European Film Festival in South Africa goes hybrid

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

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

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

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

Ali and Ava (UK)

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

As Far as I can Walk (Co-Production)

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

The Emigrants (Sweden)

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

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

eSwatini and Lesotho

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

Side Events

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

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

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

-ends

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Fast 5s Netball Challenge KZN Southern Regional Kokstad College: 10 September

It was all one-way traffic for a slick Shayamoya Area Secondary School in their victory against host school, Kokstad College at the KZN Southern Regional of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Fast 5s Netball Challenge on Saturday 10 September.

The young team from Shayamoya ended their tournament with a determined performance, basketing 27 goals and not allowing Kokstad College any chances on the opposite side. The defenders often predicting which way the play would be sent, and easily intercepting, taking the play quickly back up to College’s hoop. 

The towering goal scorer, Mbali Diphoko, the Captain for Shayamoya stood head and shoulders above her opponents. Camped out directly under the net for three quarters of the game, she was fed loads of opportunities as she calmly took aim, and fired off countless points during her teams successful day on the court. 

At half time, the inform Shayamoya were 13 nil up, affording a bold move by a confident coach, Sthembele Matshingani, who rang out various substitutions midway through the second half. With nothing to lose, the fresh new attack took daring chances shooting for goals, with some adventurous and exciting shots floated towards the net from just inside the circle.

In the build up to the regional final, Shayamoya met travelling team, King Edward High School in their semi final and dominated that, with the final score 20 to 6. While Kokstad College had to work hard against Mthatha High School as their semi concluded with the score on 6 all. Kokstad College were lucky enough to advance to the regional final as they had a higher goal percentage. 

The star team of the day began on a high note with their first win in the challenge with the score on 24-1, taking on Carl Malcomes High School. Shayamoya continued their shooting prowess, accumulating a remarkable total of 146 points throughout the seven games in the round robin phase, and only letting 15 goals in. 

In their earlier meeting in the round robin game, Shayamoya beat Kokstad College 15-3. Learning from the dress rehearsal for the final, Shayamoya stepped up a gear in all aspects of their game.

After the tournament, Coach Matshingani said, “It has been a while that we have been able to play in a netball tournament, and this is our first Fast 5s. We had a brilliant, enjoyable day, overall it was a great tournament for us to play against so many different teams.”

Continuing, Matshingani shared, “We have a young team, no one is older than 15 years. They are dedicated, committed, good players and every time they step onto the court, they take things seriously.”

The next tournament heads to Hillcrest High School for the Highway Regional on Saturday 17 September, then a break before the final challenge taking place at Voortrekker Hoërskool for the Pietermaritzburg Regional on Saturday 15 October.

All the games will be livestreamed on the SuperSport Schools Mobile App or website. For more info follow the tournament on Instagram or like the Facebook page. 

Medal Game

1 Shayamoya A.S.S.; 2 Kokstad College

Round Robin Results

1 Shayamoya A.S.S. 21 points; 2 Kokstad College 18 points; 3 Mthatha High School 15 points; 4 King Edward High School 9 points; 5 Carl Malcomes High School 9 points; 6 Ixopo High School 6 points; 7 Mt Currie High School 6 points; 8 St Thomas Residential School 0 points

ENDS

Durban SPAR Women’s 5km Challenge - back in action!

Durban SPAR Women’s 5km Challenge

Beachfront: Saturday 3 September

Back in action. A sea of teal took to the streets and the promenade around the beachfront in Durban for the Durban SPAR Women’s 5km Challenge, and to various routes throughout South Africa for the SPAR Virtual Challenge on Saturday 3 September.

Thousands of women relished being able to join other like-minded participants in the annual SPAR Women’s event. For the past two years, SPAR hosted two very successful Virtual Challenges nationally. With the announcement of the Covid19 restrictions being lifted, SPAR KZN organised an In-Person event to celebrate being able to participate together again, with a fun 5km loop around the Suncoast precinct and beachfront.

Thousands of virtual runners also competed en-mass, or individually, with athletes from outlying areas like Uvongo, Hluhluwe, and Newcastle organising small running groups to tackle familiar routes in their areas.

As an incentive for the more serious runners taking part in the In-Person race, the top five runners each received SPAR vouchers for their fantastic times in the shorter distance. The top five were 1. Nwabisa Mjoli 17.27, 2. Lisha van Onselen 18.05, 3. Silindile Hlatshwayo 18.43, 4. Nokuthula Ntshangase 20.14, 5. Mbali Mashaba 21.03

With life returning to normal, SPAR KZN is looking forward to hosting its most beautiful race, the annual Durban SPAR Women’s 10/5km Challenge next year in winter.

ENDS

I heart Market - sale edition - 3 September at 08-30am - Moses Mabhida Stadium

I heart Market - sale edition

3 September at 08-30am - Moses Mabhida Stadium

It’s almost Spring and the weather is warming up, the Kites have flown back to KwaZulu-Natal, and it’s a time of rejuvenation and hope. And a great way to celebrate is with a Spring Sale at the much-loved artisanal I heart Market which takes place on Saturday, 3 September from 8:30am to 2:30pm.

Artworks by Marie Theron

The I heart traders take stock of their wares, round up their products and slash the prices in preparation for new ideas, and goodies for the Festive Season. The traders have a lot of fun creating their sales, so you can expect bargain bins, sale rails and impressive discounts.

“It’s a fun time for both the traders and customers,” enthuses Anna Savage owner and manager of the Market. “We find some thrifty people start their early Christmas shopping at this sale, and the market is abuzz with a Spring vibe.”

Expect to find fashionware, accessories, sterling silver jewellery, kids clothes, natural skin care, home decor, dogs accessories, delicious foods and condiments, and much more.

"I heart Market is a curated market. We carefully select our vendors to represent the best that Durban has to offer. You won't find any cheap imported goods here. Nor will you find mass-manufactured items like you do in a mall. We look for unique products made by small businesses locally." 

Savage Jewellery

A welcome addition to the Market has been the introduction of 25 vendors, who with the support of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development, Tourism, and Environmental Affairs offer a colourful and inspiring range of clothing, jewellery, home decor, accessories and food products.

