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Realness Welcomes New Partner + Spotlght at World Cinema Fund Day at Berlinale 2016

REALNESS – An Africa Screenwriter’s Residency

 REALNESS WELCOMES NEW PARTNERS + SPOTLIGHT AT WORLD CINEMA FUND DAY AT BERLINALE 2016

In November 2015, Urucu Media announced the call for submissions for REALNESS, a Pan African screenwriter’s residency. Thus far over 80 submissions have been received, with 40% of them coming from outside of South Africa. The scope of writers ranges from established writer/directors to self-taught, emerging talent. Realness recently partnered with EAVE and Torino Film Lab.

The aim of REALNESS is to provide the continent's best emerging writing talents with the necessary time, space and support to develop their unique cinematic vision. Residents will receive a stipend of R15,000 and all food and accommodation expenses will be covered for the duration of their stay. Realness claims no rights over the developed work. They stay with the writers.

EAVE is Europe’s leading training, development and networking organization for audiovisual producers. EAVE has committed to selecting one of the five projects and its producer to participate at the EAVE 2017 PRODUCERS WORKSHOP, consisting of three one week residential workshops in Europe. The EAVE scholarship would cover the participation fee, room and board for all three workshops.

Torino Film Lab is a year-round, international laboratory that supports emerging talents from all over the world – with a special attention to those working on their first and second fiction feature films – through training, development, funding and distribution activities. TFL has come on board with an award for one of the projects’ producers to attend their co-production market in November 2016. Torino Film Lab will provide accommodation, meals and accreditation for the participating producer and a representative of Realness.

Next March Elias Ribeiro, founder of Urucu and Realness, will attend TalentX, Realness was awarded a scholarship to attend this conference held in Amsterdam hosted by Creative England in partnership with the Danish Film Institute, the Irish Film Board and Netherlands Film Fund, and with the support of the Creative Europe - MEDIA Programme of the European Union. Talent developers will take part in a learning and ideas exchange focusing on the challenges and opportunities facing feature film talent in the ‘real world’. Elias will be part of discussions with other development initiatives about how the industry can collectively shape a fresh approach to supporting film talent from first feature to second, third and beyond.

The final selection of the 5 residents will be announced at an event hosted by the pavilion Les Cinemas du Monde in Cannes, 2016. Residents will prepare to present their projects in the framework of Durban Film Mart, starting on the 16th of June. And then settle into the idyllic Nirox Artist Residency in the Cradle of Humankind, where over 6 weeks, they will work on a new draft their feature screenplays.

Submissions close on the 31st of January. More information regarding submission materials can be found at www.urucumedia.com/realness

 

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REALNESS - An African Screenwriters Residency

REALNESS - An African Screenwriters Residency

CALL FOR ENTRY

Urucu Media, under the mentorship of Berlinale Talents, in partnership with Nirox, Durban FilmMart, Restless Talent Management, The French Institute in South Africa and Institute Français's Cinémas du Monde proudly presents REALNESS, a screenwriters residency for a new generation of African cinema.

From June to August 2016, 5 screenwriters will be invited to attend a seven-week residency to develop a new draft of their original feature screenplays. The aim of REALNESS is to provide the necessary time, space and support to help the continent's best emerging writing talents hone their unique cinematic vision.

Week 1 The residency will kick off on 16 June 2016 with an introductory week at Durban Filmmart, Africa's top co-production market. Residents will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in films, attend seminars and present their projects to industry professionals for feedback. Each resident will prepare a public presentation of their project at the end of the week.

Week 2-6 Residents will be transported to the Nirox artists residency inthe Cradle of Humankind, where they will spend six weeks working in a tranquil and nurturing living environment. During the first week, top international script consultants will conduct workshops and one-on-one sessions with the residents. Thereafter, residents will work at their own pace, with ongoing support in the form of workgroups with fellow writers, curated film screenings, producer-led case studies and discussions with visiting industry speakers. 

Week 7 In the final week, residents will have a debriefing and follow up Skype-sessions with their consultants. After leaving the residency, writers will be invited to submit a new draft of their screenplay by 30 September 2016. The most promising project to emerge from REALNESS will be invited and funded to participate in the prestigious La Fabrique des Cinémas du Monde in Cannes, 2017. 

REALNESS recognizes the real-life demands of most writers and that taking time to develop a screenplay is not always economically viable. To this end, residents will receive a stipend of R15 000 and all food and accommodation expenses will be covered for the duration of their stay. Please note that residents will be responsible for their own travel costs to and from the residency. We will assist in efforts to obtain sponsorship from country culture desks, embassies & other interested institutions.

While the residency will be conducted in English, REALNESS facilitators are also able to do the training in French and/or Portuguese if participants are from Francophone or Lusophone African countries.

 

SUBMISSIONS

Please note, the submission window is from 1 November 2015 - 31 January 2016 (or until 120 applications have been received, whichever comes first)

 

Applicants must submit ONE PDF dossier containing:

  • a motivation for wanting to participate in REALNESS (1 page) 
  • a synopsis of the proposed feature project (1 page)
  • a treatment of the proposed feature project (6 pages)
  • a draft of the screenplay 
  • a writer's note of intention (1 page)
  • a short biography (1 paragraph)
  • two links to samples of previously produced work, uploaded to vimeo. If selected, residents will be required to donate one copy of their previous work to the Nirox film library. 

 

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

All submitted material must be in English. A committee appointed by Urucu and their partners will read the project entries and conduct interviews with a shortlist of candidates early in March. The REALNESS selection will be announced at an event hosted by the pavilion Les Cinemas du Monde in Cannes, 2016.

Please submit dossiers to realness@urucumedia.com

http://www.urucumedia.com

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Two poets, some slam, and a whole bunch of other important stuff

Media Release

I to I

Two poets, some slam, and a whole bunch of other important stuff

Square Space Theatre, UKZN - 29 October – 1 November 2015

Two international artists come together on stage in an original and explosive Spoken Word theatre piece entitled ! to I at the Square Space Theatre from 29 October to November 1.

Iain EWOK Robinson (SA) is everything that Kat Francois (UK) is not.  He is the White African European Man to her Black European African Woman.  Together they tackle issues of ancestry and identity using the humour, passion and energy of their unique styles of writing and performing poetry.  Whether talking to themselves, each other or the audience, these two veterans of the SLAM and the stage are fully engaged in carving out a new space for race to identify itself, using cutting humour and sharp tongues. 

Kat Francois is a comedienne, poet, playwright, actress, performer, host, schools and youth facilitator. She was the first person to win a televised poetry slam competition in the UK, winning the BBC3 TV Slam holds the 2005 title for the World Slam Champion in Rotterdam. She is resident poet at Theatre Royal, Stratford East, London, where she hosts and organises a monthly poetry and music night called Word4Word.

EWOK needs no introduction to SA audiences, with a body of work that includes five Spoken Word theatre shows, two poetry anthologies and numerous recorded works. This self-styled "Spoken Word flavoured Hip Hop activist" began his career as a freestyle battle rap and Poetry Slam champion.  He is an award winning actor and an educator.  His latest show "YOBO" premiered on the Main program at this years Standard Bank National Arts Festival.

Respected artist and film-maker Karen Melissa Logan who directs the ensemble piece, is also tasked with the creating the multi-faceted layering of audio and visual, establishing a mixed-media canvas that blends the body of the performer with the audio-visual elements, and synthesizing the score with what’s spoken on stage. The work also makes use of photography by UK-based Robert Covell.

“I have been interested for some time in what part I could best play in international Black History Month and where I fit into the story that is being told.” explains Robinson, “This personal journey has in many ways been sparked by the impassioned #RhodesMustFall movement and other similar campaigns where young black South Africans are owning their history. The more I read, the more I challenge my own concept of history, the more I try to rethink these stories, and the more I come to realise how bizarre the whole notion of history is. So this piece for me is about confronting my own understanding of history, face to face with someone as strong as Kat whose version would be quite different from mine. We are interested to see how we collectively get to reformat, or recalibrate the stories for future generations – and we hope that as we unpack and challenge each other that we will be able to laugh at ourselves as we do so.”

Kat Francois, who recently participated in the 19th Poetry Africa Festival in Durban, met Ewok at the 2005 Poetry International World Slampionship in Rotterdam, where she took the title.  She says "Iain is an artist I respect.  He is willing to pose questions and explore racial divisions.  Challenging his perceptions of race will be an exciting and necessary process."

Produced by Amehlo Productions, I to I is supported by the SA-UK Seasons 2014 & 2015, a partnership between the Department of Arts and Culture, South Africa and the British Council.

I to I runs for 60 minutes at the Square Space Theatre, UKZN, from Thursday 29 October to Sunday 1 November (Thursday/Friday evening performances 7pm; Saturday/Sunday matinee performances 3pm). Tickets are R50 or R30 for student/block-bookings (over 10) and can be purchased at the door.

For more info contact Karen at karen@amehlovideo.com or 074 102 1371.

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Photo credit: Sloetry Photography

Kat Francois (UK) and Iain EWOK Robinson (SA)

Poetry Africa Theatre Showcase this Saturday at DUT

Media Releas

Poetry Africa Theatre Showcase this Saturday

Poetry Africa in partnership with the DUT drama department presents a theatre showcase onSaturday 17 October at the DUT Courtyard Theatre from 11:00 – 15:00.

