in South Africa celebrates its 10th edition from 12-22 October with an inspired lineup of 16 new award-winning films screening in Johannesburg and Cape Town, with a special programme in Durban.  Featured countries are Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom and Ukraine, while the festival also features an African-European co-production film, set in Sudan.

Filmmaker engagements, community centre and schools’ programmes will deepen the festival’s reach, while the countrywide online programme of free screenings will run concurrently during the festival.  The festival will also present events at the Alliance Française in Eswatini (20-22 October) and Lesotho (20 – 29 October). 

The European Union’s Ambassador to South Africa, Sandra Kramer, said that “not only does the 2023 European Film Festival showcase some of the most acclaimed productions to have emerged from the film industries in the European Union and Europe, but the films provide thought-provoking perspectives on issues that are just as meaningful to South Africans as they are to people everywhere. We hope this festival will strengthen connections between Europe and South Africa, and its immediate neighbours, Eswatini and Lesotho. May this festival stimulate discussion and new ideas around our shared experiences, hopes and dreams, as together we face our ever-changing world.”

Transition

The festival theme this year is Transition, as the films offer a cinematic reflection of the transition people go through during our turbulent and fast-moving times.

As festival co-director and curator Peter Rorvik explains; “There can be numerous transitional moments in a lifetime; awakenings, re-awakenings, renewal of purpose, our self-understanding, of who we are, and our direction in life.  Transition is, in essence, a response to change, a process of managing change, or making a change. 

All these elements of transition feature prominently in the line-up of films on offer this year.  The illuminating power of cinema transports us deeply into these experiences, milestones, growth points and turning points, which offer resonance with our own life journeys, and the shared life journeys of those around us”.

The Films

The festival includes two films which were jointly awarded the Grand Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival in 2022: 

From Italy

Set in the breath-taking Italian Alps, THE EIGHT MOUNTAINS is a compelling character-driven drama directed by Charlotte Vandermeersch and Felix van Groeningen.  Gorgeously shot, this film offers a deeply textured glimpse into the bonds of friendship, the journeys of self-discovery, and the relationship between humans and nature.

From Poland

The Oscar-nominated film EO, directed by the legendary Jerzy Skolimowski, is an innovatively-conceived road movie with a difference; it is seen almost entirely from a donkey’s perspective.  This beguiling and often-harrowing tale of a donkey is both thrilling and empathetic, compelling us to see the world differently.         

 There are three films fresh from the most recent Cannes festival in May 2023:

 From France

ANATOMY OF A FALL, astonishingly well-written and directed by Justine Triet, won the top prize at Cannes, the Palm d’Or.  This part thorny family story, part whodunit, part courtroom drama puts marital power dynamics under the microscope.  As Time Out magazine says;  ‘This is a thriller of real psychological, intellectual and emotional depth.’

From the United Kingdom

In THE OLD OAK, veteran filmmaker Ken Loach has made an incisive social drama about an English village where there is anger, resentment and a lack of hope since the closing of the local mine.  What more could go wrong for the world-weary townsfolk?  That’s when the Syrian refugees move in….this will be a time of transition for everybody!

African-European collaboration in Sudan

GOODBYE JULIA is a six-country coproduction film (Sudan, Egypt, Germany, France, Sweden and Saudi-Arabia) and winner of the Cannes Film Festival’s prestigious Freedom Award.  Directed by  Mohamed Kordofani, GOODBYE JULIA tells of the friendship between two women who represent the complicated relationship and differences between northern and southern Sudanese communities at a time of intense upheaval and transition. South African cinematographer for the film, Pierre de Villiers, will present workshops at the festival.

Discovering and affirming one’s identity is not a straight-forward process for all., especially in relation to gender norms. As evidenced by the following two films, this is all the more challenging for the very young who face enormous pressures as they attempt to find their place in the world, and within themselves:

From Spain

20,000 SPECIES OF BEES by Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren focuses on an eight-year-old child who asks “How come everyone knows who they are and I don’t?”  Beautifully delivered, this richly textured chronicle of an 8-year-old’s gradual transitioning, and the effect it has on a family, is ultimately about tolerance and acceptance.

From Belgium

The Oscar nominated CLOSE by Lukas Dhont has been winning major awards for its sensitive portrayal of how the pressures of masculinity shatter the innocent friendship of two 13-year old boys.  CLOSE is an emotionally transformative portrait of the intersection of friendship and love, identity and independence, heartbreak and healing, and of necessary transition.

Two films about responding to the unforeseen circumstances that sometimes surprise and challenge us:

 From the Netherlands

In Martijn de Jong’s NARCOSIS, an adventurous, eccentric and fun father fails to resurface during a cave-dive, and we see how his family responds in unique but very relatable ways as they transition to new lives.  This deeply touching story about love, loss and acceptance won four Golden Calf awards at the Netherlands Film Festival and was the Dutch submission to the Academy Awards. 

From Germany

The smallest of decisions has seismic repercussions in THE TEACHERS’ LOUNGE.  When a young teacher decides to investigate theft at her school things escalate dramatically, not how she intends.  İlker Çatak’s film is about a lot of things — conformity, rebellion, racism, optics, and intergenerational mistrust.  The film swept up the top prizes at this year’s German Film Awards, and has just been selected as Germany’s submission for next year’s Oscars.

Coming-of-age processes are integral to making transitions in life: 

 From Denmark

Will a dream dictate life or death?   AS IN HEAVEN, by director Tea Lindeburg, takes place in turn-of-the-century rural Denmark, where a mother goes into a complicated labour, thereby accelerating the growing-up process for 14-year-old Lise, a process that can be bewildering as well as joyful. AS IN HEAVEN highlights woman-centred experiences that remain just as relevant today.

