Wandile Molebatsi - Catalyst for Change

 

The Film & Television sector represents R4,7 Billion and can provide jobs and transformation in the real economic sense to change lives and uplift those participating in the entertainment industry.

 

Filmmaker Wandile Molebatsi

Despite the growth of black filmmakers who are producing wonderful local content and Hollywood blockbusters being filmed on our shores, only R15.8 Million of that investment is going to black, female and previously disadvantaged people and companies.

This is according to actor and filmmaker Wandile Molebatsi who believes that the industry has massive potential for life-changing employment and transformation in the real economic sense, yet the question he asks is: “There is still an obvious disparity in the industry, what can we do about it together?”

As the founder and Executive Producer of Coal Stove Pictures, Wandile has been creating stories that shape a positive narrative of Africa for 25 years. His expertise and reputation in the industry have made him uniquely qualified to be one of the drivers for this transition in the South African Film & Television industry.

Wandile is passionate about seeing more black, female and previously disadvantaged people actively participating in the R4,7 Billion that is being spent in South Africa. His mission is to encourage international stakeholders to give newer black-owned suppliers an opportunity.

“As an industry we have the potential to be real catalysts of change at this critical stage,” says Wandile. “With the revolution that is happening in the digital space due to powerful streamers like NetFlix, Amazon, Hulu & DisneyPlus coming to the continent, it is more important than ever for the rights of producers, actors and content creators to be protected.”

“From an intellectual standpoint the way that Producers (I.P creators) have engaged with MNET, SABC and eTV has been very top down. However, with the importance that the South African government is placing on real, practical and measurable transformation, we have an opportunity to navigate this space and create an industry that is diverse, inclusive, and resilient.”

According to Wandile the second half of the challenge comes in shifting the spending behaviour of network executives and producers. Many have long standing relationships with their suppliers and believe that taking on new entrants is risky. This challenge is then compounded by the reality that many black suppliers do not have the liquidity of cash flow to float the initial costs of any work given by those who are willing to make the change.

There are financial incentives available from the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) to convince international stakeholders to support newer black-owned companies. These incentives include a rebate system that allows producers to attract international producers to shoot their films in South Africa. The Rebate works in phases. For International Co-Productions, 25% - 35% of all spend that is spent in SA will be given as a rebate for “re-investment”. In the case of Local Film production, these rebates can go up to 50% if it is a production that qualifies in terms of the BEE requirements.

There are also entities like the Industrial Development Co-Operation (IDC) and the National Empowerment Fund (NEF) that are also actively investing in the film & television sector.

“What is wonderful to see in this shifting landscape is that intelligent, pioneering black women are taking the helm of massive productions,” he says. “Watching as resilient, innovative African women rise to the highest ranks despite historically embedded challenges fills me with excitement for the opportunities the future may bring for my own daughter.”

“Often the challenge is that black women simply be given the correct platform and be allowed to excel. Something traditional corporate South Africa - who still has a hold on the Film & TV Industry - is slow to embrace.”

Whilst there is no doubt that the industry is still structurally flawed, steps need to be taken to ensure that the South African Film & TV Industry of the future is a more inclusive space for everyone. It is the combination of policy changes, the DTIC’s incentive initiative, and the passion and drive of trusted film authorities like Wandile that will see the industry progress to an inclusive future.

Resources for Filmmakers:

http://www.thedtic.gov.za/financial-and-non-financial-support/incentives/film-incentive/south-african-film-and-television-production-incentive-3/

Proudly SA Teams Up With Spider-Man

In what seems an unlikely connection, Proudly South African and its dedicated online shopping portal, www.RSAMade.co.za have partnered with Sony Movies SA in a special promotion ahead of the release of the blockbuster movie Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse, scheduled to go on circuit on 14 December.

Image TM and Copyright: Marvel and Sony Pictures Animation. 

In this movie you don’t need a mask to be a hero - Spider-Man is everyone and Proudly SA is appealing to all South Africans this festive season and beyond to be a local hero by choosing to support local products and services.

The competition, being run online, invites shoppers to spend R1 000 or more on any Proudly South African purchase on www.rsamade.co.za and stand the chance to win an RSAMade shopping voucher worth R1 000. In addition, every week from now until the promotion closed on 29 December, chosen lucky winners will receive a Spider-Verse hamper and movie tickets.