The 6 day long festival (12 – 17 October) presents two productions that demonstrate the power of the spoken word through both current and previous participants of the festival in thought provoking and stimulating poetry based and dialogue driven productions.

The first showpiece is entitled Raising Lazarus, by the UK poet Kat François. Raising Lazaruswas first developed in 2009 with the Theatre Royal Stratford East, London as part of their yearlong Spoke-Lab series, under the direction of Dawn Reid whose credits include, The Harder They Come, Funny Black Women on the Edge, Family Man, and Clockwork Orange.

The second theatrical piece is a local production entitled Aiden’s Rose. Aiden’s Rose is written by Thuli Zuma and features Page Ngwenya and Kwazi Ndlangisa. This poetry-in-performance play explores young men’s passionate, confused and even self-destructive response to love.

These two productions are open to the public and are free of charge.

For more information go to www.cca.ukzn.ac.za or like the Facebook page PoetryAfrica or follow on Twitter @PoetryAfrica. 

Presented by the Centre for Creative Arts (University of KwaZulu-Natal) and made possible by support from the eThekwini Municipality, KZN Department of Arts and Culture, National Arts Council and the Goethe Institute. The Centre for Creative Arts is housed in the College of Humanities at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and is a special project of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Cheryl Potgieter. 

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[see attached file: 1. Kat Francois.lr.jpg] [see attached file: 1. Kwazi Ndlangisa lr.jpg]

GENERAL ENQUIRIES: 
Phone: +27 (0)31 260 2506
Fax: +27 (0)31 260 3074 
Email:  cca@ukzn.ac.za

Poetry Africa 2015 Finale with Nakhane Toure

 

Poetry Africa 2015 Finale with Nakhane Toure

The 19th Poetry Africa international poetry festival, which begins next week on Monday, (October 12) will close next Saturday (October 17) with a festival finale with Nakhane Toure at the Rivertown Beerhall.

The programme begins at 4pm with the annual Poetry Africa Durban Slam Jam event where Durban slam poets will compete for the title of Poetry Africa Slam Jam champion.

Running for over a decade, the Poetry Africa Durban Slam Jam remains one of the festival’s highlights, providing the audience with a rush of rhythm and rhyme from both Durban and abroad. The Slam Jam participants for 2015 are: Sfundo Sibisi, Kgune Dlamini, Zethembile Nkabinde and Andile Nyembezi. 

DJ Rawkidd Mpangase will be in the house and there will also be performances by Many Moore and Lu Dlamini prior to the final performances from all the 19th Poetry Africa participants:

Africa Dlamini(South Africa), Aryan Kaganof (South Africa), Celiswa Majali (South Africa), Icebound Makhele (South Africa), Kat Francois (United Kingdom), Khanyi Shusha (South Africa), Kwazi Ndlangisa (South Africa), Lebo Mashile (South Africa), Lebohang ‘Nova’ Masango (South Africa), Lesego Rampolokeng (South Africa), Makhosazana Xaba (South Africa), Matt Vend (South Africa), Mbali Vilakazi (South Africa), Mthunzikazi Mbungwana (South Africa), Mutle Mothibe (South Africa), Nii Parkes (United Kingdom/ Ghana), Nokulunga Dladla (South Africa), Nosipho Magcaba (South Africa), Ntsiki Mazwai (South Africa), Thabiso Mohare (South Africa), Thando Fuze (South Africa), Tshebeletso Mohale (South Africa), Vonani Bila (South Africa), Vus'umuzi Phakathi (South Africa).

The programme concludes with a performance from award winning Johannesburg based artist Nakhane Touré.  His debut music video for the single, Fog was nominated for a Design Indaba ‘Most Beautiful Object’ award. And at the 2014 MTV Music Awards he received a Best Alternative nomination. His album Brave Confusion was nominated for four SAMAS at the 20th SAMA awards and went on to win the Best Alternative Album. Touré’s debut novel Piggy Boy’s Blue will be launched at 14:00 at 8 Morrison Street on 17 October.

Tickets for the festival finale at Rivertown cost R70 (pre-sale or R80 at the door) and can be purchased from www.computicket.com.

For more information go to www.cca.ukzn.ac.za or like the Facebook page PoetryAfrica or follow on Twitter @PoetryAfrica. 

Presented by the Centre for Creative Arts (University of KwaZulu-Natal) and made possible by support from the eThekwini Municipality, KZN Department of Arts and Culture, National Arts Council and the Goethe Institute. The Centre for Creative Arts is housed in the College of Humanities at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and is a special project of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Cheryl Potgieter.

Midlands Cyclists doing it for MS at Amashova

Midlands Cyclists doing it for MS at Amashova

According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society website, Multiple sclerosis is an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body.  

Hilton resident Pete Sinclair explained to the group of cyclists clad in orange that in South Africa there are 3 500 cases of MS. Whereas In Canada there 53 000. There is a very large population of Indian patients globally affected by MS.  In Canada major MS Awareness campaigns take place all of the time.

Sinclair’s son Oliver was diagnosed with MS in 2004 and according to his blog, he hoped for another 8 good years.  Things are possibly more hopeful though as he undergoes a new treatment at the moment involving Chemotherapy and stem cell harvesting to “reboot” his immune system, and hopefully put an end to the MS “attacks”.  

At the time of going to press Oliver’s stem cells have been successfully harvested and he awaits further procedure in October. In his blog he explains why he took the “risk” of this new treatment “So why Chemo? Well, it offers me the chance of living out the rest of my life free from any further MS Attacks. I may still have all the symptoms I currently have, there may be slight improvements but even if I just stay the same I will be able to walk to the edge of the field and watch my son play sport. I will be able to hold my new baby in my arms. Living life not knowing if you are going to wake up tomorrow being able to walk, talk, see or hold in your pee is not a pleasant way to live and so if there was a chance that you could change that wouldn’t you?”  Follow his journey on https://mtugudzi.wordpress.com/2015/08/25/why-chemotherapy/

This leads us back to the subject of the cyclists in orange!  Oliver’s wife Michelle is coordinating the MS Awareness in the Charity batch of the 35km Tsogo Sun Amashova Durban Classic in order to raise funds, but more than that, to create an awareness of the condition by doing the race (the downhill section into Durban) along with the thousands of competitive cyclists.  

Coordinated by Hilton business owner Cornelia Puler, the group of Midlands cyclists are very happy to be having some fun together, raising some funds, and getting people to take note of MS!  Look out for them on the road on the 18th of October.  You will NOT miss them!   

Should you wish to contribute in some way to the MS cause contact Michelle on 082 8706 144 (cell) or email her on michelle@polarairkzn.co.za

 

To meet Oliver Sinclair on facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/oliver.sinclair.5680

 

To find out more about Multiple Sclerosis go to:  http://www.multiplesclerosis.co.za 

 

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Prelude Poets Auditions

Media Release

Prelude Poets Auditions

The Centre for Creative Arts (University of KwaZulu-Natal), presented with principal funding from the City of Durban, calls out to Durban’s emerging poets to take part in the 19th Poetry Africa Festival as Prelude Poets.

Poetry Africa,  which takes place from 12 to 17 October brings together some of the world’s finest poets and musicians to Durban, with artists from the African continent and beyond. 

Four Durban poets are needed to perform "curtain raisers” for the festival. The programme gives the city’s poets the opportunity to showcase their work to audiences at the country’s premier poetry festival. Many poets performing in this space have gone on to be invited as festival participants in Poetry Africa and other platforms in subsequent years.

Participants will be required to audition original works with a five minute limit. Auditions will take place at The Centre for Creative Arts (University of KwaZulu-Natal Howard College Campus) on 3-4 September 2015. Auditions slots will be assigned by booking. To book an audition time, applicants must send an email with their full name and contact details with Poetry Africa Prelude Auditions in the subject line to poetryafrica@cca-ukzn.co.za.

Organised by the Centre for Creative Arts (University KwaZulu-Natal), the 18th Poetry Africa is funded by the City of Durban. The Centre for Creative Arts is housed in the College of Humanities at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and is a special project of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Cheryl Potgieter. 

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Necktie Youth Wins Best SA Film & Best Director at DIFF

NECKTIE YOUTH WINS BEST SOUTH AFRICAN FILM AND BEST DIRECTOR AWARDS IN DURBAN

Urucu Media's hugely anticipated drama Necktie Youth walked away with top honours at the Durban International Film Festival on Saturday night, winning both the best South African feature award and the international jury award for best director for director Sibs Shongwe-La Mer.

Said the jury in their report on Necktie Youth: “a film desperate to reconcile the seemingly disparate realities of its country, and whose urgent questions about South African life are posed with such mischievous energy that they cannot help provoke debate, itself one of the most important responsibilities of cinema.”

The international jury commented that newcomer Shongwe-La Mer (who has recently been signed by top international agents LBI and Casroto) was awarded the best director accolade “for displaying a unique, contemporary voice weaving together poetic images and a striking view of South African youth with a boldness seldom seen in South African cinema.”