From Switzerland

Barbara Kulcsar’s feel-good comedy GOLDEN YEARS shows that coming-of-age can come at any time.   As a newly retired husband and wife discover, it’s never too late to find the courage to make a change in life.   And growing old is certainly not for sissies!  GOLDEN YEARS was a breakout hit at the Swiss box office, ranking as the most successful Swiss feature film since the beginning of the pandemic.

New participants Bulgaria and Romania have films in the festival for the first time this year:

From Romania

MIKADO, directed by Emanuel Pârvu, is a fast-paced drama about power dynamics in a Romanian family.  Teenager Magda offers her expensive necklace to a sick child, thereby creating conflict with her controlling father.  A complicated situation develops where every action has consequences…

From Bulgaria

Inspired by a true and transformative story, Zornitsa Sophia’s MOTHER starts out with a theatre director in Bulgaria struggling to come to terms with her inability to have a child, and progresses to her discovering a new and culturally challenging kind of motherhood in Kenya. The director Zornitsa Sophia will attend the festival accompanied by the remarkable artist and cultural activist Elena Panayotova, on whom the story is based.

Adding an exciting new dimension to the festival are two extraordinary animations: 

From Ukraine

Carving a path to peace and a future beyond war, MAVKA – THE FOREST SONG, by directors Oleh Malamuzh and Oleksandra Ruban, is the highest-grossing Ukrainian film ever. Poignant and uplifting, this animated story touches on themes of love, trust, and the coexistence of two worlds: people and forest creatures, and the transformative power of music!

From Portugal

José Miguel Ribeiro’s film NAYOLA brings us much closer to home. A painful secret, a reckless search, a combat rap-song, a suspended love, an initiatory journey - NAYOLA is about three generations of women plagued by the long civil war in Angola.  Based on a play by José Eduardo Agualusa and Mia Couto, NAYOLA is bold and thrilling storytelling alive with eye-candy animation! 

Finally, from the Czech Republic

Petr Václav’s IL BOEMO (THE BOHEMIAN) is a special treat for music lovers.  Prolific 18th century composer Josef Mysliveček was admired by Mozart, but forgotten by history.  This biopic includes Mysliveček’s romantic dalliances, revealing backstage intrigue, and the colourful lifestyles of the era.  Centrally of course, there is glorious music featuring some of the world's leading operatic soloists performing with the renowned Baroque Orchestra Collegium 1704. 

 The Screenings

Screenings take place at Ster-Kinekor’s The Zone in Johannesburg, and The Labia in Cape Town. Each film will screen  once. Ster-Kinekor Gateway in Durban will present a limited programme of films not available in the online streaming.  Five of the most recent films will only show in cinemas: ANATOMY OF A FALL, GOODBYE JULIA , THE OLD OAK, THE TEACHERS LOUNGE and MAVKA – THE FOREST SONG.   11 films can be viewed for free online. Visit www.eurofilmfest.co.za for more information.

The European Film Festival 2023 is a partnership project of the European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC), the Delegation of the European Union to South Africa and the participating European embassies of Belgium, Bulgaria, The Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Italy, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Switzerland and Ukraine; as well as the cultural agencies of British Council, Camoes Institute of Portugal, Diplomatic Representation of Flanders, French Institute in South Africa, Goethe-Institut and Italian Cultural Institute.

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

The special programmes in Eswatini and Lesotho are organised in partnership with the Delegations of the European Union to the Kingdoms of Eswatini and Lesotho respectively, and the Alliance française in Maseru and Mbabane.

-ends

Durban FilmMart 2023 - Selected Animation Projects Announced

The Durban FilmMart Institute (DFMI) is pleased to announce the 8 animation projects that have been selected for this year’s Durban FilmMart. 

“Animation has been noted by Forbes Magazine as one of the fastest growing sectors in the creative industry across Africa over the past few years”, says Magdalene Reddy, DFMI Director. “Against this backdrop the annual Durban FilmMart (DFM) will for the second year include animation projects in development in its Pitch and Finance Forum. Positioned as the premier film market in Africa, the DFM is perfectly placed to provide a platform for animation content creators to meet potential collaborators and financiers, thereby contributing to the continuing growth of animation on the continent.” 

The official DFM Animation project teams from across the continent are currently preparing their pitches for DFM 2023 will take place from 21 to 24 July 2023 as an in-person event in Durban, South Africa. 

Official DFM Animation Projects: 

● Azania Rises: Season 1 (South Africa), producers: Dr. Farayi Chinyanga andFatuma Abdullah and director: Farisai Kavayi 
● Boy Boi (Kenya), producers: Shadrack Munene & J. Njogu Macharia and director J.Njogu Macharia 
● Between heaven and earth (Entre ciel et terre) (Tunisia), producer, Sarra BenHassen and director, Nadia Rais 
● My BIG name (South Africa), producers: Busisiwe Ntintili, Mpumi Sinxoto &Amanda Zungu and director: Lebogang Sekwelenkwe 
● NALEDI (South Africa), producer: Lesego Vorster, co producers: Valentin Maupinand Aristote Douroudakis and director:Lola Aikins 
● Spiky to the Core (زين) (Egypt), producer and director: Nermeen Salem

● SOLA (South Africa), producers AJ Pitre, Thandiwe Mlauli and director: ThandiweMlauli

● The Passport of Mallam Ilia (Nigeria), producer: Ferdinand Adimefe and director: Chekwube Okonkwo 

Each team has been assigned an individual mentor who will give them the tools to pitch and the confidence to navigate the market, which includes one on one meetings with decision-makers from across the world. In addition to this, each team has access to an 8 week masterclass series, presented by DFMI which began in mid January. The masterclass series is specifically structured to upskill and prepare filmmakers for the international marketplace and will be presented by Beth Parker, Terence Maluleke, Aseye Tamakloe and Mounia Aram, just to name a few. The series covers creative elements such as story development, character development and visual representation as well as business elements such as distribution and finance planning. 