Lucretia Anthony, Sony Marketing Manager said, “We’re excited about this unique partnership between RSAMade and Sony’s ground-breaking film SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE.  Just as the film highlights the limitless possibilities of the Spider-Verse, where more than one can wear the mask, we look forward to the association with the limitless possibilities that the RSAMade platform has to offer.”

Proudly SA’s CEO, Eustace Mashimbye said, “We are turning our partnership with the massive international Spider-Man property into a focus on everything that is local. Everything on our dedicated online shopping platform www.rsamade.co.za where the promotion is running is Proudly South African, and we, together with our partners are appealing to all South Africans to be local heroes and make buy local choices, and assist the economy and job creation.”

RSAMade’s CEO, Karamba Jabbie added, “We are excited to be part of this massive IP and to support and uplift our local manufacturers together with Sony Movies SA, and so we encourage every South African to be the hero of their own and support Proudly South Africa by buying from www.rsamade.co.za . This helps many families ‘behind the scenes’. You don’t need a mask to be a hero!”

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is set to be a huge box office hit over the holidays and movie go-ers are asked to be reminded each time they see Spider-Man publicity that they don’t need a mask to be a hero, they just need to BUY LOCAL on www.rsamade.co.za


This edition by Fred Felton | Twitter @fredfelton 

South African Film 'Inxeba' (The Wound) Hits The Big Screen In France

Since its successful world premiere at The Sundance Film Festival and its European premiere as the opening film on the Panorama programme at the 67th Berlinale in Germany, South African Film 'Inxeba' (The Wound) released in theatres in France.

This is a film about the clash between tradition and modernity. This is the first feature film from writer-director John Trengrove, co-written by Thando Mgqolozana and Malusi Bengu.

It was released in 41 screens in France.

The film stars Nakhane Toure as Xolani, a lonely factory worker, who joins men of his community in the mountains of the Eastern Cape to initiate a group of teenage boys into manhood.

Books at Berlinale - Turn your book into a film - deadline 19 November 2015

Books at Berlinale: Call for Book Submissions – Deadline 19 November 2015

Looking to get your book made into a film? Then this might be for you.

10 books will be selected during the ‘Books at Berlinale’ networking event in February.  These pre-selected novels will be pitched to an audience of around 120 internationally established producers.  The presentation is followed by a networking event where contacts with producers can be established.

The 10 selected books will also be published in the ‘Books at Berlinale’ catalogue which will be handed out to attending producers.

You should be the film rights holder of the novel. Your book proposal should be a best-selling or brand new yet to be published novel with great potential for screen adaptation.  An English translation should exist to be handed out to interested producers.

Most producers work in the independent arthouse sector.  Your book should be suitable for this sector.

For more info email: books@berlinale.de

Article by Fred Felton

Twitter @fredfelton 

Record Opening Days of Pre-Ticket Sales at Ster-Kinekor for Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Ster-Kinekor Experiences Record Opening Days of Pre-Ticket Sales for Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Bookings opened on Monday, 19 October and a record number of 2299 tickets were snapped up on the first day.  This is the highest number of tickets sold on the first day of bookings’ opening in Ster-Kinekor’s recorded history.  Of this total 1387 were booked for the IMAX 3D.  The previous record for the first day of booking was held by Fifty Shades of Grey earlier this year.

From Monday to Thursday last week the figure increased to 8678 pre-tickets sold.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens opens nationwide on 16 December in South Africa.

Article by Fred Felton

Twitter @fredfelton 

Durban International Film Festival Award Winners 2015

All The Winners

The international jury this year was led by former Manager of the DIFF and current Director of the Sydney Film Festival, Nashen Moodley and included prolific and award-winning South African filmmaker Robbie Thorpe, South African producer of numerous award-winning films who sits on the advisory panel for NFVF, Moroba Nkawe and award-winning Nigerian filmmaker, Newton Aduaka.

The South African feature film jury consisted of film-makers Lizelle Bischoff, Thandeka Zwana and Jenna Cato Bass while the documentary jurors were film-makers Annalet Steenkamp and Sylvia Vollenhoven and the short film jurors were film-makers Darryl Els, Zandi Tisani and Terrence Dalisu Ngobese.

Best Feature Film - Sunrise directed by Partho Sen-Gupta. 