The Market coincides with the return of a small SPAR Women’s 5km Fun Run, which takes place on the Durban Beachfront from Suncoast, so here’s an opportunity to do your run, and enjoy the market afterward.

DUT Jewellery Design Department

Entrance to the market is free, and everyone is welcome, including dogs on leads. Parking is at Moses Mabhida in Undercover Parking area. 

For more information contact info@iheartmkt.com 

-ends

SPAR KZN Schoolgirl’s Fast 5s Netball Challenge Northern KZN Regional 27 August

It was a joyous celebration for Dundee High School as they were crowned champions of the KZN Northern Regional at the SPAR KZN Schoolgirl’s Fast 5s Netball Challenge that took place at Ferrum High School on Saturday 27 August.

Dundee met Vryheid’s hard-working Pionier Hoërskool in the regional final that concluded with Dundee netting 10 points to Pionier’s 7. 

Pionier got the final underway with Cay-Li Birkenstock scoring the game’s first goal just 22 seconds in. 19 seconds later, Thandolwethu Buthelezi equalised at the other end for Dundee. The first quarter of the final ping-ponged between the two poles, with Pionier powering down their favoured left side and scoring then Dundee sending play right back up and equalising. 

Nearing 4 minutes left in the first half, Dundee missed their chance to equalize giving Pionier the edge with the scoreline sitting at 4-3. Birkenstock adding two more to her tally and Simone van Jaarsveld getting her name on the scorers’ card. Both teams went into a dry spell with attempts on either end frustratingly hitting the rim or being intercepted. 

Dundee broke the spell with 99 seconds left of the half as Buthelezi snatched the ball mid-air with her long right arm, and calmly popped the ball through the hoop, levelling the score at 4 all. 90 seconds later, she again magiced up a one-handed mid-air retrieval and confidently deposited the ball through the hoop for her, and Dundee’s fifth goal. 

Pionier opened up the second half with van Jaarsveld earning her team’s fifth, 87 seconds in. Pionier dominated the next 90 seconds of play with several bursts up to Dundee’s goals but were unable to find the center of hoop. Dundee’s Buthelezi got another opportunity taking the lead again, and 50 seconds later she added another point for her team. With just over 3 minutes until the final whistle, Mele Erlank managed to net Pionier’s sixth goal to Dundee’s seven. 

Two quick fire goals by Buthelezi saw the Dundee girls get a bounce in their step as their confidence began to soar. Captain for Dundee, Zinita Oosthuizen up’ed her game at the back, with two towering challenges as she leaped into the air, solidly knocking down Pionier’s looping attempts. Erlank managed to find a gap and net her second taking Pionier’s final score to 7, while Dundee wrapped up the game with 10 points, all scored by Buthelezi.

Dundee’s Oosthuizen said after the game, “The final was very challenging, Pionier are a tough team to beat but we are thankful that we had the ability to play against them and took the win. I am so blessed to have a team like mine.”

In their earlier round robin meeting, an undefeated Pionier took the win in a low scoring game 4 to 1. 

Coach for Dundee, Smangaye Nkwanyana stated, “Today was hard, we came into the tournament being slightly unfit as our season had wrapped up and the girls have been concentrating on exams, but all in all we are happy. Taking on Pionier again, having lost to them in the round robin, was tough. We were nervous going in but dug deep and did our best with our youngest in the team, 15 year old Thandolwethu doing so well.”

The fifth regional heads down to Kokstad College for the KZN Southern Regional on Saturday 10 September. All games will be live streamed on the SuperSport Schools mobile app or their website. 

Medal Game

1 Dundee High School, 2 Pionier Hoërskool

Round Robin Results

1 Pionier Hoërskool 21 points, 2 Dundee High School 18 points, 3 Ferrum Hoërskool 15 points, 4 Newcastle High School 10 points, 5 Sarel Cilliers School 9 points, 6 Amajuba District School 4 points, 7 Amajuba School 3 points, 8 St Dominic’s 2 points

ENDS

Kingsway High School take top honours in SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Fast 5s Netball Challenge

SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Fast 5s Netball Challenge

Southcity Christian School: Saturday 20 August

Kingsway High School took top honours in the KZN South Coast Regional of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Fast 5s Netball Challenge at Southcity Christian School on Saturday 20 August.

They met local team, Port Shepstone High School in an exciting conclusion to the regional that had eight teams participate. In their earlier meeting, Kingsway won 7-3 in both teams' second game of the day. At the end of the round robin, Sheppie High was level on points with KwaMakhutha High School but qualified for the podium game having netted 48 goals in their seven games compared to KwaMakhuta’s 41.

In the final, Sheppie came out firing with their first attempt just 18 seconds into the game, their opening shot sadly missing the net. Kingsway snaffled the ball, quickly pushing play down to the other end and 30 seconds later landed their first goal with Elrika Laubscher opening her impressive account. 40 seconds later, Sheppie leveled the scoreline with their only goal in the first half, by Asemahle Ndabezitha.

Heading to half time, a tiring Sheppie team, who had just played the last round-robin game of the day, revealed a few cracks in their armour with a couple of simple mistakes. Pouncing on these opportunities, Kingsway quietly built on their lead giving them a comfortable 6 - 1 score at half time. Kingsway’s Laubscher added another three goals to her tally, and team-mate Dedré Gravett

netted two.

Fifteen seconds into the second half, Laubscher moved the score up to 7 – 1 with her fifth goal of the final. The tech table had a quiet patch, with both teams not able to find the middle of the ring for three minutes, with Laubscher breaking the dry spell by earning her sixth goal, and her team's 8th with 2.42 minutes left on the clock. Port Shepstone also shook off their goal drought and Ndabezitha popped in two more magnificent goals for her team, taking the score to 8-3. 

On the final whistle, Laubscher launched the game's last attempt, sending the ball through the hoop and taking the end result to 9-3.