At the end of the 8-week masterclass series, selected project teams will then be invited to participate in the Road to Annecy Animation Incubation Programme presented by DFMI’s animation partners, Digital Lab Africa (DLA), Tshimologong Precinct and Cape Town International Animation Film Festival (CTIAF). 

The 8 official animation projects in development will be presented to a panel of international decision-makers consisting of potential co-producers, broadcasters, film funds, and distributors at the 14th Durban FilmMart Pitch and Finance Forum. 

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 of the cultural and creative industries. 

For further information contact info@durbanfilmmart.com

-ends

Eye-opening documentary on brutal British torture used during Kenya’s War for Independence for Al Jazeera English

The shocking story of how Britain used torture in its war against the Kenyan anti-colonialist Mau Mau movement in the 1950s is exposed in an eye-opening documentary A Very British Way of Torture to be aired on Al Jazeera English from 8 December.

Directed by Edward McGown and produced by Rogan Films, the film is a co-production with Britain’s Channel 4 and Al Jazeera English, and premiered on Channel 4 earlier this year.

Between 1952 and 1960, Britain fought a brutal war in Kenya against the Mau Mau – a movement fighting for Kenyan independence from colonial rule. It was an exceptionally bloody conflict, with atrocities committed on both sides. 

For decades, however, many of the worst abuses carried out by British colonial forces have been kept hidden.

The filmmakers drew on a vast archival cache of thousands of files, hidden for more than 50 years by MI5 and MI6 relating to the end of the “empire” that came to light during a High Court case in 2013 brought by Mau Mau veterans, pleading compensation for torture.

Gitu Wa Kahengeri Chairman Mau Mau War Veterans Associations who is interviewed in A Very British Way of Torture

Piecing together survivor testimonies and expert analysis from a team of British and Kenyan historians, this film sheds new light on shocking new evidence. Telling a complete story of how Britain was involved in a regime of systematic torture – including accounts of murders, rapes and forced castrations.

“This may well also be the last time we hear from some of the voices of the surviving Mau Mau war veterans,” say producers at Rogan Films.  “Finally, we can show how some of their testimony about the British use of torture, for so long disputed by the authorities, is in fact true.”

“These are stories that simply have to be told,” says Fiona Lawson Baker, Executive Producer, AJE Witness. “They form part of a bigger picture of an evolving world in which the atrocities of the past, are compelled to the surface so that apologies, forgiveness and understanding can support a healing process that is so urgently needed.”

The documentary can be accessed on Al Jazeera English streaming service,Youtube https://www.youtube.com/@aljazeeraenglish/featured or online https://www.aljazeera.com/videos/documentary/

 ends

Doccies on rights and wisdom of First Nations, and the inextricable link to the ever-growing climate crisis, in new documentaries on Al Jazeera English

Whether it be environmental disaster or extractive development, often it’s the indigenous First Nation peoples around the world who are on the frontlines – whose lives, communities and very existence are under threat.  In First Nations Frontline, a new series which recently started airing on Al Jazeera English, indigenous people from Australia, Sweden, Colombia and North America invite audiences into their worlds, revealing the realities and consequences of the rampant capitalism and human greed which contributes to the climate crisis.

The Starry Night Toad directed by Kata Karáth

Providing a glimmer of hope as the world navigates the climate crisis, Colombian Arhuaco leader Ruperto Chaparro Villafaña teams up with scientists to save the critically endangered Starry Night Harlequin Toad in Colombia, in The Starry Night Toad directed by Kata Karáth.  They work to unite indigenous and western scientific knowledge to understand the role of the toads in the unique ecosystem of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, the world's highest coastal mountain and the sacred land of the Arhuaco people.  The life cycle of the frog helps determine when to cultivate and harvest different crops – the reason this species is a flagship for their community-based project. Chaparro Villafaña must also defend their territory against illegal land grabbers, even as he’s working with scientists to find the cure for a deadly fungus that threatens all Harlequin toad species in the Neo-tropics.

The Torres Strait: Swallowed by the Sea 

The Torres Strait: Swallowed by the Sea directed by Theopi Skarlatos, looks at the Torres Strait Islanders’ class action against climate change. Climate change is causing catastrophic damage to the Torres Strait Islands. Fearful of losing their homes, the islanders sue the Australian government – but this is just the beginning. Refusing to be silenced, this is the story of how a father and son are letting the world know of their plight. 

In Black Butterflies: The Cost of Going Green

In Black Butterflies: The Cost of Going Green  directed by Saila Huusko, father and daughter Mikael and Sara Elvira fight against what they believe is Sweden’s exploitation of their land and resources, in the name of Sweden’s green agenda. Their community, the Sami, believe natural resources should only be used when necessary because, without them, humans will cease to exist. This film is their journey as they lobby climate activists and the Swedish government demanding the protection of their way nomadic way of life. 

Native Nation: Voices of Survival 

Moving to North America, the Navajo Nation offer valuable knowledge to mitigate the effects of climate change on their sacred lands in Native Nation: Voices of Survival directed by Ali Sargeant Sam Liebmann. Two Native American writers take us on a road trip to meet a community of fellow indigenous activists who are fighting to protect their land. They use traditional knowledge and ideas, and hope to influence the world’s approach to save the environment. 