Necktie Youth, which follows the hedonistic antics of Johannesburg's affluent new-born generation, had a successful career before it's South African debut, selling out all festival screenings at its world premier at Berlinale International Film Festival as well as Tribeca and Sydney International Film Festivals. Cineuropa named it best in show at Berlinale and the film went on to gather rave reviews in Variety, IndieWire, Elle, The New York Times, Le Monde and Dazed & Confused who called it the "South African Kids", a comparison to Larry Clark's 1995 cult classic.

SterKinekor has confirmed the South African release of Necktie Youth on the 18th of September and Urucu is in advanced negotiations with M-Net for the TV broadcast.

The week has been a busy one for producers Elias Ribeiro and John Trengove from Urucu Media who also announced REALNESS, a pan-African screenwriter's residency that will launch in 2016. “We are very excited to have the backing of the French Institute and Durban FilmMart for this initiative. The aim of REALNESS is to nurture a new crop of talented African film writers by offering them a 3 month incubation to develop their feature scripts". These projects will be presented to a jury and independent producers at Durban FilmMart 2016.

As part of their commitment to bringing more quality art-house films from across the world to South African screens, Urucu has started a partnership with Cannes' La Semaine de la Critique competition (Critics Week). This year, five diverse films from the competition had screenings in Durban, with one of the directors, Boris Lojkine (Hope) travelling to Durban to conduct a masterclass with local filmmakers. The five films will go on to have limited runs this weekend (31st August - 2nd September) in Johannesburg's Rosebank Cinema Nouveau and in Cape Town's W&A Waterfront Cinema Nouveau. La Semaine de La Critique are responsible for launching the careers of such giants in the art film world as Ken Loach, Won Kar Wai and Alejandro Gonzales Iñaritu (Birdman).

Urucu's next feature film slated for production is The Wound the highly anticipated first feature by John Trengove. The film, which deals with a gay teenager who undergoes the Xhosa circumcision initiation ritual, has collected several development and production awards from French broadcaster Arte, Torino Film Lab, the Hamburg Regional Fund and Hubert Bals in Holland. The film, which is slated to start shooting later this year and has been denied support from the NFVF despite the fact World Sales Agent Pyramide believes so much in the festival and market potential of the film that they are also investing in the film with a Distribution Minimum Guarantee. Urucu is currently seeking local private equity investment to close it's financing.

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2015 Durban FilmMart Award winners

Media Release

2015 Durban FilmMart Award winners

After a packed four day programme of project pitching, industry masterclasses, seminars and workshops, and networking, the 6th Durban FilmMart (DFM) comes to a close with the announcing of the market awards and grants at the awards and closing function sponsored by Videovision Entertainment.

The DFM saw around 550 guests from 26 countries, 32 workshop and panel discussion sessions presented by various local and international industry experts and professionals.

“It has been an extremely productive and pleasing market this year, with over 900 official business meetings documented in the Finance Forum.” says Toni Monty, Head of the Durban Film Office, which partners with the DIFF to present the DFM. “The Durban FilmMart is considered one of Africa’s most important film finance platforms: this is borne out of the fact that we have been able to track the progress of many of the projects which had their beginnings at the market which have successfully made it to the screen. This year the Durban International Film Festival was able to screen six DFM alumni films, a concrete indication that this model is working well.”

“Once again we are honoured to have hosted this important film event, which brings together industry representatives from around the globe.” says Monty. “Besides the many levels of business that is conducted at this market, we are also proud to be able to showcase the City as a film destination on a global level to the hundreds of delegates attending.”

The closing night awards dinner sees key local and international partners of the annual co-production market, award a number of projects with development support through cash grants, invitations to partner markets or business support, to take the projects through the next stages of development.

This year 8 awards were made by an evaluation panel made up of local and international film industry experts. Recipients of the 2015 DFM awards are as follows:

The Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program award for a documentary film project that demonstrates potential for strong storytelling craft, artistic use of visual language, originality, feasibility, and relevance went to The Other Half of The African Sky directed and produced by Tapiwa Chipfupa which receives a cash award of $7000 for further development.

Afridocs, the broadcast stream that sees African and other international documentaries screened across 49 countries of sub-Saharan Africa on a weekly basis, awarded a €3000 grant for an outstanding documentary project to Truck Mamadirected and produced by Zipporah Nyaruri and co-directed by Peggy Mbiyu.

The CineMart Award, sponsored by the co-production market of the International Film Festival Rotterdam, awarded the fiction project Sunflowers Behind a Dirty Fence directed by Simon Mukali and produced by Nathan Magoola, with an opportunity to attend the Rotterdam Lab, a five-day training and networking event bringing together producers from all over the world.

The International Documentary Film Festival of Amsterdam (IDFA) awarded the most promising documentary project at the DFM, Truck Mama directed and produced by Zipporah Nyaruri and co-directed by Peggy Mbiyu, with an opportunity to attend the  IDFA Forum, the largest and most influential meeting place for documentary filmmakers, producers, commissioning editors, funds, private financiers and other documentary stakeholders in Europe, from November 23 to 25.

The New Cinema Network awarded Riot Waif directed by Zinaid Meeran and produced by Jean Meeran an opportunity to attend the 10th edition NCN in Rome, where the producer/director will be able to present the project to film companies at an international level.

Produire au Sud of Festival des 3 Continents (Nantes), awarded the fiction project Inkabi "The Hitman" directed by Norman Maake and produced by Peter Pohorsky with an opportunity to attend its developmental workshop program, PAS, where they will be given tools, expertise, and opportunities to develop European networks.

The Restless Pitch awarded, a one-on-one consultation with Restless Talent Management co-founder Tendeka Matatu, to two projects: Brace Yourself by Thati Peele, and Lucky by Jacobus van Heerden. The company will provide development services such as image-building and positioning, project packaging, PR, and advice on film sales, distribution and promotion. Restless Talent Management also made a special mention of Mark Waambui forHeterophobe for an edgy and challenging concept.

Durban’s Videovision Entertainment, awarded the “Best South African Film Project” Inkabi “The Hit Man” directed by Norman Maake and produced by Peter Pohorsky a prize which guarantees the films release once it is completed. The prize includes marketing and distribution support from Videovision Entertainment and is valued at R75 000.

Five of these projects have emanated from film-makers that are either Durban- or Berlin Talents alumni – the industry development programme of the Berlin International Film Festival, with which DIFF is a partner. These are Tapiwa Chipfupa (The Other Half of the African Sky) - Talents Durban (2013) and Talents Berlin (2015); Truck Mama filmmakers - Zipporah Nyaruri – Talents Berlin and Talents Durban (2011) and Peggy Mbiyu Talents Durban (2011) and Talents Berlin (2012), Nathan Magoola (Sunflowers Behind a Dirty Fence) Talents Durban (2013) and Talents Berlin (2012) and Jacobus van Heerden (Lucky) Talents Durban (2013).

“We had a very strong line up of projects this year,” says Monty. “We were pleased with the diverse topics and themes that have been explored in both the fiction and documentary sections, and with strong representation of filmmakers collaborating across the continent. The DFM has been placing emphasis on the telling of African narratives, and in doing so hope to continue to discover new African projects.”

 “We have seen numerous filmmakers pitching projects at the DFM over the past 6 years go from strength to strength. They are engaging more confidently with the many financiers, funders, sales and distribution agents, showing a maturing of the market.”

“We would like to thank our new and old sponsors and partners who have supported the DFM. It is through their continued interest and support that we are able to assist African filmmakers develop the industry and access the local and international market.” says Monty.

For more information on the Durban FimMart visit www.durbanfilmmart.com

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Issued on behalf of the DFM by:

Sharlene Versfeld

Versfeld & Associates

083 326 3235

July 20, 2015

 

NOTE TO MEDIA 

We have individual images of the awardees - which we will email independently .

Dis Ek, Anna to Debut at DIFF 2015

Media Release

DIS EK, ANNA TO DEBUT AT DIFF 2015

Palama Productions will debut their latest feature film Dis ek, Anna at the Durban International Film Festival this year.  Based on the fictionalised autobiographical best-sellers Dis ek, Anna and Die Staat teen Anna Bruwer by Anchien Troskie, written under the pseudonym Elbie Lötter, and adapted for screen by Tertius Kapp, the film is produced by Niel van Deventer (Suurlemoen, Anderkant Gister) and directed by Sara Blecher (Ayanda, Otelo Burning). 

The film is a harrowing, but ultimately uplifting story of a young woman who finds the strength to pick up the pieces of her shattered world and forge a new life.  Anna Bruwer is sexually abused by her stepfather over a period of 8 years.  Unable confide in anyone, she is rendered voiceless and inhabits a shadow world of shame, foreboding and secrecy, until she is finally able to break free from her tormentor.

Dis ek, Anna stars Charlenè Brouwer (Vrou Soek Boer, Erfsondes, Binnelanders) in the title role with Marius Weyers (Faan se Trein, Die Wonderwerker), Nicola Hanekom (Hollywood in My Huis, Faan se Trein), Izel Bezuidenhout (Agent 2000), Morné Visser (Long Walk to Freedom, Skoonheid), Eduan van Jaarsveldt (Fanie Fourie’s Lobola,Long Walk to Freedom) and Drikus Volschenk (Long Walk to Freedom, Skoonheid).  Rounding out the cast is Dawid Minnaar, Elize Cawood, Hykie Berg, Kara van der Merwe and Fezile Mpela.