Captain for Kingsway, Aneliswa Maphumulo enthused after the game, “The tournament was really fun. We came in thinking we weren’t going to make it this far, so we were excited. Heading into the final, we thought we would be facing a different team, so had to change our game plan a bit. It was quite challenging facing the local team as the crowd was vocal in their support, but my team coped well with this and I am so happy that we won.”

Coach for the winning team, Ruan Engelbrecht shared, “The tournament was excellent. We came in today playing fast 5s for the first time this year, so we were going into it with open hearts and open minds, not expecting the result that we did today. I said to the girls each half was a new start, we take it as it comes. And the results showed how committed and focused the girls were.”

The fourth tournament heads to Ferrum Hoërskool for the KZN Northern Regional on Saturday 27 August. All games will be live-streamed on SuperSport Schools mobile app or their website.

Gold Silver Results

1 Kingsway High School, 2 Port Shepstone High School

Round Robin Results

1 Kingsway High School 21 points, 2 Port Shepstone High School 15 points, 3 KwaMakhutha High School 15 points, 4 Hoërskool Suid Natal 12 points, 5 Kuswag Hoërskool 12 points, 6 Southcity Christian School 6 points, 7 Amanzimtoti High School 3 points, 8 Creston College 0 points.

ENDS

Durban Girls’ College claim Durban North Regional title in the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Fast 5s Netball Challenge

SPAR KZN Schoolgirl’s Fast 5s Netball Challenge

Durban North College: Saturday 13 August

Durban Girls’ College claim the inaugural Durban North Regional title in the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Fast 5s Netball Challenge that took place at Durban North College on Saturday 13 August. 

In a fast-flowing game, College took on Danville Park Girls’ High School in the regional final. College opened their account with a well-crafted, goal from right under the hoop by XYZ, after a nifty pass by xyz. Danville responded on the other side with a calm shot being netted by XYZ. The game yo-yo’d for a patch as one team progressed by scoring, only for the opposition to level the scoreline shortly after. 

Nearing the end of the first half, College pulled slightly away with two back-to-back goals, giving them an advantage of 6 goals to Danville’s 4 going into half time. 

Danville were first to score in the second half, edging the score up to 6-5 in favour of College, but then College dominated the next ninety seconds of play and took their tally up to 8-5. Danville pushed hard, sending up short, sharp bursts of play into the College circle but were unable to reel in the 3 point deficit. College’s signature long passes were always a decisive response to Danville’s fast attacks, and again the score stepped up with both teams firing in a goal, and then another goal being recorded on the other side. 

With time almost up, College took the game further away from Danville with the last passage of play seeing College basketing three more quick fire goals, taking the score to 14-8 at the full-time whistle. 

In the semi-finals, Durban Girls’ College met host school, Durban North College and dominated the game with an 18-2 victory. Durban Girls’ College’s players towered over their opponents, not giving Durban North College a lot of space under the net. Danville took on Crawford La Lucia in their semi-final and in a very even matched game, took the win 10-8, with both teams only scoring three goals each in the second half. 

Captain for Durban Girls’ College, Tanna de Freitas stated, “It was a great tournament with some amazing competition. I am very proud of everyone here today, especially my team.” 

Durban Girls’ College were invited to play in the week leading up to the tournament as one of the confirmed local teams, sadly had to withdraw. 

De Freitas continued, “We were a late entry for this tournament so winning today was a bit of a surprise but the whole experience was very enjoyable.”

Coach for Durban Girls’ College, Annie Nurcombe said, “The tournament was very professionally run. It was really refreshing to play a fast 5s tournament, we haven’t played for a long time and the competition was brilliant and the umpires were amazing and I thank you all for your contribution and this opportunity.”

Coach for Danville Park Girls’ High School, former Protea’s netball player, Precious Mthembu said, “I think the girls improved as the games went on. It was the first time for them playing fast 5s. Thank you to SPAR and the team that put this event together, it was an opportunity for the girls to play again as a team. This tournament was a good measure to see how Danville have been doing. We played College earlier in the season and the difference was huge, and now to get a 14-8 loss against them shows that our team has improved a lot. Some wonderful netball was played today by all the teams, especially after the long CoViD break. Well done to everyone here today.”

The next tournament takes place at Southcity Christian School on Saturday 20 August where teams will participate in the KZN South Coast Regional. All games will be live-streamed by SuperSport Schools on their mobile app or on their website. 

END

Innovative Dance Works Commissioned for JOMBA! EDGE Platform at Dance Festival

Innovative Dance Works Commissioned for JOMBA! EDGE Platform at Festival

Three KwaZulu-Natal dance-makers have been commissioned to create works for this year’s JOMBA! EDGE platform, as part of the JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience taking place from 30 August at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre in Durban.

JOMBA! which is presented by the Centre for Creative Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal has a long history of supporting Durban and KZN-based dance-makers and has offered grants to three choreographers/dancers to help push their creation of new local work. In the JOMBA! EDGE mentored platform, Sandile Mkhize (Durban), Tegan Peacock (Pietermaritzburg) and Pavishen Paideya (Durban) will present their work on Friday, 2 September at 7pm and Saturday, 3 September at 2.30pm.

The same programme will be presented by JOMBA! and Rerouting Arts at the Old Mushroom Farm in Howick on 17 September at 6pm.

“All three have displayed an uncanny survival instinct and despite so much lost time for dance over the COVID shut down, all three have continued to make meaningful work over this time,” says JOMBA!’s Artistic Director Lliane Loots. “We are delighted to honour them in our 2022 festival and have asked to respond to the curatorial provocation of this year’s festival – the (im)possibility of home.”

Sandile Mkhize

Co-founder and Artistic Director of Phakama Dance Theatre Sandile Mkhize will premiere TAKE ME BACK HOME, a duet that begins to rethink notions of black masculinity and brotherhood. He takes us on a journey to what home means for the body – a place of self-discovery and self-interrogation.

Pavishen Paideya

Accomplished dancer and choreographer and artistic director of Rudra Dance Theatre, an Indian dance company, Pavishen Paideya presents SAMSARA - an honest and culturally magnificent dance journey into Diaspora Indian South African identity and ideas of home and belonging.