“The issue of the environment and the struggles of First Nation people often go hand in hand, and certainly we have seen this in the recent COP27 deliberations in Egypt,” says Farid Barsoum, Executive Producer of the First Nations Frontlines series for AL Jazeera. “ Indigenous people  are often the first to bear the brunt of our environmental failures. We commissioned this series in the hope that several of these stories will collectively illuminate some of these issues, providing valuable insights for a global audience.”

The documentaries can be accessed on Al Jazeera English streaming service, Youtube https://www.youtube.com/@aljazeeraenglish/featured or online https://www.aljazeera.com/videos/documentary/

 -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/

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

Award-winning films from Generation Africa for Durban International Film Festival 2022

The pan-African documentary project Generation Africa, will feature four films at the Durban International Film Festival - a hybrid event this year – with both cinema and virtual screenings from 21 to 31 July, 2022.  Generation Africa is a collection of 25 films produced by Cape-own production company STEPS, and directed and produced by filmmakers from 16 African countries, featuring stories about migration.

The films, which are all in the DIFF’s documentary competition selection, include the winner of the Encounters South African International Documentary Film Festival Programmers’ Choice Award for Best South African/African documentary and the Adiaha Award - No Simple Way Home (Kenya / South Sudan / South Africa) directed by Akuol de Mabior.  

The other films are African Moot (South Africa) directed by Shameela Seedat, No U-turn (South Africa, Nigeria, France, Germany) directed by Ike Nnaebue and Taamaden, The Walking Child (Cameroon / Mali / France / Belgium / South Africa) directed by Seydou Cisse.

No Simple Way Home directed by Akoul de Mabior

De Mabior’s film, No Simple Way Home, which also won the DOK.horizonte prize at DOK.fest München 2022 pays tribute to her parents and her home country – South Sudan where her father was a revolutionary leader whose movement led to the foundation of South Sudan, and her  mother became one of the five vice presidents of the country's so-called unity government in 2020.

No U-turn directed by Ike Nnaebue

The critically acclaimed first documentary film of Nollywood director Ike Nnaebue, No U-turn, won Special mention of the documentary jury at this year’s Berlinale. The film follows the road travelled by the director more than two decades before seeking greener pastures through irregular migration to Europe. Nnaebue turned back when told about the dangers that lay ahead, and now he goes on the route to see why young people still go this route.

Taamaden, the Walking Child directed by Seydou Cisse

Seydou Cisse’s Taamaden, the Walking Child, follows young immigrants from West Africa, who faced the daunting and dangerous crossing of the Mediterranean, thanks to their marabout or spiritual guides who guide them in prayers and rituals.

 African  Moot  directed by Shameela Seedat

Director of the award-winning film Whispering  Truth to Power, Shameela Seedat’s African  Moot delves into the complexities of migration law in Africa, as aspiring lawyers gather to debate in the annual African Human Rights Moot Court Competition. 

For DIFF, Taamaden will have one “in-person” screening at Suncoast CineCentre on Tuesday, 26 July at 2pm. Taamaden and the other 3 films will be screened online from the DIFF digital platform on durbanfilmfest.com. All screenings are free.

For more information on the Durban International Film Festival or to book go to durbanfilmfest.com, and for Generation Africa go to https://steps.co.za/projects/generation-africa/

Deadline for Applications to Realness/Netflix Traineeship extended to 21 January 2022.

Due to a surge of interest from filmmakers from Africa and the Diaspora, the Realness Institute, in partnership with Netflix, has announced an extension for submissions for the 2022 Episodic Lab and Development Executive Traineeship (DET) programmes. Applicants will now have until 21 January 2022 to apply.

The Episodic Lab is aimed at developing story concepts by screenwriters from South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria; while the DET offers African producers an opportunity to hone their story development skills. These programmes are designed for television and film professionals at an intermediate level.

Both programmes are intimately supervised and mentored by highly skilled and experienced Story Experts and Creative Producers, whilst also drawing expertise and advice from the Netflix team.

The 2022 Episodic Lab and DET take place online from 1 May to 31 July 2022. Each of the twelve selected participants (six per programme) will receive a monthly stipend of USD 2 000 for this period to cover living expenses, which will allow them to focus on the development of their story concept.

Exciting news for these programmes is that Thandeka Zwana, a DET participant from the inaugural 2021 edition, has joined the mentoring team as a Story Consultant. Working in the film industry on the continent since 2004, Thandeka has experience along the whole film-making value chain as a producer, line producer, script editor, and as development and production executive for numerous films and organisations.

Thandeka Zwana says “The programme was basically a course in brain gymnastics! It gave us the opportunity to open our minds to new ways of thinking and approaching development. From psychology to the history of storytelling, we were given tools to enhance the process and make development a lot more fun for both the executives and the writers that we work with. As African storytellers, we have a great responsibility to tell our stories in the best way possible and this course – the mentors and the guest speakers – did so much in helping us understand this responsibility and use it to make our craft better. It is a huge honour to be included in the team for 2022 and I look forward to cultivating stronger writers and stories.”

“We are thrilled to have received so many new proposals, with many requests from filmmakers to extend the deadline due to the proximity to the festive season and so many holidays,” says Elias Ribeiro, Executive Director of the Realness Institute. “So we encourage all interested to get their proposals in soon. We are also honoured to have Thandeka Zwana joining the mentoring team, who comes with a wealth of experience in development, production and distribution. We look forward to working with her to support the projects and writers to excel with their work.”

Realness Institute is a non-profit organisation that aims to empower Africans to tell their stories from their own point of view.