“Bringing this film to screen has been a labour of love,” says producer Niel van Deventer.  “It is very important to me to find projects that have the potential to become films that transcend the borders of our language and country.  Anna is certainly such a story.”

“We are thrilled to have Dis ek, Anna as part of our slate of films for 2015.  It is a remarkable film that raises the bar in terms of quality and performance,” says Driki van Zyl, General Manager: Times Media Films. “

Dis ek, Anna is being released by Times Media Films and will open at cinemas across the county on 30 October 2015.

 

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david alex wilson

Mad Moth Communications

Cell: 27 83 629 2587

e-mail: davidalex@madmoth.co.za

Business Model Canvas Boot Camp at DFM 2015

Media Release

Business Model Canvas  Boot Camp at DFM 2015

The Durban FilmMart (DFM), in partnership with the Documentary Filmmakers' Association, the Canadian Film Center (CFC) Media Lab and the National Film and Video Foundation, will be hosting one-and-a-half day closed workshops on the powerful Business Model Canvas (BMC) tool for South African filmmakers at this year’s DFM which takes palce during the Durban International Film Festival from July 17 to 20.

The success of Alex Osterwalder’s book Business Model Generation and subsequent workshops based on the book has resulted in the demystification of business model design. With BMC, licensed under Creative Commons, Osterwalder and his associates have created a visualisation tool to help business owners determine which set of business models may work for their product. The Business Model Canvas is a design tool to help businesses to get their first principles right – starting with who their customer might be.

The BMC Boot Camp will walk participants through the Business Model Canvas using methods developed by Osterwalder and further evolved by the CFC Media Lab for the creative content industries. The workshop will take a participatory approach in order to create an empowering and interactive working environment that fosters understanding, discussion, creativity and analysis. The workshop team will lead content producers through a series of exercises in order to help participants identify their various business models and provide blueprints for their current and future projects.

Filmmakers will learn how to apply BMC to each individual project, identifying the different elements, connecting them, and learning how to integrate them in order to enhance their work and deliver an optimal final product. Due to its visual and narrative approach to business planning, the model is easy to understand and interpret for those who lack training in business management theory.

In addition to this practical application to current projects, six South African trainers will learn to train content producers how to use the tool, thus expanding the legacy of the programme beyond the Durban FilmMart. It is anticipated that BMC will become a widely used tool in the South African and African film industries.

Tshego Molefe, a member of the Documentary Filmmakers Association who participated in a BMC workshop in 2014, had this to say:  “The Business Model Canvas allowed me to view the documentary process in a different form. Pulling back from the story and getting a bird’s eye view of the entire process was refreshing and helpful, especially to a producer who wants to maintain a sustained business around production.”

The 6th Durban FilmMart takes place in Durban, at the Tsogo Sun Elangeni from 17 to 20 July 2015, during the 36th edition of the Durban International Film Festival (16-26 July 2015).

For more information on the Durban FilmMart and to register as a delegate visit www.durbanfilmmart.com

 -ends

 

Issued on behalf of The Durban FilmMart by:

Sharlene Versfeld

Versfeld & Associates

 031-8116528/ 083 326 3235

Sharlene@versfeld.co.za/ info@versfeld.co.za

 

Note to Editors:

The Durban FilmMart (DFM) is a co-production and finance market and is a joint programme of the Durban Film Office (DFO) and the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF). DFM provides filmmakers from across Africa with a valuable opportunity to pitch projects to financiers, distributors, sales agents and potential co-producers, and to participate in meetings, project presentations and a series of master classes and workshops on the latest industry trends. www.durbanfilmmart.com

The Durban Film Office (DFO) is the film industry development arm of the eThekwini Municipality, mandated to position Durban as a world-class film production destination and facilitator for the development of the local film industry. The DFO drives activity and development in the sector in order to boost tourism, job creation and the development of core skills and SMMEs in the region.www.durbanfilmoffice.com

 The Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) presents over 250 screenings from different countries and cultures with a special focus on Africa. The festival includes development programmes such as Talents Durban and a rich schedule of workshops. DIFF is a flagship project of the Centre for Creative Arts, University of KwaZulu-Natal, which facilitates creative platforms and economic opportunities for artists and related industries, intercultural exchange and network development, training, audience development and strategic Pan-African and international cooperation in the cultural sectors. www.cca.ukzn.ac.za

AfriDocs Film Week 18- 22nd July @DIFF2015

AfriDocs Film Week  18- 22nd  July

Sub-Saharan Africa Broadcast Presents:

A WEEK OF AFRICAN STORIES – ON YOUR SCREEN

Following on from the success of 2014’s AfriDocs Film Festival on Your Screen, and once again in conjunction with the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) and DStv channel ED, AfriDocs is excited to present a full week of documentary films broadcast across sub-Saharan Africa on DStv channel ED (channel 190) and GOtv (channel 65).

From the 18th – 22nd of July, AfriDocs brings some of the best of DIFF to screens across Africa with eleven films from the festival to be screened. These films include award winning documentaries - The Shore Break, by Riley Grunenwald (South Africa), The Democrats by Camilla Nielsson (Zimbabwe), Beats of the Antonov by Hajooj Kuka (Sudan) and Coming of Age by Teboho Edkins (Lesotho).

There will also be daily live broadcasts with filmmakers and industry stakeholders from DIFF at 4pm  (Central/South African time), and screenings of documentary films from 5 – 10pm with eight hours of the Best of DIFF on the weekend of the 25th and 26th of July.

With the schedule on these days repeating every six hours, you can catch the live interviews and films three more times following the first broadcast.

This feast of documentary films is not to be missed, make sure to get the full schedule and follow all the updates from AfriDocs as they broadcast live from DIFF: www.facebook.com/AfriDocs , www.afridocs.net

Saturday 18th July

AfriPedia: Kenya | Teddy Goitom, Benjamin Taft, Senay Berhe | Kenya | 2014

‘Afripedia, Kenya’ takes an intimate look at Nairobi’s urban culture scene and its leading personalities and stars.

Miners Shot Down | Rehad Desai | SA | 2013

In August 2012, mineworkers in one of South Africa’s biggest platinum mines began a wildcat strike for better wages. Six days later the police used live ammunition to brutally suppress the strike, killing 34 and injuring many more.

The Future Sound of Mzansi | Lebogang Rasethaba, Nthato Mokgata (Spoek Mathambo) | SA | 2014

Welcome to the apartheid after-party! The film explores the past, present and future of the electronic music scene and its multiple sub-genres – the mission was simple: to meet up with some of their heroes, colleagues, competitors, and co-conspirators…an ever-potent gang of electronic music pioneers sculpting The Future Sound of Mzansi.

A Mother at Fifteen  - 14 min | Malawi | 2015

The Shore Break | Ryley Grunenwald | SA | 2014

Two cousins from South Africa’s Wild Coast have opposing plans to develop their land. Nonhle wants to develop eco-tourism in order to protect her community’s homes, farms, graves and traditional lifestyle while Madiba is planning a titanium mine and national tolled highway. Meanwhile, their King and Queen, who oppose the mine and highway, are deposed by the South African Government.

 

Sunday 19th July

The Dream of Shahrazad | Francois Verster | Egypt, Lebabon, Turkey | 2014

The Dream of Shahrazad is a feature-length documentary film which locates political expression before, during and after the Egyptian revolution – and also within recent times in Turkey and Lebanon – within a broader historical and cultural framework: that of storytelling and music.  More particularly, it looks at the legacy of the famous collection of stories known as THE 1001 (or “ARABIAN”) NIGHTS.

Gareth’s Story  - 11 min

Beats of the Antonov | Hajooj Kuka | Sudan | 2014

Beats of the Antonov is a feature documentary about the people of the Blue Nile and Nuba Mountains in Sudan, during civil war. The film explores how music binds a community together, offering hope and a common identity for refugees engaged in a fierce battle to protect cultural traditions and heritage from those trying to obliterate them.

AfriPedia: Senegal | Teddy Goitom, Benjamin Taft, Senay Berhe | Senegal | 2014 |

Dakar has quickly become one of the most buzzing cities on the continent, infused by a new sense of creativity that cross-pollinates influences across genres and cultures

Shake the Dust | Adam Sjoberg | Global | 2014

From executive producer and rapper Nasir “Nas” Jones and journalist-turned-filmmaker Adam Sjöberg, Shake the Dust chronicles the influence of breakdancing, exploring how it strikes a resonant chord in the slums, favelas and ghettos of the world and far beyond. Showcasing some of the most jaw-dropping breakdancing moves ever committed to film, Shake the Dust is an inspiring tribute to the uplifting power of music and movement.

 

Monday, 20 July

Afripedia | Teddy Goitom, Benjamin Taft & Senay Berhe | Ghana|  2014

The whispers among connoisseurs talk about Accra as the next big hotspot for African cultural production, and ‘Afripedia, Ghana’ suggest they’re not wrong.

Concerning Violence| Göran Olsson | Africa | 2014

Internationally awarded documentary about the African liberation struggles of the 1960s and 1970s. It combines newly discovered archival material depicting some of the most daring moments in the confrontation with colonial powers. Narrated by Lauryn Hill, with text based on Frantz Fanon’s Wretched of the Earth.