Tegan Peacock

Performance artist and creator and founder of Rerouting Arts, a collaborative arts organisation, Tegan Peacock present HEAD_SPACE as she attempts to trace the internal conversations of the body and the mind in turmoil. It is a mapping of patterns, pressures and struggles, a performative cartography of self and belonging that works with live music.

The festival offers a 13 day feast of contemporary dance, and includes performances and dance talks at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre with a Youth Open Horizons event at the Stable Theatre and select online offerings, as well as workshops, and an extensive online blog.

The Festival takes place from 30 August to 11 September. Tickets for performances at the Sneddon Theatre are R80, and R65 for students, scholars and pensioners through Computicket (https://tickets.computicket.com/). All other events are free.

(Tickets for the programme in Howick on 17 September at 6pm are R80 and can be booked through https://bit.ly/BookJombaReroutingHowick

For more information follow on social media or go to the website: https://jomba.ukzn.ac.za/

 -ends

24th JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience Announces its first live programme in 2 years

24th JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience Announces its first live programme in 2 years

30 August to 11 September 2022

The 24th JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience, hosted by the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Centre for Creative Arts, has announced its programme for its first live festival since 2019, which takes place at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre, UKZN from 30 August to 11 September 2022.

The theme of this JOMBA! centres around “the (im)possibility of home”, and offers dance and theatre fans a treat of 13 days of world-class contemporary dance and performance from both local and international dance-makers. Artists hail from Mozambique, Switzerland, Reunion Island, India, and of course, includes the very best that South Africa has to offer. This edition offers a powerhouse of performances, workshops, after-performance Q & A’s, panel discussions, virtual screen dance, and the return of the JOMBA! youth dance platform that continues to support the growth of Durban’s young dance communities.

“We are thrilled and relieved to be finally presenting our much-loved festival – live and in-person, while keeping some works and events online to include those not able to attend,” says Artistic Director and Curator, Dr Lliane Loots. “This year, through the theme “the (im)possibility of home”, we have set out to interrogate a series of dance offerings that negotiate heritage, culture, nostalgia, and identity, which explore a sense of belonging and how this persists, changes, and transforms through time – and what a time (both local and global) for this moment!”

Vincent Mantsoe

Within this theme, Vincent Sekwati Mantsoe will be honoured as the 2022 JOMBA! Legacy Artist. “This year marks a 30-year history of Mantsoe’s career as a dancer and choreographer and we can think of no better way to honour this incredible icon in South Africa’s historical dance trajectory than to celebrate with him,” says Loots.

There will be a live performance of Mantsoe’s new solo work KOMA, the screening of his short dance film CUT (part 1) made during lockdown and his two-year process (2021 and 2022) of working with Durban’s FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY and the long journey to making CUT (part 2) – which will premiere at the festival, and he will present a masterclass.

Hominal/Xaba

South Africa’s doyens of contemporary dance - the controversial and critical dance-makers – Mamela Nyamza and Nelisiwe Xaba feature with Xaba opening this year's festival in a collaboration with Swiss dance maker Marie-Caroline Hominal in a work intriguingly and simply titled Hominal/Xaba. 

Mamela Nyamza

The deeply interrogated and thoughtful Mamela Nyamza offers her newest work GROUNDED. performed with her son Amkele Mandla, in which she offers us a look into her South Africa where democracy superficially seems to be in a working condition, but actually has small cracks not easy to see.

Edna Jaime

In partnership with the Goethe-Institut South Africa, JOMBA! will host the inimitable Mozambican dance-maker Edna Jaime in her remarkable solo Um Segundo (One Second).

Fana Tshabalala

Fana Tshabalala, the 2019 JOMBA! Mellon Artist in Residence, makes a welcome return with his Broken Borders Arts Project to premiere his latest solo work Zann, which he began creating as part of the 2019 residency. 

Three new works by Durban choreographers/dancers - Sandile Mkhize, Tegan Peacock, and Pavishen Paideya will premiere at the festival. All three were given grants to help push their creation of new local work in the JOMBA! EDGE mentored platform.

The JOMBA! YOUTH OPEN HORIZONS (formerly the Youth Fringe), will feature a host of local dance talent at The Stable Theatre.

The virtual offerings include the JOMBA! AFRICAN DIGITAL VOICES, OPEN HORIZONS and an online panel discussion.

In the JOMBA! AFRICAN DIGITAL VOICES platform Mozambican choreographer and dancer Pak Ndjamena, who collaborates with photographer and filmmaker Ivan Barros, has been commissioned to make a screen dance offering One Step at a Time; while Reunion Island’s Didier Boutiana and his company SOUL CITY present a dance film titled Le Sol Oblige (The Earth Obliges) a humbling and beautiful look at the relationship of the individual to ideas of home and land, and to community. Mantsoe’s Cut (part 1) features online here too.

JOMBA! OPEN HORIZONS (formerly the JOMBA! Fringe) continues to support dance-makers working in film. A jury will select six films to showcase from a call for submissions earlier this year, and the top three will be announced after the viewing. 

The festival closes with a virtual conversation between Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts (Bangalore, India) and artist Simon Senn (Switzerland) looks at the dance work of this amazing centre and the incredible project between Senn and Bharatha Natyam dancer Rohee Oberoi.  

There are three open workshops (dancers over 16 only) for dancers and dance-makers, an industry-related session entitled JOMBA! Forging Futures, and the much-valued JOMBA! KHULUMA online writing residency will feature write-ups, interviews and reviews. More details to be announced soon 

Live performances take place at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre (UKZN), the Stable Theatre (one performance and free) as well as virtual/online (free) .

Tickets for Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre performances are R80 full price, R65 – students, scholars and pensioners. Booking is through Computicket.

-ends

Opportunity for 15 Producers to participate in the second Creative Producer Indaba

Submissions have opened for the second Creative Producer Indaba, the professional development programme offered by the Realness Institute, in partnership with EAVE, International Film Festival Rotterdam’s IFFR Pro, and the Marrakech International Film Festival’s Atlas Workshops.