For information on eligibility and the application process please visit the following:

Episodic Lab: https://www.realness.institute/episodic-lab
Development Executive Traineeship: https://www.realness.institute/det

Further enquiries about the programme and application process can be directed to email submissions@realness.institute

- Ends

Realness Institute Opens 2922 Submissions: Episodic Lab & Development Executive Traineeship in partnership with Netflix

22 November 2021: Realness Institute, a non-profit organisation which aims to empower Africans to tell their stories from an unapologetically African point of view, is excited to announce the opened submissions for the 2022 Episodic Lab and Development Executive Traineeship (DET) in partnership with Netflix, the world’s leading streaming entertainment service. Submissions open today (22 November 2021) on https://realnessinstitute.awardsplatform.com/  and close on 14 January 2022.

This follows the overwhelming interest in the inaugural editions, having received 425 submissions for the 2021 Episodic Lab and 79 applications for the 2021 DET.

The Episodic Lab is a development programme that gives screenwriters from South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria an opportunity to develop their original story ideas, in any genre. The participants have the opportunity of pitching these incubated stories to Netflix executives  at the end of the programme.

The DET, which is open to applicants from across Africa and the Diaspora, is aimed at mid-career industry professionals who are looking to enhance their skills as story consultants. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the story development process, and will be exposed to a more nuanced approach in the support of writers whilst simultaneously holding writers accountable for their creative work. DET participants will work alongside creative producers and story experts in the development of their concepts and series pitch decks. They will also engage with international and local guest speakers every week for the duration of the programme.

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 the Netflix executives, and be afforded the opportunity to pitch. 2021 Episodic Lab alumnus Kudi Maradzika (Zimbabwean-South African) pitched an idea for a comedy-drama that has been selected for further development. Provisionally entitled Bad Influencer (co-created with Justin Oswald) Maradzika is now starting to turn her attention to next steps, which include Writers’ Room planning.

Kudi Maradzika

“This is an incredible opportunity and I’m grateful to the Realness and Netflix Grow Creative teams for helping make young writers’ dreams a possibility. The Episodic lab is tough but pushes you to be your best. I’m a better writer for it,” says Kudi Maradzika.

The 2022 Episodic Lab and DET are set to take place online from 1 May to 31 July 2022.

Each of the twelve participants (six per programme), will receive a monthly stipend of USD 2,000 during the incubation period. This is to cover living expenses as they focus on their concept development while being mentored.

Mehret Mandefro, Director of Development and Partnerships at the Realness Institute

Mehret Mandefro, Director of Development and Partnerships at the Realness Institute says, “What we have witnessed from the first Lab and Traineeship is that there is a deep desire for Africans to create their own narratives. This bodes well for a growing audience, based in Africa and abroad. We are so pleased to be a major player in lighting the fire of our amazing continental creatives. Also to hear from last year’s participants how they have been able to transplant everything they learnt in the incubator into their current work and other projects, as well as the impact we had in their lives and creative process.”

Allison Triegaardt, Netflix Manager for Grow Creative Africa

“We are delighted to continue our partnership with the Realness Institute for the 2022 edition of the Episodic Lab and Development Executive Traineeship (DET). The development, nurturing and support of talent pipelines gives new voices a chance to be heard. This is key for Netflix as we contribute to the growth of the film and TV industry and honour our commitment to the African creative community,” says Allison Triegaardt, Netflix Manager for Grow Creative Africa.

For information on eligibility and application process please visit the following:

●      Episodic Lab - https://www.realness.institute/episodic-lab

●      Development Executive Traineeship - https://www.realness.institute/det

Further enquiries about the programme and application process can be directed to email submissions@realness.institute.

 -ends

Action in Autism Fundraiser - award-winning film The Reason I Jump

Action in Autism:

Fundraiser Film: The Reason I Jump - Cinema 3, Gateway, Umhlanga

Sunday 21 November, 16h45

Action in Autism will host a special screening of the award-winning film The Reason I Jump based on the book by Japanese Naoki Higashida, who is Autistic, and was thirteen at the time of writing. This will be a fundraiser for the organisation which supports Autistic people and their families through the provision of services and resources, on Sunday 21 November at 16h45 Cinema 3, Gateway, Umhlanga.

Through his writing Higashida maps the experiences of being Autistic and translates these experiences for a neurotypical readership – the hyper-focus, the destabilisation, the social difficulties as well as the unique joys and benefits of thinking in a way that is neurologically a-typical. The internationally celebrated book was first published in Japanese in 2007 and later translated into English, the process supported and publically endorsed by the renowned novelist David Mitchell, who has an Autistic son.

The cinematic version of The Reason I Jump, created by film-maker Jerry Rothwell, won  the Audience Award: World Cinema Documentary at Sundance in 2020.  It is brought to Durban through an exciting partnership between Videovision Entertainment and Action in Autism. The screening of this powerful documentary aims to raise much-needed funds for Action in Autism’s two flagship projects, the Early Intervention and Therapy Centre, and the Shahumna Centre, a skills transference and business hub for adults with Autism and related neurological conditions. “The intention of The Reason I Jump, as both a book and a film,” writes Adrian Horton in The Guardian in a review from 9 January, “is explicitly didactic, a missive to explain one person’s neuro-divergent experience and broader call to expand one’s imagination of human cognition.”

Action in Autism’s vision is for Autistic people and all people with disabilities to be accepted, respected and valued as members of the community. “This fundraiser speaks to who we are,” says Liza Aziz, Action in Autism’s Chairperson and the parent of an adult Autistic son. “It empowers and teaches people about a world of which they know very little.” Videovision Entertainment has supported the organisation since its inception in 2005, and continues to work as one of the partners that ensures opportunity for Autistic people through events such as this screening.”

“In the film Rothwell examines the lives of five young people who live with Autism spectrum disorder, and is a perfect tool to educate people on Autism, so we are delighted to continue our association with Action in Autism since its founding, and to support the exemplary work done by Liza Aziz and the Action in Autism team,” said Sanjeev Singh, Videovision Entertainment’s Director of Distribution and Acquisition.