Best South African Feature Film - Necktie Youth directed by Sibs Shongwe-La Mer, 

Best Direction - Shongwe La-Mer for Necktie Youth

Best Documentary and Best SA Documentary - Beats of the Antonov directed by Hajooj Kuka and The Dream of the Shahrazad directed by Francois Verster, respectively. 

Best Actor - Didier Michon for his performance in Fevers directed by Hicham Ayouch 

Best Actress -  Anissa Daoud for Tunisian Spring directed by Raja Amari.

Best African Short Film award went to The Aftermath of the Inauguration of the Public Toilet at Kilometre 375 directed by Omar el Zohairy. 

Best South African Short Film - Unomalanga and The Witch 

Production Merit Award, - Rights of Passage 

Best Screenplay Award - Sabrina Compeyron and David Constantin for Sugar Cane Shadows directed by David Constantin.

Jean-Marc Ferriere, took the honours for Best Cinematography “for creating a distinctive, atmospheric, highly-crafted and visually dynamic world depicted almost entirely in the dark”, inSunrise directed by Partho Sen-Gupta.

Special Mention for Direction was made of Kivu Ruhorahoza for Things Of The Aimless Wanderer, “for a courageous and single-minded attempt by a director harnessing all means at his disposal to tell a personal, intricate and political story.”

A Special Mention for Best Film was given to Tunisian Spring by Raja Amari, “for it’s powerful depiction of an event that has, and continues to have, resonance in the world.”

Democrats directed by Camilla Nielsson, got a Special Mention for a Documentary, which is “commended for putting a human face on a story that is complex and sometimes almost opaque.”

The Amnesty International Durban Human Rights Award for the film that best reflects human rights issues which comes with a cash prize of R10 000 donated by the Artists for the Human Rights Trust went to The Shore Break, directed by Ryley Grunenwald. The jury citation reads “The film powerfully portrays a struggle within a local community regarding foreign mining rights in a pristine environment…(and) concisely and movingly uncovers this complex and urgent matter, which is still under investigation and in need of public support.”

A further Amnesty International Durban Human Rights Honorary Award was given to The Look of Silence directed by Joshua Oppenheimer, a film that “bravely uncovers the genocide in Indonesia in the 1960’s.”

The jurors for these awards were Nonhlanhla Mkhize, Betty Rawheath, Professor Lindy Stiebel and Coral Vinsen, convener of the jury panel.

Arterial Network’s Artwatch Africa Award, for an African film that meaningfully engages with the issues of freedom of expression, went to Beats of the Antonov, directed by Hajooj Kuka, who was presented a cash prize of R15 000. The jury citation said  “This compelling film shows how the power of music, dancing and culture sustains the displaced people living in the remote war-ravaged areas of Southern Sudan.”

The Jury included Junaid Ahmed, Gcina Mhlophe, René Alicia Smith, and Peter Rorvik.

The DIFF Audience Award went to The Shore Break directed by Ryley Grunenwald.

For more information go to www.durbanfilmfest.co.za 

The Restless Pitch at DIFF 2015

Restless Talent Management to Reprise The Restless Pitch at DIFF 2015

Restless Talent Management, the first global management company to focus on African talent, will be hosting its Restless Pitch event for the second time at this year’s 6^th edition of the Durban FilmMart (DFM), a Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) and the Durban Film Office (DFO) developmental initiative for African filmmakers which is funded by the City of Durban. Since its inaugural edition at DFM 2014, The Restless Pitch has been held successfully around the world (Film Africa London, Zimbabwe International Film Festival, AFRIFF, New York Africa Film Festival, Nollywood Week Paris), providing African filmmakers with the opportunity to put their best projects forward.

The Restless Pitch will take place Monday July 20^st from 2pm to 4pm at Southern Sun Elangeni hotel, the festival precinct for both the DFM and DIFF. As a new feature for DFM 2015, Restless Talent Management will also be hosting a “How To Pitch” workshop on Friday July 17 from 2pm to 3pm as a lead up to The Restless Pitch on Monday.

Candidates will be randomly selected among the filmmakers willing to pitch, and each will have 3 minutes to present their best idea for a feature film or TV show in front of a panel of experts that will include Restless Talent Management’s Tendeka Matatu and Thandeka Zwana, Producer of DIFF’s opening film AYANDA Terry Pheto, Award-winning Nigerian actor and lead in AYANDA OC Ukeje, Head of Production and Development at the National Film and Video Foundation Vuyo Sokupa, Head of International Acquisitions at XYZ Films Todd Brown, Award-winning producer Elias Ribeiro, Acquisitions Content Coordinator at MNet Mbalenhle Ntuli and Berlinale Festival Programmer Dorothee Wenner.