The Democrats | Camilla Nielsson | Zimbawe | 2014

In politically unstable Zimbabwe, a new constitution is being put together by the ruling party of strongman Robert Mugabe and the divided opposition. Various political, local and personal interests are bogging the process down.

Coming of Age | Teboho Edkins | Lesotho | 2015

Coming of Age is a film that follows teenagers over two years as they grow up deep in the southern African mountain kingdom of Lesotho. Lefa, sees her world fall apart when her best friend Senate leaves the village, and must decide whether to stay or leave in search of a better education. Retabile takes care of the family’s livestock up in a remote cattle post, helped by his younger brother Mosaku, who watches as he goes through a rite of passage that marks his transition into manhood. The summer of youth is quickly over, doors into adulthood open and close.

The Cessation | Lotte Manicom | South Africa | 2014

Angola was subject to brutal conflicts that raged for over forty years. Thousands of refugees fled over the borders into neighbouring countries in search of a safe haven. Many came to the coastal city of Cape Town, on the western coast of South Africa. Here, in exile, the Angolan community created thriving businesses and families of their own. Now, twenty years on, this diaspora is facing a new challenge. In 2013, the South African government ended their refugee protection. This short documentary follows three members of this vibrant Angolan diaspora in Cape Town as it maps the impact of this Cessation on their lives.

 

Tuesday, 21 July

 

Afripedia | Teddy Goitom, Benjamin Taft & Senay Berhe | Angola|  2014

Welcome to Angola, home of heavy electro music known as kuduro. Follow us across the pulsating city of Luanda as we delve into the kuduro evolution and meet the people charting its course.

Under African Skies Joe Berlinger | South Africa | 2012

Paul Simon returns to South Africa to explore the journey of his Graceland album, including the political backlash he received for allegedly breaking the UN cultural boycott of South Africa designed to end the Apartheid regime.

Paths to Freedom | Richard Pakleppa | Namibia | 2015

Paths to Freedom tells of the origins of Namibian nationalism in the 1950’s and how Namibian  peasants and migrant labourers created a guerilla army to fight the illegal occupation of their country by South Africa.  Utilizing extensive archive, struggle music and eye witness accounts Paths to Freedom tells this story of David rising against Goliath against all odds.

The Man in Me – 15 min | Lesotho | 2014

Fonko: New Music from West Africa | Lamin Daniel Jadama,  Lars Lovén | 2014 |

Dakar is the unrivalled centre for the West African hip hop-scene and coupé- décalé is now a major influence all over West Africa. In Burkina Faso the name and speeches of Thomas Sankara is used by musicians to protest against injustices and corruption. In Benin, the veterans of Orchestre Polyrytmo give a historic background to the music scene of today. Narrated by Neneh Cherry.

 

Wednesday, 22 July

Afripedia | Teddy Goitom, Benjamin Taft & Senay Berhe |South Africa|  2014

Twenty years after liberation, ‘Afripedia, South Africa’ portrays a diverse new generation that is helping redefine the legacy of the post-apartheid Rainbow Nation.

When Voices Meet | Nancy Sutton Smith | South Africa | 2015 | 86 min

When Nelson Mandela was finally released from prison, courageous South African musicians broke through Apartheid’s barriers to form a 500-voice, multiracial children’s choir. Threatened with bombs and thwarted at every turn, they prevailed and railroaded across the country aboard The Peace Train. When Voices Meet documents the trials, tribulations and triumphs of those musician activists and young choir members. They performed together for seven years; never lost touch with one another; and then reunited 20 years later.

Cartoonists: Foot Soldiers of Democracy | Stéphanie Valloatto | France |

12 lovable lunatics, capturing the comic and tragic in all four corners of the earth: cartoonists who risk their lives to defend democracy, with a smile on their faces and a pencil as their only weapon.

Fonko: South Africa/ Nigeria | Lamin Daniel Jadama,  Lars Lovén | 2014

South Africa and Nigeria are two countries with a troubled past, that have today become the economic and cultural super powers of the continent. South Africa is the home to styles like kwaito, SA House and Shangaan electro, which is possibly the fastest club music in the world.

Nigeria is a country of extreme income gaps, deeply rooted corruption and violent religious conflicts. Here you find the most commercial music on the continent. But also fierce protest music, as artists are trying to carry on the work from the late Fela Kuti. one of the most hard-core protest singers of all times.

AfriDocs screens every THURSDAY at 8pm Central African time (GMT + 2) on DStv ED Channel 190 & GoTV across sub-Saharan Africa.

 

For the full programme schedule and synopses of the films, please go to www.afridocs.net or www.facebook.com/AfriDocs

You can also follow AfriDocs on twitter: @Afri_Docs

-ends

Issued on behalf of Afridocs

 

Wavescape Surf Film Festival

Media Release

Wavescape Surf Film Festival

To mark a decade of bringing the best surfing films to Durban, the Wavescape Surf Film Festival has announced a record lineup of 23 movies over a week at the 36th Durban International Film Festival, which takes place from July 16 to 26.

Every conceivable film technique and technology is represented in an extraordinary selection of films, according to Spike from Wavescape, co-director of the Wavescape festival. “We have some excellent documentaries, including the hair-raising story of the Signal Hill Speed Run in California that started downhill skateboard racing.”

Wavescape 2015 boasts 12 short films and 11 medium or feature length movies that reflect a unique diversity. A unique trilogy of poetic shorts form a beautiful rendition of surfing in the UK: Sea Fever - and Irish film set to a John Masefield poem and gritty black and white footage; Edges of Sanity - a uniquely powerful piece narrated by Charles Dance who plays Tywin Lannister in Game of Thrones; and Chasing Rumours - moving from the clamour of a football match at Newcastle United to the nearby Tyne River where storm waves pound grimy shores.

Included are films from the most remote wildernesses of Alaska (Arctic Swell) and the Arctic Circle (The Cradle of Storms). But from these frozen wastelands and frigid waves we sweep to the translucent tropical waters and reefs of Indonesia in the Mentawai Drone Movie, a short shot entirely by aerial drone.

“Don’t miss the languidly beautiful pace of Bella Vita that takes us to Tuscany as an Italian surfer and activist retraces his ancient roots, or the hard-hitting feminist film Flux: Redefining Women's Surfing that ask serious questions of the surf industry.”

"One of my favourite shorts is Narcose, an artistically rendered account of world apnea free diving champion Guillaume Néry's hallucinations caused by 'raptures of the deep' during one of his dives," says Spike.

There are films about skateboarding in the urban precincts of Cape Town, and keeping within themes of sustainability, two South African shorts about wooden surfboard craftsman. From the epic surfing and slo-mo definition of worldclass surfing in Attractive Distractions, we move to Always on the Road, a beautifully shot film that traces the old surf routes of Europe along the Basque countryside, as well as France and Portugal.

There are obligatory soul surfing movies (I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night, Missing, Rail to Rail and Se7en Signs) to a heady mix of high action surfing that can be found in Missing, Attractive Distractions, Strange Rumblings in Shangri La and Pipeline and Kelly Slater.

And with any selection of surf films, there is the whacky wildcard: Expencive Porno Movie (sic) spoofs the "surf porn” genre, of endless shots of waves and wave-riding, with a cheesy 1960's Austin Powers theme. The widest collection yet hails from locations such as Namibia, Cape Town, Hawaii, California, Indonesia, Portugal, Spain, Alaska, Patagonia, and Australia.

The free outdoor screening at the Bay of Plenty takes place Sunday 19 July.

Ster Kinekor Musgrave screenings are from from Monday, 20 July to Saturday, 25 July.

Films are R35 at Musgrave. 

See www.wavescapefestival.com and www.durbanfilmfest.co.za

 Tickets for Musgrave available from www.sterkinekor.com

 

Social Media

facebook.com/WavescapeSA

facebook.com/WavescapeFestival

Twitter @WavescapeSA

Instagram @WavescapeSA

#WavescapeFestival

#DIFF2015

 

-ends

36th Durban International Film Festival - Programme Announced

 

36th DURBAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 16-26 JULY 2015 - PROGRAMME ANNOUNCED

This July sees the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) return for its 36th year of cinematic celebration. From 16 to 26 July, the city will be illuminated by the wonder and diversity of global cinema, with over 200 screenings in 9 venues across the city. Alongside this selection of the best of contemporary cinema, including 74 feature films, 50 documentaries, 74 short films and 23 surf films, the festival offers an extensive workshop and seminar programme in which industry experts from around the world share their knowledge and skills.

This year's diverse line-up includes an expanded focus on African cinema with a selection of Africa’s Lost Classics and a showcase of this year’s FESPACO winners. Other focus areas include a cross-section of contemporary cinema from Brazil and an investigation into the filmmaking landscape of a changing Tunisia, as well DIFF Beat, which celebrates a number of music-based films, and Just One Earth, which presents a selection of environmentally- and sustainability themed titles. In addition to the generous selection of feature films and cutting edge documentaries, DIFF 2015 will screen 10 packages of short films and a selection of thrilling surf films in the Wavescape Surf Film Festival.