Tickets are  R120 and can be booked by calling 031 563 3039 or emailing info@actioninautism.org.za.

-ends

European Film Festival 2021: virtual and free of charge

Media Release

European Film Festival 2021: virtual and free of charge

Following the success of last year’s virtual European Film Festival, the 2021 edition will take place predominantly online from 14 to 24 October. 

A selection of 18 films from Europe, 13 of which have been directed by women, will be screened free of charge, providing a window onto what is fresh and new in the film industries of the respective countries. Four new participants – the Czech Republic, Denmark, Switzerland and Ukraine – will complement those from last year: Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, along with the return of Portugal.

 This is reflected in the theme of this year’s festival, Healing Journeys.  Healing – be it mental, physical, spiritual or societal – is vital to the human condition, to our humanity, to our existence.  This applies in both South Africa and in Europe, where despite our different contexts and histories, there exists common experience and a mutual need for healing.

 The films on show will present, through the lenses of European filmmakers, a snapshot of experiences of re-establishing oneself after sometimes traumatic and possibly cathartic experiences. They deal with journeys that include organic growth, transition, and processes of self-discovery.  Many include a healthy dose of humour, bringing some possibly much-needed laughter into our lives. Much of the humour is of a more cerebral nature … films that make you smile and think at the same time. 

Essentially, these films present stories of hope, humanity and thought-provoking intrigue, show-casing new work by some of Europe’s most accomplished filmmakers alongside exciting new talent. 

“We are deep into our second year of confronting the threat of Covid-19, both in terms of our lives and our livelihoods. It has been difficult … everyone is affected. This year’s European Film Festival has been inspired by overcoming difficulty and challenge. Its theme, Healing Journeys, seems rather appropriate for our times. I take this opportunity to invite you – irrespective of whether you are a repeat or a first-time viewer –to join us on this year’s exciting cinematic, and healing, journey,” says   EU Ambassador Riina Kionka.

The Films:

Here is a brief look at the 2021 line-up of films, nearly all of which have won awards, with the newer films also certain to do so. 

Austria

A woman needs a new kidney, but is her husband ready to donate?   Michael Kreihsl’s Risks and Side Events is a lively comedy about marriage, hypochondria, friends, architects, secrets, and taking risks.  

Belgium

Jan Verheyen and Lien Willaert’s film Save Sandra is based on the true and highly topical story of a girl diagnosed with a rare muscular disease, and her father’s fierce battle with the pharmaceutical industry to gain access to medical treatment, raising ethical and societal questions in the process.

Czech Republic

Agnieszka Holland’s politically charged drama Charlatan takes us inside the conflicted life of a non-conformist herbalist, exploring his unshakeable commitment to his calling, the illicit relationship with his assistant, as he perseveres first under Nazi then Communist regimes in Czechoslovakia.

Denmark

The 2021 Oscar for Best International Feature Film went to Thomas Vinterberg’s Another Round, in which four jaded high school teachers embark on a risky experiment to maintain a constant level of intoxication throughout the workday. Mads Mikkelsen is at his scintillating best in this mature blend of comedy, tragedy, and human behaviour. 

France

Starring Gérard Depardieu and Déborah Lukumuena, Robust is an outstanding feature debut by Constance Meyer about an aging film star and a young security guard responsible for watching over him.  Despite their differences, life has shaped them in ways more similar than they thought, and their unlikely friendship becomes a search for authenticity, laden with intrigue and humour. 

Germany

In Mr Bachmann and His Class the ever-patient teacher uses unconventional methods to inspire his young citizens-in-the-making with a sense of curiosity and appreciation of the complex social and cultural realities of their worlds.  Maria Speth’s life-affirming documentary beautifully highlights what a quietly spectacular process education can be.  

Ireland

Ruth Meehan’s The Bright Side is a moving and uplifting story about a stand-up comedian diagnosed with breast cancer.  Armed with cynicism and blackly comic jokes, her exit strategies are upended when she encounters four powerful women whose unsolicited friendships challenge her, soften her and ultimately blow open her shut-down heart.

Italy

On the face of it, the brightly paced comedy Parents vs Influencers, directed by Michela Andreozzi, seems to focus on the world of social media and influencers, but the heart of it is about change and resistance to change. And father-daughter relationships!  And family!

Lithuania

A high-seas jump from a Soviet ship to a US vessel in an attempt for political asylum goes horribly wrong.  About an ordinary man who became a symbol for freedom-seeking refugees everywhere, director Giedrė Žickytė’s The Jump takes us on a stranger-than-fiction journey that reaches all the way up to the White House.  

The Netherlands

Antoinette Beumer’s My Father is an Airplane is about a woman’s poignant search for the puzzle pieces of her past, a journey that raises questions about parental boundaries, the risks and dangers of childhood as well its joys, and of what it means to be loved and understood.  

Poland

Never Gonna Snow Again is writer/ director Malgorzata Szumowska’s exquisitely off-beat story about how a masseur and hypnotist gains acceptance and stature in a wealthy gated community, touching on class, immigration, and global warming. 

Portugal

With magnificent black and white cinematography, João Botelho’s The Year of the Death of Ricardo Reis brings to screen José Saramago’s novel about a fictitious author’s homecoming, his romantic dalliances, and his mysterious encounters with the ghost of Fernando Pessoa.  

Spain

Icíar Bollaín’s gem of a romantic comedy Rosa’s Wedding concerns a woman making radical changes in her life, and this includes a surprise wedding, much to the dismay of her family. A film about self-empowerment and gaining independence.