The Creative Producer Indaba (CPI) offers 15 Producers an opportunity to further develop their producer-related leadership and entrepreneurial proficiencies and build on their creative skills.

2020 CPI Cohort: From top left: Oluwaseun Babalola (US/Sierre Leone), Carol Kioko (Kenya), Souleymane Kebe (Senegal),  Frank Hoeve (Netherlands), Wafa Tajdin (Kenya)

Middle row from left : Maia Lekow (Kenya), Dina Emam (Egypt), Israel Mehari (Ethiopia), Flavia Motsisi (South Africa), Lesedi Oluko Moche (SA/Uganda), Thomas Kaske (Germany)

Bottom row from left: Thomas Hakim (France), Toni Kamau (Kenya), Yolanda Ncokotwana (South Africa), Lara Sousa (Mozambique), Chioma Onyenwe (Nigeria), Melissa Adeyemo (US/Nigeria).

"Strong creative producers with connections to international financing serve as engines that can spur local media markets to grow, adapt, and thrive. Our ultimate aim is to strengthen the pool of capable producers on the continent that can help drive the growth of our respective local markets and to equip these producers with the skills, community, and resources they need to develop and finance our stories," says Mehret Mandefro, Director of Development and Partnership, Realness Institute.

The programme comprises plenary sessions and group work, unpacking successful case studies, and having access to individual meetings with mentors and guest experts. As this is a producer-facing development programme, the focus will be on project development and planning, financing, legal, PR and marketing, advocacy and lobbying, organisational development, network management, and leadership. 

Kristen Trapp, CEO at EAVE says, “Knowledge sharing leads to progress and EAVE is a community committed to sharing experience and expertise in order to sustain and transform the business in a collaborative effort. EAVE is proud to be a partner of Creative Producer Indaba for the second year to help foster a community of strong producers and industry leaders in Africa and build bridges on the continent as well as internationally.”

The programme is anchored by two workshops. Workshop 1 has online sessions from 9 – 12 November 2022 followed by in-person sessions at Atlas Workshops from 14-17 November 2022 during Marrakech International Film Festival. Workshop 2 has in-person sessions at the International Film Festival Rotterdam from 26 January to 2 February 2023.

“We are very proud and excited to be part of Indaba again, a programme that has proven to be pivotal in producers’ careers," says Inke van Loocke, Manager CineMart & Rotterdam Lab. "It not only brings their skills to the next level, but it consolidates their creative approach to projects and running a company in a sustainable way. One of the best parts of Indaba is the bridges that are built, nurturing not only individual careers but the industry as a whole. We look forward to the creative exchange and exploring all the opportunities and challenges that will arise during the workshop together with the participants, experts, and partners."

“Highlights worth mentioning from the 2020 edition were industry insights from Christopher Mack, Director of Grow Creative at Netflix, Makhosazana Khanyile from the National Film and Video Foundation in South Africa, ex-Director of Sundance, Tabitha Jackson, and Vanja Kaludjercic, Festival Director at International Film Festival Rotterdam,” says Elias Ribeiro, Head of Studies and Executive Director of the Realness Institute.

The selected participants will be mentored by Group Leaders, Mehret Mandefro and Diana Elbaum, Story Expert, Mmabatho Kau, plus a host of guest speakers, all in leading roles in our industry. 

The call for submissions goes out to Producers (with and without projects) from Africa; producers from outside the continent with an interest in co-producing with Africa and film professionals from other disciplines such as funding bodies, international sales, distribution, broadcasters, and development executives with a stake in the African marketplace. Through a partnership with Brazilian foundation, Projeto Paradiso, one place is guaranteed for a Brazilian producer with a link to an African project.

There are relevant criteria for submissions and costs to cover to participate, like the flight to Rotterdam. All details can be found on the Realness Institute website; https://www.realness.institute/creative-producer-indaba.

Importantly, applicants are required to have produced at least one feature fiction, a series, or documentary film; or a minimum of two short films as a lead producer or co-producer (executive producer, associate, or line producer does not qualify). Film professionals must have a minimum of two years of professional experience. 

The deadline for submissions is 22 August 2022 at 17:00 Central African time. 

The Creative Producers Indaba is made possible through the support of Documentary Africa, International Emerging Film Talent Association (IEFTA), Institut Français d'Afrique du Sud, the Brazilian foundation Projeto Paradiso, and The Storyboard Collective in partnership with European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs (EAVE), International Film Festival Rotterdam Pro (IFFR Pro) and Marrakech International Film Festival (Atlas Workshops).

For any queries, please email submissions@realness.institute

Follow Realness on Twitter @rlnsinstitute, Instagram realnessinstitute or Realness Institute on Facebook for up-to-date information.

-ends

Caption to 2020 CPI Alumni - the 2020 cohort of the Creative Producer Indaba

From top left: Oluwaseun Babalola (US/Sierre Leone), Carol Kioko (Kenya), Souleymane Kebe (Senegal),  Frank Hoeve (Netherlands), Wafa Tajdin (Kenya)

Middle row from left : Maia Lekow (Kenya), Dina Emam (Egypt), Israel Mehari (Ethiopia), Flavia Motsisi (South Africa), Lesedi Oluko Moche (SA/Uganda), Thomas Kaske (Germany)

Bottom row from left: Thomas Hakim (France), Toni Kamau (Kenya), Yolanda Ncokotwana (South Africa), Lara Sousa (Mozambique), Chioma Onyenwe (Nigeria), Melissa Adeyemo (US/Nigeria).

.

SPAR KZN Schoolgirl’s Fast 5s Netball Challenge 2022 KZN Dates Announcement

After a CoViD break, SPAR KZN is excited to get back onto the courts with the announcement of the dates for their second SPAR KZN Schoolgirl’s Fast 5s Netball Challenge. 

This year the fast-paced Fast 5s tournament will venture to seven regions instead of the previous four from the inaugural challenge in 2019. Getting the 2022 tournament underway with the KZN North Coast Regional, host school Empangeni High School welcomes teams from their area on Saturday 30 July. 