South African Focus

While DIFF is a vital showcase for the ever-expanding African film industry, South African film remains the festival’s key focus, with 14 feature and 13 documentary films and 30 short films – most of them receiving their world premieres on Durban screens.

This year’s opening night film see the African premiere of Ayanda, the second fiction feature film from South African filmmaker Sara Blecher who opened the festival in 2011 with Otelo Burning. Ayanda tells the story of single-minded 21-year-old Afro-hipster Ayanda (Fulu Mugovhani) who has a talent for taking neglected pieces of furniture and bringing them back to life. Eight years after her father’s death, his prized auto repair garage is in financial trouble and in danger of being sold, but Ayanda does everything in her power to hold onto his legacy.

Then there’s Breathe – Umphefumlo, the Isango Ensemble’s contemporary adaptation of Puccini’s La Boheme, the low-budget horror The Actor from Aiden Whytock, the politically inclined Bonnie-and-Clyde tale Impunity from Jyoti Mistry and the long awaited Necktie Youth from Sibs Shongwe-Le Mer. Other South African fiction feature films include Dis Ek, Anna, based on the famous Afrikaans novel and directed by Sara Blecher, and the dramatic thriller Lady Grey from Alain Chouquart.

South African documentaries include Blood Lions, which follows a South African conservationist and an American hunter on their journey through the lion hunting industry, Coming of Age, which follows the lives of two teenagers in Lesotho, Glory Game – The Joost van der Westhuizen Story, which chronicles the famous rugby player’s battle with Motor Neuron Disease, and The Shore Break which documents the attempts by a foreign mining company to mine titanium in the Eastern Cape. 

African Focus

The rich programme of films from elsewhere on the continent includes a number of strong directorial talents. From South Africa’s Mpumelelo Mcata comes the challenging documentary-hybrid Black President. Philippe Lacôte’s Run is a left-field masterpiece from Côte d’Ivoire and Uganda delivers the goods with The Boda Boda Thieves, the latest title from vivacious creative co-operative Yes! That’s Us.

African documentaries include the powerful Beats of the Antonov which portrays the musical lives of a war-torn community in Sudan, the remarkable Sembene! which documents the life and career of African master Ousmane Sembene and Paths to Freedom, which explores the genesis of Namibia's armed struggle against South Africa.

Africa’s Lost Classics is a selection providing a rare opportunity for viewers to catch some of the most powerful and idiosyncratic works from the continent’s rich film history. The selection comprises the previously lost masterpiece Come Back, Africa, the seminal Mapantsula from Oliver Schmitz and The Blue Eyes of Yonta by pioneering Guinea-Bissau filmmaker Flora Gomes, as well as Badou Boy and Touki Bouki, both from African master Djibril Diop Mambety.

FESPACO Stallions

In a special tribute to African cinema, DIFF 2015 features six winners from the 2015 edition of the Pan-African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou, or FESPACO. These include amongst others Fevers, which tells the story of Benjamin, who moves in with his father and grandparents in a Paris suburb in order to avoid foster-care. Sékou Traoré’s feature debut film The Eye of the Cyclone, a psychological drama about a young lawyer who has been appointed a case that no one else wants, and Rehad Desai’s Miners Shot Down which returns to DIFF after being celebrated at FESPACO this year.

WORLD CINEMA

Following its rich tradition of world cinema, DIFF 2015 presents a diverse showcase of films from around the world. 1000 Rupee Note from India tells the story of a poor old widow named Budhi who receives a gift of several 1000 Rupee notes from a politician. A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night bills itself as the first Iranian Vampire Western, while Dealer, from France, documents 24 hours in the increasingly hellish life of a small time drug dealer. Bob And The Trees tells the story of Bob, a 50-year-old logger in rural Massachusetts with a soft spot for golf and gangster rap. Jean-Jacques Annaud’s visually spectacular film Wolf Totem from France and China, Roger Allers’s animation of Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet, Gregg Araki’s dramatic thriller White Bird in a Blizzard, Kim Farrant’s uneasy drama Strangerland set in Australia, and Chinese director Zhang Yimou’s drama romance, Coming Home contribute to the richly textured programme this year.

Documentaries

This year’s festival will once more play host to a sterling selection of documentaries from around the world. The American Film (Dis)Honesty – The Truth About Lies explores the complex impact dishonesty has on our lives and our societies. Cartoonists: Foot Soldiers of Democracy, from France, tells the story of 12 cartoonists and their fight for equality, accountability and transparency. Democrats, from Denmark, tells the unique story of the political elite in Zimbabwe fighting the battle over the principles defining the country's possible future. Foodies, from Sweden, follows five of the world's most renowned foodies on their hunt for the most exclusive nourishment in the world, while Taxi, from banned Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, takes us on a vibrant and colourful journey through the streets of Tehran. This year will also screen Joshua Oppenheimer highly acclaimed follow up to his Academy Award Nominated documentary The Act of Killing, his second film The Look of Silence sees a family that survives the genocide in Indonesia confronts the men who killed one of their brothers.

Brazilian Focus

Like South Africa, Brazil is a country defined by glaring inequality and cultural polarity. It also has a rich culture of cinema and a remarkably diverse national canon. Offering a window on to this complex and diverse country, Brazilian Vision presents a wide range of films from different regions in Brazil, providing an incisive overview of its considerable cinematic output. From the north-east state of Pernambuco comes two celebrated feature films: The History of Eternity by Camilo Cavalcanti and the moving Brazilian Dream, an opera movie depicting the Brazilian economic crisis. From the capital Brasília comes White Out, Black In, which portrays a country longing for transformation, while The Ballad of Poor Jean deals with the huge social divide between rich and poor in the country.

Tunisian Focus

The explosion of free speech that followed the Tunisian revolution in January 2011 gave birth to new cinematographic voices as young filmmakers armed themselves with cameras to express their points of view on a newly emerging society. The selection which are all in Arabic with English subtitles, includes amongst others Néjib Belkadhi Bastard (Bastardo), Kaouther Ben Hania’s Challet Of Tunis (Le Challet De Tunis), Raja Amari’s Tunisian Spring (Printemps Tunisien),, Hamza Ouni’s El Gort and Mohamed Challouf’s Tahar Cheriaa Under the Shadow of the Baobab which documents the undisputed father of Pan-Africanism and founder of film Carthage Film Festival, the first film festival in Africa who deployed all his energy to create the first authentic images of post-colonial Africa enabling African cinema to contribute to the modernization of the continent.

Semaine de la Critique in South Africa

DIFF, with the support of the French Institute of South Africa and Urucu Media, presents a traveling programme of La Semaine de la Critique (Critics’ Week) of Cannes Film Festival which will launch in Durban before travelling to Cape Town and Johannesburg. Featured films include amongst others Hope, Boris Lojkine’s takes on migration from Africa to Europe, You and the Night, an erotic-existential-queer comedy from Yann Gonzalez.  As well as these screenings, La Semaine de la Critique in South Africa features a master class with visiting filmmaker Boris Lojkine in Durban and filmmaker round tables in Cape Town and Johannesburg.

DIFF BEAT

With DIFF Beat, the festival pays tribute to musical freethinkers and rule-breakers. Filmmaker Adam Sjöberg and rap superstar Nasir ‘Nas’ Jones explore breakdancing and hip-hop in unlikely places in the film Shake the Dust. Tango Negro: The African Roots of Tango intersperses dance and musical performances with interviews with tango-lovers and experts, while Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck blends Cobain’s personal archive with touching interviews with his family. Imagine Waking up Tomorrow and All Music Has Disappeared comes from cult musician/art terrorist Bill Drummond, and When Voices Meet tells the story of therapist Sharon Katz and singer/educator Nonhlanhla Wanda’s 500-voice multiracial choir.

Just One Earth

Just One Earth offers a selection of films that promote sustainable living and raise awareness about the ecological threats we are facing. All the Time in the World tells the story of Canadian filmmaker Suzanne Crocker and her family who decide to take time out from their lives and relocate to the wilds. In Energised filmmaker Hubert Canaval explores how profit-driven efforts ensure that both alternative energy solutions and the threats to our existence posed by today’s main sources of energy remain largely unknown to the public. In Just Eat It: A Food Waste Story, filmmaker Grant Baldwin and producer/writer Jen Rustemeyer explore why nearly 50% of the food produced in Canada ends up in the trash. Finally, the extraordinary Virunga tells of a group of park-rangers in the Democratic Republic of Congo who have devoted their lives to saving the gorillas in Virunga National Park.

Wavescape Surf Film Festival

The 10th Wavescape Surf Festival at DIFF celebrates a decade of films and events around ocean sustainability and beach culture. From Sunday 19 to Saturday 25 July, Wavescape will showcase the latest surf films from around the world. In keeping with tradition, the Wavescape premiere will take place under the stars at the Bay of Plenty lawns on Sunday 19 July, followed by screenings at Ster Kinekor Musgrave until 25 July.

Talents Durban

The 8th Talents Durban will bring together 40 selected filmmakers from 10 different countries in Africa, chosen from over 200 submissions, who will take part in a series of masterclasses, workshops and industry networking opportunities during the festival. Supported by the KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission, Goethe Institute SA, German Embassy in South Africa and Gauteng Film Commission, Talents Durban is presented in co-operation with Berlinale Talents. Talents Durban is a platform for African filmmakers to enhance their skills, develop collaborations and interface with the film industry in Africa and beyond.