 

The filmmaker with the most promising, interesting and ultimately best idea put forward will win a one-on-one coaching session with Restless Talent Management at DFM, potentially leading to a representation deal for his or her project.  

 

“Since its inception at DFM 2014, The Restless Pitch has become the leading platform for African filmmakers to engage with industry influencers. Over the past year we have successfully hosted the pitch at a number of established festivals around the world. We are excited to be back at DFM and look forward to hosting a lively and rewarding event” says Tendeka Matatu, co-founder and CCO of Restless Global.

 

The 6^th DFM is set to take place on 17 – 20 July 2015 at Durban’s Elangeni Tsogo Sun Hotel, alongside the Durban International Film Festival which is set for 16 – 26 July. 

The Shore Break for Durban International Film Festival 2015

The documentary 'The Shore Break' by Riley Grunenwald just won the prestigious Backsberg Audience Choice Award at Encounters South African International Documentary Festival for best South African Film.

This documentary follows the dilemma faced by a rural community on South Africa's Wild Coast as to whether to support or resist a proposed titanium mining project and a national tolled highway. 

Nonhle Mbuthuma - Where the river meets the sea - a still from 'The Shore Break'

Director Grunenwald says she is thrilled with the award.

Director of 'The Shore Break' Ryley Grunenwald

'The Shore Break' which was a project in the 2013 Durban FilmMart will have its co-premiere at the 36th Durban International Film Festival on July 18, 2015 with four screenings during the festival which runs from July 16 to 26.

For more info on the film visit: www.theshorebreakmovie.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/theshorebreakmovie

Twitter: twitter.com/theshorebreak

Durban Film Festival: www.durbanfilmfestival.co.za

Article by Fred Felton

Twitter @fredfelton 

Interview with Eddie Edwards - Director and Producer of Durban Beach Rescue

This week I was invited to the Media Launch of the new show 'Durban Beach Rescue' a new reality type documentary set along the Durban shoreline.

An image from 'Durban Beach Rescue'

The show is a 10 part series set in Durban and follows Durban lifeguards and  their daily routines. From saving distressed bathers to dealing with verbal abuse, each day is an adventure.

I sat down with the Director of the show, Eddie Edwards and asked him about what it takes to shoot a documentary:

How big was your crew?

25 people.  We had 5 teams of crew members going out spread along the coastline following the lifeguards.

Talk about the KZN Film Commission, Durban Film Office and The City of Durban?

The KZN Film Commission were great, they helped us out with some funding, they also helped us out with all of the procedures of working on this project in Durban.
The Durban Film Office helped us out with dealing with the City.
The City of Durban were great in allowing us access all over and helping us film on the beaches.

Advice for aspiring filmmakers?

It's not the end of the world when you are turned down.  A project has a life.

How long did this show take to develop?

This took two and a half years to develop.


Durban Beach Rescue Premieres Saturday July 4th at 8pm Travel Channel DStv Channnel 179

The executive producer of the show is Bronwyn Berry from Ruby Rocket Media.
For more info visit their website: http://rubyrocket.tv/



Article by Fred Felton
Twitter @fredfelton

SA Film 'Ayanda' announced as DIFF's opening night film

The highly anticipated South African film Ayanda, directed by Sara Blecher and produced by Real Eyes in association with Leading Lady Productions, has been announced as the opening night film of the 36^th The Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) which takes place from 16 to 26 July this year.

Set in the vibrant, Afropolitan community of Johannesburg’s Yeoville, Ayanda is a coming-of-age story of a twenty-one year old Afro-hipster, who embarks on a journey of self-discovery when she has to fight to save her late father’s legacy – a motor repair shop - when it is threatened with closure. She’s thrown into a world of greasy overalls, gender stereotypes and abandoned vintage cars once loved, now in need of a young woman’s re-inventive touch to bring them back to life again.

The film stars Fulu Mugovhani (of Scandal fame) and Nigerian actor OC Ukeje, with a star South African cast including Ntathi Moshesh, Kenneth Nkosi, Jafta Mamabola, Thomas Gumede, Sihle Xaba and veteran star of stage and screen Vanessa Cooke.