August sees three tournaments, the first at Durban North College where teams will meet for the Durban North Regional on Saturday 13 August, followed by the KZN South Coast Regional at Southcity Christian School on Saturday 20 August and then heading inland to Ferrum Hoërskool for the KZN Northern Regional on Saturday 27 August.

Kokstad College welcomes teams for the KZN Southern Regional on Saturday 10 September, followed by the Highway Regional at Hillcrest High School on Saturday 17 September. Rounding off the challenge is the midlands’ schools meeting at Voortrekker Hoërskool for the Pietermaritzburg Regional on Saturday 15 October.

The running of the programme will differ slightly from region to region, depending on the number of schools and if the hosts will run games in a round robin or pool game format. The coaches can give instructions from the sideline during play, and they have an unlimited allowance for substitutions. Eight players can represent each team, with coaches ensuring five players are constantly on the court – Goal Shooter (GS), Goal Attack (GA), Centre (C), Goal Defence (GD) and Goal Keeper (GK).

Previous winners from the first year, back to defend their titles are Hillcrest High in the Highway / Durban Regional; St Anne’s College in the Pietermaritzburg Regional; Tholokuhle High School in the KZN North Coast Regional and Creston College in the KZN South Coast Regional 

With all netball eyes turning their attention to Cape Town for next year’s 2023 Netball World Cup, these ‘hoopful’ youngsters taking to the courts in the SPAR Challenge will dream and aspire to one day be representing their country at its highest level in years to come. 

Games will be livestreamed on the SuperSport School’s Mobile App and website. 

For more info like the tournament’s Facebook page or follow on Instagram.

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/

SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge 10 teams for Grand Finals - 23 and 24 July

The tenth edition of the Grand Finals of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge is set to take place at St Mary’s D.S.G. over the weekend of 23 and 24 July.

Two days of highly competitive hockey is expected to unfold on the astro as the top ten regional winners from the KZN challenge descend on Kloof. Leading up to the Grand Finals, the tournament travelled throughout KZN to ten regions, where 70 schools in total participated. 

The first to cement their spot for the Grand Finals this year was the intrepid team from Pionier Hoërskool. This is the second time that the dynamic team from Vryheid have hoisted the trophy in the Northern KZN Regional but due to CoViD interruptions, they will be making their first appearance at the 2022 Grand Finals. 

The second team who secured their spot are no strangers to the Grand Finals. St Anne’s College will be making their ninth visit, representing the Pietermaritzburg North Regional. In their eight runs at the finals, they have featured in the medal games in every year, including winning gold in the inaugural tournament in 2011. 

The third team to have earned a place are the determined St John’s D.S.G. waving the flag from the Pietermaritzburg Central Regional. This is the second time that they have made it all the way, with their first outing five years ago where they ended fourth overall. 

Being crowned the Durban North Regional champs, Our Lady of Fatima have played at the Grand Finals three times, finishing a notable fifth overall at each of their previous excursions. 

Host of the weekend, St Mary’s D.S.G. were the fifth team to score an invite after they won the Highway Regional. Similarly, to St Anne’s College, they have already featured at the Grand Finals eight times, with an impressive collection of silverware over the years, including being the overall defending champion and having their name engraved on the trophy five times. 

Making their second trip to the Grand Finals, the hard-working team from Amanzimtoti representing the Durban South Regional, Kuswag Hoërskool made it all the way in the first tournament back in 2011, where they finished ninth overall. 

Back for the fifth time, the Ugu and Sisonke Regional winner, King Edward High School have earned the reputation as the Grand Final dragon slayers. Over the years they have been a thorn in the side for a number of the more established teams, causing a bit of a stir in the pool games. This feisty team’s stats reveal that they have finished as high as sixth a couple of times in their four previous tournaments. 

Another newcomer to the finals is Domino Servite from the uMvoti and oThukela Regional. In recent years, the team have grown from strength to strength, with a flourishing display on the field in their regional, ensuring their first outing to the Grand Finals. 

For the tenth time and the only team with a 100% record being at every Grand Final, Durban Girls’ College are back. Representing the Durban Central Regional, College have a fantastic record at this tournament including three golds, three silvers and a bronze and have participated in a medal game every year. 

Returning for their fourth run are the North Coast Regional winners, Grantleigh College. The last team to earn an invite to the Grand Finals have finished a consistent eighth in their three previous contests. 

If you can’t get to the side lines, you can catch all the action from the Grand Finals on SuperSport Schools. All the games will be livestreamed on either their mobile app or via their website. 

For more info, like the tournament’s Facebook page or follow on Instagram.

Tenth Appearance

Durban Girls’ College - Durban Central Regional Winner - Gold (2013, 2014, 2015), Silver (2012, 2016, 2017), Bronze (2019), Fourth (2011, 2018)

Ninth Appearance

St Anne’s College – Pietermaritzburg North Regional Winner - Gold (2011), Silver (2018, 2019), Bronze (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017), Fourth (2013)

St Mary’s D.S.G. – Highway Regional Winner - Gold (2012, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019), Bronze (2011, 2013), Fourth (2015)

Fifth Appearance

King Edward High School – Ugu and Sisonke Regional Winner –Sixth (2016, 2017), Seventh (2018) Eighth (2015)

Fourth Appearance 

Our Lady of Fatima – Durban North Regional Winner – Fifth (2011, 2017, 2018)

Grantleigh College – North Coast Regional Winner – Eighth (2011, 2016, 2017)

Second Appearance

St John’s D.S.G. – Pietermaritzburg Central Regional Winner - Fourth (2017)

Kuswag Hoërskool – Durban South Regional Winner – Ninth (2011)

First Appearance

Pionier Hoërskool – Northern KZN Regional Winner

Domino Servite – uMvoti and oThukela Regional Winner

ENDS

Fixtures for 10thGrand Finals of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge

The fixtures for the tenth Grand Finals of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge at St Mary’s D.S.G., have been announced.

Ten teams will take to the turf, promising an action-packed hockey weekend on 23 and 24 July, 2022. Since February, the challenge has travelled around to ten regions in KZN, producing ten regional winners. Each of these champions will get the honour of representing their area at the ultimate conclusion of this year’s tournament, the Grand Finals.