Durban FilmMart

Now in its 6th year, the Durban FilmMart, a partnership project with the Durban Film Office and the Durban International Film Festival, is a film finance and co-production market presented in three strands – Finance Forum, Master Classes and the Africa in Focus seminars. 19 selected African projects (10 fiction features and 9 documentaries) will have an opportunity to hold one-on-one meetings with potential financiers, co-producers, and distributors in the Finance Forum. Projects will also have an opportunity to pitch to a panel of international commissioning editors and financiers in the African Pitch, a pitching forum of the DFM. See www.durbanfilmmart.com for further details.

Ticketing

DIFF 2015’s principal screening venues are Suncoast CineCentre, Ster Kinekor Musgrave, Cinema Nouveau Gateway, Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre, Ekhaya Multi-Arts Centre in KwaMashu and the Tsogo Sun Elangeni Hotel. Other venues include the Bay of Plenty Lawns, the KZNSA Gallery, the Denis Hurley Centre, Sizakala Centre in Clermont, the Durban Music School and the Luthuli Museum on the North Coast. The festival hub is once more housed at the Tsogo Sun Elangeni Hotel.

Tickets should be acquired through the respective venues. Prices range from R20 to R40, except at Luthuli Museum, Ekhaya, Elangeni Hotel, the Denis Hurley Centre, Sizakala Centre in Clermont, the Durban Music School and Bay of Plenty lawns, which are free of charge.

Programme booklets with the full screening schedule and synopses of all the films are available free at screening venues and other public information outlets. Full festival details can also be found on www.durbanfilmfest.co.za or by calling 031 260 2506 or 031 260 1816.

The 36th Durban International Film Festival is organised by the Centre for Creative Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (a special project of the Deputy Vice Chancellor of Humanities, Cheryl Potgieter) with support from the National Film and Video Foundation, KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development & Tourism, KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission, City of Durban, German Embassy, Goethe Institut, Industrial Development Corporation, KwaZulu-Natal Department of Arts and Culture and a range of other valued partners.


Durban FilmMart to host leading Financiers, Producers and Broadcasters for its Sixth Edition

Media Release

Durban FilmMart to host leading Financiers, Producers and Broadcasters for its sixth edition July 17 – 20, 2015

Durban, South Africa: The Durban FilmMart (DFM), the co-production forum of Durban Film Office (DFO), the film industry development programme of the city and the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF), Africa’s premier film festival will host leading industry financiers, producers and commissioning editors at its sixth edition  from July 17 – 20, 2015.

The DFM, now in it’s 6th year, is Africa’s leading finance and co-production market, and networking event, which includes a finance forum, master classes, an Africa in Focus workshop and seminar programme in conjunction with the DIFF for industry delegates,  and numerous networking functions.

“Film-makers from Africa and across the globe enjoy the opportunity that the DFM creates to connect with others in the industry to share contacts, knowledge and creative ideas.” says Toni Monty, of the Durban Film Office. “Filmmakers take full advantage of the various networking sessions and social engagements in between sessions to connect with financiers, producers, commissioning editors as well as distributors and the myriad creative filmmakers that attend.”

“Our main objective is to help people connect and develop networks and partnerships with others in the industry, especially those from across Africa.” says Toni Monty of the DFO. “We see how African filmmakers have developed strong relationships over the years and through various collaborative efforts we are starting to see an interesting growth in the industry. .”

This year some top-drawer industry professionals will be in attendance to meet the filmmakers of the pre-selected film projects in the Finance Forum. Durban FilmMart delegates will be able to network with these financiers and other high profile industry guests on over the four days of the DFM.

The line up of producers, commissioning editors and financiers include producer, Alexandra Stone, who heads CMP Film Ltd, a London-based film and television production company. She was worked with top-end filmmakers such as  Bernardo Bertolucci, Terry Gilliam, Jonathan Glazer, Johnny Depp, Phillip Noyce and David Cronenberg, as well as Peter Weir, Euzhan Palcy, Lasse Hallstrom and Steve Kloves.

Cosima Degler producer of unafilm, whose slate of films have been screened at A-festivals around the world including Berlinale, Cannes, Toronto, Locarno, IDFA, San Sebastian, DOKLeipzig, among others them. In 2013 unafilm’s Heli won the award for Best Director in competition in Cannes and in 2014 Bridges of Sarajevo was shown in the Sélection Officielle in Cannes.

Managing Director of Barentsfilms, Ingrid Lill Høgtun, is the Norwegian co-producer for Cylinder Production, for the film "Essential Killing" by Jerzy Skolimowski, a Polish, Norwegian, Irish, Hungarian co-production, which won the Jury´s Special Award and Best Actor in Venice 2010. She is also Executive Producer for the TV-series "Hellfjord" by Tommy Wirkola and others, produced by Tappeluft Pictures.  Based in Oslo, Norway, Barentsfilm produces mainly art house films and documentaries. Among others, the company has produced most of the films of the acclaimed Norwegian director, Knut Erik Jensen.

Jelena Goldbach, producer with ZAK Film Productions,  specialises in European co-productions. In 2014 Jelena produced The Chicken by the up-and coming Bosnian writer/director Una Gunjak, which won the European Film Award for Best Short Film. The Chicken premiered at the 67th Festival de Cannes, in the Semaine de la Critique strand and was the winner of the prestigious Robert Bosch Coproduction Price. In 2010 Jelena founded Wostok, an independent London-based production company that specializes in development, financing and production of international projects with focus on up-and coming talent.

Philipp Hoffman, from Rushlake Media, a company that supports producers, rights holders and institutions marketing their content in the changing landscape of film distribution with its core business is VOD licensing and digital distribution:  Beside the digital distribution, we do the international sales for selected producers with a focus on the African market. Clients include Tom Tykwer’s One fine Day Films and Gravel Road Entertainment Group.

Director of Documentary programming at the Tribeca Film Institute, Jose Rodriguez has been a script/book reader for Overture Films while also working on Tze Chun’s Children of Invention and the documentary Poor Consuelo Conquers the World. The Tribeca Film Institute champions storytellers to be catalysts for change in their communities and around the world. With over $1.5 million USD in annual grants and professional development programs, TFI supports a diverse, exceptional group of filmmakers and media artists, providing them resources needed to fully realise their stories and connect with audiences.

Additional key guests include Afridocs (South Africa), Afrinolly (Nigeria), Arrow Entertainment Inc (Canada), Arte  (France), Barents Film (Norway), BBC StoryVille (UK), Caribbean Tales (Canada), Cinemart (Netherlands), CMP Films (UK), Docubox (Kenya), Doe Eye Media Production Inc (Canada), Endorphine Production (Germany), Goethe Institut (Germany), Gotel Communications Ltd, Hot Docs / Blue Ice (Canada), IDFA (Netherlands), Inner City Films (Canada), Melia Films France (France), Produire au Sud (France), Prospector Films (Canada), Real Livin’ Films Inc (Canada), Rome Cinema Network (Italy), Rush Lake Media (Germany), Sherwood Productions Inc, (Canada), Sisu Productions (Canada), Ste Films (Italy), Sundance Institute (USA),Ten 10 Films (UK), Torpedo Pictures (Canada), Tribeca Film Institute (USA), Triptych Media Inc (Canada), Una Film (Germany), XYZ Films (USA), Zak Films (Germany), ZDF (Germany).

By all accounts Durban FilmMart 2015 is set to offer attending delegates enormous opportunity to build important networks for project development.

Early bird registration closes 27 June 2015. This offers a discounted fee for the DFM as well as an opportunity to be listed in the industry manual, which is used as a reference tool by filmmakers.

For more information or to register for the DFM 2015 go to www.durbanfilmmart.com, or email info@durbanfilmmart.com

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Note to Editors:

The Durban FilmMart (DFM) is a co-production and finance market and is a joint programme of the Durban Film Office (DFO) and the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF). DFM provides filmmakers from across Africa with a valuable opportunity to pitch projects to financiers, distributors, sales agents and potential co-producers, and to participate in meetings, project presentations and a series of master classes and workshops on the latest industry trends.  www.durbanfilmmart.com

The Durban Film Office (DFO) is the film industry development arm of the eThekwini Municipality, mandated to position Durban as a world-class film production destination and facilitator for the development of the local film industry. The DFO drives activity and development in the sector in order to boost tourism, job creation and the development of core skills and SMMEs in the region.  www.durbanfilmoffice.com

The Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) presents over 250 screenings from different countries and cultures with a special focus on Africa. The festival includes development programmes such as Talents Durban and a rich schedule of workshops. DIFF is a flagship project of the Centre for Creative Arts, University of KwaZulu-Natal, which facilitates creative platforms and economic opportunities for artists and related industries, intercultural exchange and network development, training, audience development and strategic Pan-African and international cooperation in the cultural sectors.  www.cca.ukzn.ac.za

Flatfoot at artSpace

Flatfoot at artSpace

Durban, 22 – 26 June 2015

Durban’s Flatfoot Dance Company invites visual artists and dancers to be part of a unique and innovative residency at artSpace Durban from 22 to 26 June 2015.

