Durban FilmMart calls for Animation Projects from African filmmakers

Durban FilmMart calls for Animation Projects from African filmmakers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Shortlisted projects will be contacted via email in November 2022.

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

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

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

For further questions: info@durbanfilmmart.com

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

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

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

ENDS

About the Durban FilmMart Institute:

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

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

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

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

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

Flatfoot Dance Company with the Flatfoot Downie Company

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

Tebandeke (Uganda)

Four new works will be premiered at the Festival:

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

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

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

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

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

Unmute

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

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

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

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

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

European Film Festival in eSwatini and Lesotho

European Film Festival in eSwatini and Lesotho.

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

Films for eSwatini and Lesotho

This Is Not A Burial, It’s a Resurrection

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

As Far as I Can Walk

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

Supa Moda

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

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

Accessing the South African online programme

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

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

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

-ends

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

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

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

Mlu Mthembu

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

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

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

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

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

A group of hikers enjoying the views over the Inanda Valley

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

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

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

-ends

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Medal Games

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

Pool A Results

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

Pool B Results

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

ENDS

European Film Festival in South Africa goes hybrid

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

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

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

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

Ali and Ava (UK)

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

As Far as I can Walk (Co-Production)

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

The Emigrants (Sweden)

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

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

eSwatini and Lesotho

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

Side Events

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

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

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

-ends

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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