The defending champion, St Mary’s D.S.G. and host school heads up Pool A. They are joined by St John’s D.S.G. (PMB Central Regional); Our Lady of Fatima (DBN North Regional), and two newcomers Hoërskool Pionier (Northern KZN Regional) and Domino Servite (uMvoti and oThukela Regional).

In Pool B, 2019 silver medallist, St Anne’s College (PMB North Regional) will meet 2019 bronze medallist, Durban Girls’ College (DBN Central Regional); King Edward High School (uGu and Sisonke Regional); Grantleigh College (North Coast Regional) and Kuswag Hoërskool (DBN South Regional).

On Saturday 23 July, twenty pool games will be played, with games lasting 22 minutes one way. Starting the day off, defending champs, St Mary’s D.S.G. take on Domino Servite in their inaugural Grand Final. Points in the pool games will be 4 for a win, 2 for a draw with goals, 1 for a goalless draw and nil for a loss.

Sunday 24 July sees the cross-pool play-offs and medal games, where teams will have 30 minutes to craft their magic on the turf, with a speedy change over after fifteen minutes. If the scores are level in any of the playoff games, an 8 second penalty shoot out where three players from each team will head to the spot to try and claim victory for their team.

All games will be livestreamed on SuperSport Schools mobile app or website.

For more info you can like the tournament’s Facebook page or follow on Instagram.

Generation Africa offers films by some of Africa’s finest film talent at Encounters 2022

Four powerful documentary films in The Generation Africa project, produced by Cape Town-based production company STEPS, are being screened at the Encounters South Africa International Documentary Film Festival which runs until 3 July at venues in Cape Town and Johannesburg.

The films reflect personal experiences and connected narratives of Africans living on the continent and in the Diaspora, focussing on what “home”, belonging and migration mean. 

No Simple Way Home - Akoul de Mabior

 Winner of the 2021 DOK.horizonte prize at DOK.fest München 2022, No Simple Way Home (Kenya / South Africa) directed by Akuol de Mabior, is a personal film in which de Mabior pays tribute to her mother, Rebecca Nyandeng de Mabior, who became one of the five vice presidents of South Sudan’s so-called unity government in 2020. Her father, Dr John Garang de Mabior, was a revolutionary leader whose movement led to the foundation of South Sudan.

No U Turn

 The award-winning film, No U Turn (Nigeria / France / Germany / South Africa) directed by Nigerian film-maker Ike Nnaebue, received a special mention at this year’s Berlinale International Film Festival. Nnaebue retraces his steps of a journey he made almost 30 years ago, to flee Africa. He seeks to discover what motivates people today to expose themselves to the dangers of a passage into an uncertain future and encounters some interesting people and stories along the way.

Transactions

 Migrants and money feature as a theme in Zimbabwean director Rumbi Katedza’s  Transactions (Zimbabwe / South Africa) in which she explores the phenomenon which saw the Diaspora population transact well above $1 billion in 2021 providing relief for families in need of basics, with the bulk of these made through mobile phones. This is a sobering film the filmmaker personalizes these numbers by displaying the humanity and complexities as well as how family dynamics are determined by remittances behind these figures.

African Moot

 Shameela Seedat’s (whose first film Whispering Truth to Power was critically acclaimed) African Moot (SA) delves into the human rights and migration law, as aspiring lawyers gather for the annual African Human Rights Moot Court Competition. For one week in Gaborone, Botswana, a group of young lawyers assemble for the competition representing the top law schools from their respective nations as they debate a new issue each year. The focus is on the rights of refugees. Developing arguments that will be judged by practicing lawyers, the next generation of lawyers discovers what policy should be like in the African context, and where advancements can be made across the region.

 “These films focus on the narratives and lived experiences of Africans, told by a generation of filmmakers that reflect the aspirations, challenges, and dreams of African youth,” says Don Edkins, executive producer for the project. “They are honest, raw, insightful narratives that have to be told to change the narrative for the continent. They present us with a mirror of ourselves and our lives but importantly a window for the world, and asks hard-hitting questions from our perspectives about the future of Africa and the world.”

 For more information on Encounters screenings go to encounters.co.za and for Generation Africa go to https://steps.co.za/projects/generation-africa/

Generation Africa is supported by DW Akademie and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, with the financial support of Robert Bosch Stiftung and Bertha Foundation.

-ends

Holgate Defender Transcontinental Expedition reaches Alexandria, Egypt

Seven months after leaving Cape Agulhas, the Kingsley Holgate Defender Transcontinental Expedition has reached its geographic half-way point in Alexandria, Egypt, becoming the first exploration team in 30 years to cross the African continent from south to north through the disputed, hostile territories of Sudan.

Travelling in three New Defenders, this geographic and humanitarian expedition aims to cover 30 countries on its route from the southern tip of the African continent to the northern-most point of Europe at Nordkapp in Norway’s Arctic Circle, and then through Europe to reach Anglesey in Wales.

The core six-member team is made up of expedition leader Ross Holgate and his wife Anna, Kingsley Holgate and partner Sheelagh, Mike and Fiona Nixon, and assisted by African expedition members in each country who help with local knowledge and language. The team not only had to deal with mountains of paperwork related to overland travel in Africa, sharply rising fuel prices and the high costs and logistical challenges of Covid-19 restrictions and PCR tests at every border crossing, but also survived life-threatening situations and extreme hardships on the journey from South Africa to Egypt.

Four of the core team became extremely ill with malaria in East Africa as the route through Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda coincided with heavy rains and flooding in areas where malaria is rampant. On reaching South Sudan, the expedition needed a military escort to the capital of Juba and government permission to traverse regions further north where armed attacks and inter-tribal uprisings are common, particularly in areas where thousands of South Sudanese have been displaced by extensive flooding and conflict and live in UN-supported IDP camps. One occasion saw Ross and Anna Holgate ambushed by hostile soldiers; another resulted in Mike Nixon, who is cycling large sections of the expedition route, manhandled off his bike by belligerent police personnel.