The artSpace will be a creative hub for dancers and fine art artists as the week will involve sessions where artists can watch and engage dancers in their daily rehearsals and the programme includes a specific session where dancers will focus on portraiture.

Flatfoot will work in artSpace Durban giving local artists an opportunity to paint, draw and create around the dancers as they rehearse, dance and assemble choreography. Flatfoot dancers will continue with their normal day schedules and open their daily work process. The week will culminate in a final perfomance of Lliane Loot’s recent and beautifully hard-hitting “days like these” on Friday 26 June at 6:30pm. “days like these” is a dance theatre work created by Lliane in collaboration with award winning filmmaker Karen Logan as a visual film and dance feast that looks at modern day storytelling and the politics of history and memory – a deeply moving encounter with contemporary dance. Curator Karen Bradtke will select some of the art works generated over the week to put on display in the gallery at the Friday event.

The cost is R100 per day for each artist and R350 for the week. For the special evening portraiture session on Wednesday, the cost is R100. For the Friday event, the charge is R50.00 (if you have been part of the artist residency, there will be a 50% discount on tickets).

For more information and bookings for the art residency, please contact artSPACE durban: 031 – 312 0793 or email: info@artspace-durban.com

For enquires about the Friday night performance, contact Clare on 082 – 875 6065.

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SPAR Women's 10/5km Results

SPAR Women’s 10/5km

Durban: Sunday 7 June

A controlled Lebogang Phalula running in Transnet colours took the line honours in the SPAR Women’s 10/5km race in Durban in a time of 33.36 in a record field of 17,607 competitors today (June 7).

Defending champion, Phalula was pushed hard by Nolene Conrad, the petite teacher from Vorentoe High School in Johannesburg, who finished only 3 seconds behind her. The duo spent the entire race side by side up until 800m when Phalula stepped up a gear overtaking Conrad and charging to the finish.

At the beginning of race, “the pace seemed to settle down very quickly, but I did feel the pressure of these two today,” said a delighted Phalula pointing at Conrad and third placed, Zimbabwean Rutendo Nyahora at the press conference.

Leading up to Blue Lagoon, the front runners comprised only four of the elite athletes, with Lebogang’s sister Diana–Lebo marginally in the lead. As they made their way into the Green Hub, Diana-Lebo dropped out of the leading pack.

Making their way onto the promenade alongside the uMgeni River, the defending champ and Conrad made their break from Nyahora and slowly increased their lead on their way back towards the Moses Mabhida Stadium precinct.

Nearing the 7km mark, a look of determination came across Conrad who had fallen slightly behind; the 26 year old strode ahead of Phalula and stayed in the lead until the final 1km.

“I just tried to stick with the girls in the first few kilometres,” says Conrad who had been ill prior to the race.  “Then with the last few k’s to go, I just gave it my all and I thought I had it, but then Lebogang came past me with 800 metres to go and that was that. I am happy with how I ran today. It was the first time that I actually contended for the first position and finished so high in the SPAR race. I am grateful for a good run.”

“I would like to say well done to the ladies, especially to Nolene, who was a big competitor today, she was very strong and was aiming for it and well done,” said Lebogang.

“It was a wonderful event, the weather was perfect,” commented Rob Philipson, MD of SPAR KZN. “Building up to the day we had some bad weather predicted but it was perfect. The ladies came out in force. Elite runners have constantly supported this race, and gives our event huge credibility – and it is also wonderful that amateur runners get to run with people they admire.”

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RESULTS OF SPAR WOMEN’S 10KM CHALLENGE DURBAN RACE

Durban, South Africa - Results of the SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge race run at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead Durban on Sunday

Overall Results: 1-Lebogang Phalula 33.36; 2-Nolene Conrad 33.39; 3-Rutendo Nyahora 33.53; 4-Cornelia Joubert 34.04; 5-Christine Kalmer 34.29; 6-Diana-Lebo Phalula 34.48; 7-Rene Kalmer 34.51; 8-Nicole Van Der Merwe 34.52; 9-Irvette 34.56; 10-Tanith Maxwell 35.29

Female Senior: 1-Lebogang Phalula 33.36; 2-Nolene Conrad 33.39; 3-Rutendo Nyahora 33.53.

Female Junior (15-19 Age Group): 8-Nicole Van Der Merwe 34.52; 25-Simonay Weitsz 37.49; 27- Nomcebo Mtshali 38.05;

Female (35-39 Age Group): 10-Tanith Maxwell 35.29; 14- Bulelwa Simae 36.09; 48-Nonsikelelo Mbambo 41:22

Female (40-49 Age Group): 31-Janene Carey 38:39; 38-Karen Sobrino 40:12; 49-Ronel Thomas 41.25

Female (50-59 Age Group): 35-Judy Bird 39:23; 73-Ansie Breytenbach 44.21; 84-Janine Engels 45:33

Female (60+ Age Group): 60-Margie Saunders 43.07; 122-Sonja Laxton 48:46; 139- Sandy Fismer 50:01


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Road Closures for SPAR Women's 10/5km Sunday, June 7

Media Release

Road Closures for SPAR Women’s 10/5km on Sunday, June 7 

Durban’s annual SPAR Women’s 10/5km Race takes place on Sunday, 7 June 2015 at Sahara Stadium, Kingsmead. The race will begin on Masabalala Yengwa Avenue and trail through other roads in the area. These roads and link roads will therefore be closed for a few hours to accommodate the race.

The 10km starts at 8am in Masabalala Yengwa Avenue  opposite Durmail and the 5km starts in Masabalala Yengwa Avenue at the Somtseu Road intersection.

On the morning of the race, from 02:00 the intersections that will be closed are as follows.

Intersection of Snell Parade / Athlone Drive

Intersection of Stiebel Place / Lagoon Drive / Blue Lagoon Tunnel

Intersection of Snell Parade / Battery Beach

Intersection of Stiebel Place / Athlone Drive (East & West)

From 03:00

Intersection of Battery Beach / Suncoast Main Entrance traffic circle (heading north)

Intersection of Battery Beach / Masabalala Yengwa Avenue

Intersection of Isaiah Ntshangase / Masabalala Yengwa Avenue (south bound)

From 04:00

Intersection of Masabalala Yengwa Avenue North bound lane closure from KE Masinga to Argyle. (1 lane of traffic to remain open for access to the station and to Argyle Road)

Intersection of Arglye Road on-ramp to Masabalala Yengwa Avenue (north bound)

 Masabalala Yengwa Avenue will re-open at 12:00 and all other main roads will be reopened by 11:00 after the race.

There are recommended areas for parking. Each of these parking areas has their own fee structure and are not contracted to the event. Participants and spectators may park at the International Convention Centre which is undercover parking and the recommended access point is on Bram Fischer Road. Centrum Parking opposite the Durban Exhibition Centre will be available and can be accessed via Samora Machel Street.

The Workshop which provides both open and undercover parking is another option and can be accessed from Samora Machel Street. Suncoast also has parking space and may be accessed from Sandile Thusi then left into Sylvester Ntuli.

Parking is free of charge along the beachfront.

For more information visit www.sparwomensrace.co.za or like Facebook page SPAR Women’s 10/5km Race, Twitter @SPARLadiesRace and Instagram sportsparkzn.

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Nje and Majozi to perform at SPAR Women's 10/5km finish on June 7

Media Release

NJE AND MAJOZI TO PERFORM AT SPAR WOMEN'S 10/5KM FINISH ON JUNE 7

The reward for all the ladies competing in this year’s SPAR Women’s Race on Sunday 7 June is the live music at the festive finishing area.

The two acts performing are proudly home grown talents. Entertaining a sea of  ladies is the afro, funk, rock band, Nje together with Indie-folk star, Majozi.

Nje, meaning ‘just’ has been hitting the air waves since 2012. Lead by the beautiful vocalist, Portia Malunga Rowling, she performs with bassist Rogan van den Berg, drummer Gary Parker and guitarist Gregan Aherin. The foursome have graced the stage at venues such as Splashy Fen, Smoking Dragon, Live TheVenue, The Winston, The Wavehouse and now will be delighting the crowds at Sahara  Stadium, Kingsmead. With one album under their belt, the afro, funk, rock band will be getting the ladies into the groove, singing their most popular single, Gazi Lami which has been featured on the SA Top 20 Countdown.

Following Nje is local singer, Majozi. The Indie-folk performer claims his music has subtle influences of electro. With his hit single titled ‘The River’ it is apt that he will be performing to a sea of beautiful ladies clad in the pink race t-shirts in the finishing area. Majozi has had the opportunity of opening for huge names such as The Lumineers, Yoav, Zebra and Giraffe, Gangs of Ballet and Matthew Mole.

Ladies running the SPAR Women’s Race are in for a treat after their run, plus there are also over R65 000 in lucky draw prizes to be won including getaways to Springbok Lodge and Elephant Rock Private Safari Lodge within the Nambiti Private Game Reserve, near Ladysmith,  Montusi Mountain Lodge in the Amphitheatre of the Drakensberg and Fordoun Hotel and Spa in the Midlands .

For more info visit www.sparwomensrace.co.za or like the Facebook page.

ENDS