Sweden

Run Uje Run is an biographical music dramedy about the way life takes turns you could never have imagined.  Henrik Schyffert’s directorial debut features musician and actor Uje Brandelius playing himself in this unusual and darkly witty indie drama about appreciating what you have.

Switzerland

Writer-director duo Stéphanie Chuat and Véronique Reymond’s, My Little Sister is an intimate, personal tale about sibling love in which a sister gives her all to support her ailing twin brother, and inspires herself at the same time. A powerful look at the bonds both breakable and unbreakable in family. 

Ukraine

Kateryna Gornostai’s Stop-Zemlia anchors its open-ended narrative around an introverted schoolgirl and her classmates in this sympathetic portrait of the tidal forces of teenage-hood. A deeply personal story about self-discovery and the patience it requires.  

United Kingdom

In Aleem Khan’s ground-breaking feature debut After Love, Joanna Scanlan puts in a phenomenal performance as a white, English Muslim convert uncovering secrets after the death of her husband, while exploring complex themes of loss, cultural identity and reconciliation. 

Special Co-Production Presentation 

Oscar nominee Jasmila Žbanić’s  Quo Vadis Aida? is an extraordinary co-production between nine European countries, in which a UN translator is caught between doing her job and trying to help local inhabitants and her own family when the Serbian army takes over the small town of Srebrenica.  

Please note that the films are geo-blocked for viewing in South Africa only.  For film synopses, trailers and how to watch, please visit www.eurofilmfest.co.za

The European Film Festival 2021 is a partnership project of the Delegation of the European Union to South Africa and 17 European embassies and cultural agencies in South Africa:  the Embassies of Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the British Council, Camoes Institute of Portugal, Diplomatic Representation of Flanders, French Institute in South Africa, Goethe-Institut, and Italian Cultural Institut. The festival is organised in cooperation with Cineuropa and coordinated by Creative WorkZone.

Award-winning film I Am Here for Encounters & DIFF

Joint South African Premiere of award-winning film

I Am Here for Encounters South African International Documentary Festival &

Durban International Film Festival

The award-winning documentary I Am Here, an evocative portrait of a feisty and spirited 98-year-old Capetonian Ella Blumenthal, one of the few remaining Holocaust survivors, will have its joint premiere at the Encounters South African International Documentary Film Festival (10 - 20 June) and the Durban International Film Festival (22 July – 1 August).

Directed by South African filmmaker Jordy Sank, the film follows Ella at her 98th birthday celebration where she shares her story in a rare, honest and candid conversation with close friends and family.  These memories are depicted in 2D animation – typically an unusual medium for Holocaust flashbacks - which adds a nuanced innovation to the texture of Ella’s stories. 

While I Am Here recalls her astonishing endurance, weaved into her narrative of overcoming trauma, are uplifting stories of courage and light. Ella never lost hope, not even in the darkest of times. Some of Ella’s memories include surviving three concentration camps and avoiding death in seemingly serendipitous ways. She was a pillar of support to her niece, Roma, who survived alongside her. 

“Ella encompasses remarkable resilience, boundless energy and unwavering determination - her personality is remarkable not because of what she has been through but in spite of it.” says producer Gabriella Blumberg. “We hope that the film can be a catalyst for speaking about all forms of discrimination in a world that still defines itself by what is other.”

Jordy Sank describes meeting Ella for the first time “I had interacted with Holocaust survivors before, but none were quite like this. I knew that the world needed to learn from Ella Blumenthal’s stories and the awe-inspiring way she lives her life today.”

The film won the Audience Award for Best Documentary at the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival and was also screened at the Miami Jewish Film Festival earlier this year.

This film was made possible with a grant from the Claims Conference and supported by the Johannesburg Holocaust and Genocide Centre. Metro International acquired world-wide rights to I Am Here and launched it at the European Film Market in February 2021.

For Encounters the film will be available in a virtual screening at  https://encounters.co.za/

Bookings for the Durban International Film Festival screenings will open at a later date. For more info: https://ccadiff.ukzn.ac.za

Direct booking info:

Encounters -the film will be screened from 13 - 20 June (R60) https://virtual.encounters.co.za/film/i-am-here/

Virtual Q&A at Encounters : Jun 13, 2021 07:15 PM SAST (Free)

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_jTD_-x1vQ4OtFDH09sBA-Q

Physical screening at Encounters at  Bioscope JHB with Q&A Mon. Jun 14, 2021 at 7:00pm SAST (R70)  https://tickets.tixsa.co.za/event/encounters-2021-i-am-here

Trailer link: https://vimeo.com/510401467

-ends

Film - Deliver Me - poetic meditation on the migration of a Malawian man for Encounters Film Fest

Deliver Me screening at Encounters Documentary Film Festival

Paper Cranes Collective and Ctrl Alt Shift are proud to announce that their first collaboration, Deliver Me, has been selected to screen at this year’s Encounters South African International Documentary Film Festival where it will have its world premiere.  Directed by Jannous Aukema (Until The Silence Comes and The Jaguars Daughter), the film was conceived, filmed, and edited during South Africa’s LockDown level 4. Made for under R20,000 and a four-man crew, the project is a unique take on the documentary storytelling format.  

“We are honoured and very pleased to have our project Deliver Me, screen at such a prestigious festival such as Encounters, a festival that plays such a key role not only in the continental festival calendar but also for documentaries in our local industry,” said Mitchell Harper, Ctrl Alt Shift producer of the film. “The film’s collaborative nature, along with its unusual approach to story-telling and financing will hopefully readjust many to how we approach not only filmmaking but help shift our understanding of what trials many go through in a bid to survive everyday life.” 