The disputed, UN-controlled, oil-rich region of Abyei between South Sudan and the Republic of Sudan threw another set of dangerous challenges at the expedition. With the border between the two countries closed, no foreign travellers have attempted this route in 30 years but it was the only option available for the expedition, as the civil war in Ethiopia’s Tigray region blocked the alternative route north into Sudan. Soon after setting out from a large UN military compound, the team drove straight into conflict as the Abyei region erupted in unrest between militia from the Christian south and Moslem north and inter-tribal clashes.

After running a gauntlet of illegal roadblocks, being chased by heavily armed guerrillas demanding a ransom in US dollars, and narrowly missing being caught in an attack on a village market that left over 40 people dead, the expedition was forced off the road by the Republic of Sudan military. The team spent three days under arrest at an army base near the disputed border area before being allowed to continue to Khartoum, where they were delayed for a further seven days awaiting permission from the military coup government to travel on to Egypt.

The expedition’s route through the Bayuda and Nubian Deserts of northern Sudan saw daytime temperatures exceed 50’C and the team rationing water and fuel to reach Wadi Halfa on the Egyptian border, before continuing onto Cairo, traversing the Western Desert, and ultimately reaching Alexandria on the Mediterranean coast.

‘This expedition is the first long-distance, real-life test for the new Land Rover Defender and in the dangerous situations we experienced, our lives certainly depended on the three vehicles,’ said Ross Holgate. ‘If the two P400s and diesel-powered D300 had not performed – if any of them had had a single glitch when we were driving hell-for-leather to get away from the militia and their guns – or if they weren’t able to tackle the difficult terrain that the expedition confronted – weeks of torrential rain, flooding rivers and thick mud, rocky mountain passes, hundreds of kilometres of untarred dirt roads churned into bonnet-level-deep trenches by convoys of UN aid trucks, not to mention continuous days of mind-numbing heat, dust and desert sands – we would never have made it to Alexandria, let alone be alive and looking forward to the second half of the expedition.’

Despite the challenges, the expedition remained true to its geographic objectives. In particular, following the White Nile on its 6,650Km journey from Lake Victoria to Murchison Falls and Lake Albert in Uganda, through South Sudan to the impenetrable Sudd, reaching the confluence of the White and Blue Niles at Omdurman in Sudan, tracking the river’s winding route through the Nubian Desert to explore the ancient pyramids, tombs and temples of the Kushite Kingdom of the Black Pharaohs, and crossing the Aswan Dam in Egypt before finally reaching the Nile Delta at Alexandria.

This expedition is the 40th for renowned explorer Kingsley Holgate and like all his previous expeditions, is also a humanitarian journey of purpose.  ‘Sometimes, it was a case of risking lives to save and improve lives,’ said Kingsley, ‘but we stuck to our aim of providing humanitarian support to 300,000 people en route through Africa. Thanks to the support of Land Rover and other key partners, I’m glad to say we achieved it.’

Before crossing into Mozambique, the expedition reached the milestone of providing two million meals of nutritional support and early childhood development teaching materials to children at 130 rural creches, upgrading 20 of the most dilapidated, and completed projects to supply thousands of community residents with clean drinking water in water-scarce areas of northern KwaZulu-Natal.

In Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda and South Sudan, the expedition worked with long-term partners Goodbye Malaria and in-country hospitals, churches, schools and community clinics on malaria prevention, providing educational material and distributing tens of thousands of Vestergaard high-quality, insecticide-treated malaria nets to pregnant women and mothers with young children who are the most vulnerable.

Throughout the expedition’s seven-month journey from South Africa to Egypt, the team also provided eye-tests and distributed thousands of pairs of reading glasses to mostly elderly, poor-sighted people in remote communities as part of their Mashozi’s Rite to Sight programme. ‘The need for sight is so great in the outlying regions we travel through – we will never forget the joy and instant change a simple pair of spectacles makes to someone’s life,’ said Sheelagh Antrobus, Kingsley’s partner. ‘Whether it was with a church community in Malawi, or working under a mango tree helping senior members of the towering Dinka people and their big-horned cattle in South Sudan, or being allowed into the inner sanctum of a deeply religious, desert-dwelling Moslem community near the Siwa Oasis during Eid celebrations to assist the heavily-veiled women folk – every experience was unforgettable and humbling.’

‘The diversity of cultures and landscapes on this expedition through Africa has been truly astonishing,’ continued Kingsley. ‘From Easter celebrations and church bells to Ramadan calls to prayer and the feast of Eid, from torrential rains to drought, from the vibrancy of southern Africa to the wildlife-rich savannahs of East Africa and the harsh, ancient deserts of Sudan and Egypt – we’ve been truly privileged. Despite the difficulties of crossing the two Sudans, we’ve been met at every turn with kindness, generosity and friendship; the expedition’s Scroll of Peace and Goodwill is already half-full of wonderful messages of hope in every language.’

Ahead lies the shipping of the three now battle-hardened Defenders across the Mediterranean to Greece and the second leg of the expedition through Eastern Europe to Nordkapp in Norway’s Arctic Circle. However, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has thrown a major challenge at the geographic objectives of the expedition’s European chapter.

‘The ongoing situation in Ukraine is not only deeply upsetting but has forced us to do a complete re-think,’ explained Ross. ‘Our planned route included both countries; we were so looking forward to exploring Ukraine, reaching the Black Sea, and tackling off-the-beaten-tracks to get to Moscow and St Petersburg. Obviously, that’s now out of the question but there are still plenty of fascinating Eastern European countries to experience.

‘The entire expedition team remains focussed on reaching Nordkapp and finishing this, the first ‘Hot Cape to Cold Cape’ journey in recent years. From there, we’ll traverse Scandinavia and Western Europe, cross the Channel into the UK and end on the Isle of Anglesey in Wales, where 75 years ago, the first Land Rover design was sketched in the sands of Red Wharf Bay by engineer Maurice Wilks in 1947.  It will be a world-first expedition, especially for the new Land Rover Defender.’

ENDS