“We are pleased that this feel-good film will open this year’s festival,” says Pedro Pimenta, Director of the DIFF. “The opening film of this, the most prestigious international film event in SA, needs to reflect a clear priority established by the festival to reach and develop local audiences.”

“The recently published NFVF report on audiences in this country, is very informative and revealing in that while the industry has been successfully structured and supported from all quarters to allow a regular flow of SA content, much still needs to be done for this content to reach local audiences. By once again opening the DIFF with a strong SA film, we endorse this objective.”

This is the second opening night film at DIFF for director Sara Blecher. Her film Otelo Burning opened the 2011 edition of DIFF to critical acclaim. “We are very proud of Ayanda and are thrilled to have it selected as the opening film at this year’s festival.    The film had a very successful screening in Cannes last month and we look forward to screening it to festival-goers in Durban,” says Blecher.

“Ayanda offers an interesting and positive convergence of talents style , resources and distribution potential for the film market.” says Pimenta. “There is a real sense that reaching an audience has been the most important motivation equally shared by the filmmakers and their financiers in its creation.”

“Ayanda celebrates the diversity of our country and revels in the fact that we are a multi-cultural, colourful and exciting melting pot of Africa,” says co-producer Terry Pheto.  “With this film we have tried to capture the Afropolitan nature of our country and the energy of its people.”

“What is also particularly encouraging in terms of the South African film industry is that the film, originally titled, Andani and the Mechanic, was a project in the 2013 Durban FilmMart, the co-production and finance forum of the DIFF and the Durban Film Office.”  says Pimenta. “The film is one of five titles that have been part of the DFM process over the years that will be screened this year at DIFF.”

The festival includes more than 200 theatrical screenings and a full seminar and workshop programme, as well as the Wavescapes Film Festival, and various industry initiatives, including the 8th Talents Durban (presented in cooperation with the Berlinale Talents) and the 6^thDurban FilmMart co-production market (presented in partnership with the Durban Film Office).  For more information go to www.durbanfilmfest.co.za.

Win Exclusive Avengers Hampers With Mountain Dew

After teaming up with Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron to once again bring you a blockbuster experience, Mountain Dew is offering fans the opportunity to re-live the Avengers experience.

Test how well you know your Avengers by visiting Mountain Dew South Africa on Facebook  and answering daily quizzes to unlock trivia about their favourite Avengers characters.

If you’ve seen the movie get the gear – the Mountain Dew Facebook page also offers some great opportunities to win excusive Avengers hampers.

For more info visit https://www.facebook.com/MountainDewSA

#AvengersDew #AvengersJozi @Mountain_DewSA

The Royal Ballet Comes To The Big Screen With Cinema Nouveau

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland comes alive in Christopher Wheeldon’s magical ballet for the enjoyment of audiences of all ages…

‘Absurdist, dark and almost beyond praise: Christopher Wheeldon's take on Lewis Carroll is a dazzling extravaganza’  – The Telegraph  ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆

All the beauty, grace and magic of the ballet will soon be enjoyed on the big screen, thanks to a screening partnership between Cinema Nouveau and The Royal Ballet in London. Following on the success of the screening of ‘live’ theatre, opera and art exhibitions, lovers of the arts will now be able to enjoy wonderful ‘live’ ballet productions from The Royal Ballet at Cinema Nouveau theatres in Johannesburg (Rosebank Mall), Pretoria (Brooklyn Mall), Durban (Gateway) and Cape Town (V&A Waterfront).

A season of five famous ballets will be screened over the next few months, and launches with a ballet that will appeal to audiences of all ages. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, adapted from the delightful book by Lewis Carroll, releases exclusively at Cinema Nouveau from Saturday, 28 March, with limited screenings. The other ballets to be screened includeSwan Lake (02 May), Romeo & Juliet (06 June), La Fille mal gardée (27 June) and The Winter’s Tale (08 August).

Tumble down the rabbit hole with The Royal Ballet with an exhilarating performance of choreographer Christopher Wheeldon’s magical Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. His version of the ballet first arrived on the stage in 2011, with a burst of colour, theatrical magic and inventive choreography. It was The Royal Ballet’s first new full-length work since 1995 and was greeted with delight by audiences.

Exuding a girlish charm, Alice, danced by American Principal Sarah Lamb, encounters a cast of extraordinary characters including the gardeners’ boy, Federico Bonelli, who later becomes her Knave of Hearts as they dance a tender and lovingpas de deux of delicate beauty.