Co-produced by companies in Durban and Cape Town, Deliver Me is a 25-minute film, a poetic meditation on the migration of a Malawian man, who has come to South Africa to find a future for himself and his family. We follow Paul Mwasi through the evening streets, restaurants, and suburbs he navigates as an Uber delivery bike rider, during the coronavirus hard lockdown in Cape Town, South Africa. We come to see that he is a man driven by love for his family, whom he remains in contact with through his cellphone, his digital lifeline to those he has left behind. His work and the conditions he toils in are solitary. In many ways, Paulʼs journey as witnessed in the film is a signifier not only of the struggles of isolation in an unknown place but more generally of the lonesome months of a world pandemic.  

The film will be available to view free at Encounters on their digital platform from 10-20 June, and is available on the African continent throughout the festival period as part of their 24/7 section. 

To find out how to watch Deliver Me, go  to Encounters South African International Documentary Film Festival, https://encounters.co.za/film/deliver-me/

You can see the teaser of the film through this link: https://vimeo.com/558692412

-ends

Powerful Generation Africa Films on Migration for Encounters and DIFF

Media Release

STEPS Premieres its first two feature films of Generation Africa Slate at Encounters & DIFF

STEPS presents the first two feature films in their latest collection, Generation Africa, to African audiences at the Encounters South African International Documentary Festival in June and at the Durban International Film Festival in July.

STEPS is a Cape Town-based media company that works with documentary filmmakers, broadcasters, festivals, organisations and individuals who are passionate about documentary as a catalyst for social change. STEPS has produced similar film projects including Steps for the Future, Why Democracy? and Why Poverty? with critical acclaim.

Generation Africa is the latest collection being produced by STEPS with 25 films in co-production with 16 countries across Africa. Generation Africa brings together a collection of stories reflecting the lived experiences of Africa’s youth through the topic of migration.

As migration continues to be a contentious political issue globally, the voices of Africans have been missing in the stories being told about the topic and this project responds by supporting African filmmakers to tell stories from an insider perspective,” explains Tiny Mungwe, producer Generation Africa, at STEPS.

The Generation Africa project also helped to strengthen documentary filmmaking in Africa by building communities across the continent and / by bringing filmmakers from Francophone and Anglophone countries together. The project provided each of the filmmakers professional support from experienced documentary film experts for story development, dramaturgy in production as well as the edit in post-production.

The first two films completed in the collection will be screened at Encounters and DIFF - two key African festivals.

The Last Shelter

Set in the Mailian town of Gao, on the edge of the Saraha desert, The Last Shelter (Le Denier Refuge) takes us into the House of Migrants, a resting place for migrants returning from the Sahara having failed to make the crossing of the Mediteranean Sea as well as those hopeful migrants still planning the crossing. In the house of migrants young people wait, share stories of the perils of the deserts and reflect on what migration means to them.

The Last Shelter is directed by Malian director Ousmane Samassekou and produced by STEPS together with Malian production company DS Productions as well as French production company, Point du Jour - Les Films du balibari. The film took the main prize at the recent edition of CPH:DOX in Copenhagen and played at other notable international festivals including Hotdocs, DOK.fest Munich and Hotdocs .

Zinder

Zinder is set in hometown of Nigerien filmmaker Aicha Macky, where she enters the hypermasculine world of gangs in Karakara district, historically a leprosy colony where the marginalized of her community now cling on to survival. With questions about the failures of state and the results of inequality in her society.

The film is co-produced with Macky’s company Tabous Productions as well as Point du Jour - Les Films du balibari.

The Generation Africa films are produced for STEPS pan-African documentary platform AfriDocs, which curates creative documentary films for African audiences available anytime, anywhere on the afridocs.net site as well as through partnerships with broadcasters across Africa. 

Generation Africa is presented with support from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and Deustche Welle Akademie, Robert Bosch Foundation, Bertha Foundation and Arte.

Bookings for Encounters (10-20 July) is now open on: https://www.encounters.co.za

DIFF (22 July - 1 August): Bookings will open at a later stage: https://ccadiff.ukzn.ac.za

-ends

Durban FilmMart Institute – 2021 Project Submissions Call Out

Durban, South Africa: The Durban FilmMart Institute has opened the call for project submissions for the 2021 Durban FilmMart (DFM).

“Our vision is to stimulate the growth of the African film industry through the development of film projects, and to network African filmmakers within the continent, and the rest of the world,” says Magdalene Reddy, acting General Manager of the Durban FilmMart Institute. “The success of the DFM over the years can be seen in the many independent film projects that have reached festivals as well as big and small screens, and the connections and relationships that have been developed and forged over the years.”

 “In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the DFM took place as a virtual edition which attracted over 1000 online delegates from 64 countries. These delegates represented producers, directors, scriptwriters, distributors, broadcasters, sales agents, financiers, investors, festival programmes and other film industry representatives from around the world, and we are hoping to grow these numbers and attract more interest in our 12th edition.”

The DFMI independent adjudication committee will select ten feature-length documentaries and ten feature-length fiction film projects from the submissions. These projects will undergo a two-day packaging and mentorship programme during the DFM, followed by one-on-one meetings with a panel of film financiers, buyers, and distributors from across the globe.

Full-length fiction and documentary film projects with Africans in the major creative roles (writers, directors, and producers) seeking co-producers, financiers, sales agents, and funders are invited to submit. These are read and reviewed by an adjudication committee for consideration. A producer and director must be attached to the project. The deadline for submission is 21 February 2021.

For more about the Durban FilmMart Institute, project submission criteria, and how to submit your project, visit http://www.durbanfilmmart.co.za/ProjectSubmissions . The submission link is opened for applications.

For further enquiries contact: info@durbanfilmmart.com.

-ends