There is also the highly-strung Queen of Hearts, who performs an hilarious send-up of The Sleeping Beauty's famous Rose Adage, dancing playing cards, the jittery White Rabbit and the quirky tap-dancing Mad Hatter.

But the ballet does not avoid the darker undercurrents of Lewis Carroll’s story – a nightmarish kitchen, an eerily disembodied Cheshire Cat and the unhinged tea party are all created in vivid detail.

The familiar story is reimagined with quirky designs by Bob Crowley as we follow Alice into Wonderland across a lake of tears, playing croquet with flamingos and hedgehogs, and attending the deranged tea party. Drawing upon a wealth of theatrical effects, projection and puppetry are used to visualise the grinning Cheshire Cat and the sinuous Caterpillar with his 16 legs of ballet dancers en pointe to create a mesmerising world of enchantment.

A feast for the senses, Wheeldon’s spectacular ballet brings to life Lewis Carroll’s famous story with a menagerie of colours, characters and compelling choreography. Joby Talbot’s lively score combines contemporary sound worlds with sweeping melodies that gesture to ballet scores of the 19th century, to provide the perfect accompaniment to the ballet with sparkling idiosyncrasy. Bob Crowley’s wildly imaginative sets and costumes draw on puppetry, projections and masks to make Wonderland wonderfully real.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland was the first full ballet created for the Company since 1995 and premiered in 2011 with sold-out world performances. The live screening on Tuesday 16 December was captured for release on cinema screens worldwide.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland releases on South African screens on Saturday, 28 March, for four screenings only – on 28 March, 01 and 02 April at 19:30 and on 29 March at 14:30 – at Cinema Nouveau theatres in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town. Bookings are now open, and the running time of this production is 2hrs, 55mins (including two intervals).

For booking information on the Royal Ballet’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, visit www.cinemanouveau.co.za orsterkinekor.mobi. Folllow us on Twitter @nouveaubuzz or on Facebook at Cinema Nouveau. Download the Ster-Kinekor App on any Nokia, Samsung Android, iPhone and Blackberry smart phones for updates, news and to book from your mobile. For queries, call TicketLine on 0861 Movies (668 437).

The Other Man Releases In The USA 6 Feb 2015

This documentary on the life of FW de Klerk is made by a Swiss American filmmaker.
Many films have been made on Nelson Mandela but few have focused on
FW de Klerk.

Now a new documentary (part biography, part political thriller) tells his story.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHOp9dkn5Rg

The documentary features in-depth interviews with former South African President
Thabo Mbeki and many others.

Director and Producer: Nicolas Rossier

Rossier is an award-winning Swiss American filmmaker. His work has appeared on
CNN and Al Jazeera.

For more info: www.barakaproductions.com

The Co Producer is Naashon Zaik who is himself an accomplished South African film producer and director.

For more info: www.naashon.co.za

The documentary opens February 6, 2015 at Quad Cinemas and has a limited release nationwide in the United States.

Call for Entries for Open Cities Doc Fest and for Durban International Film Festival - Watch EFC Free at Ster Kinekor

Open Cities Doc Fest

London's leading documentary film festival. The festival occurs annually in June and creates an open space in London to nurture and champion the art of creative documentary and non-fiction filmmakers. The festival is already global in scope, but this year they are keen to work even harder to showcase the best films made by filmmakers from the Global South, who only make it to London audiences in limited quantity. They are keen to provide a platform for inspiring filmmaking talent coming out of Africa. Submissions are currently open for their 2015 edition.   

Inclusion in the Open City Docs Fest programme is a great opportunity for any filmmaker. They offer filmmakers from around the globe the opportunity to have their work seen by diverse audiences and award-winning, expert judges - the 2014 jury included acclaimed filmmaker Pawel Pawlikowski. 

They accept both short films and features, and submissions close 2 Feb 2015. 

To submit films, and to find out more go to: http://bit.ly/10BsHZc 

Find them on Twitter @OpenCityDocs

Durban International Film Festival calls for entries for 2015

Durban, South Africa: The Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) will celebrate its 36th edition from 16 to 26 July 2015. Presenting over 250 screenings of cutting-edge cinema from around the world, with a special focus on films from South Africa and Africa, the festival exhibits films in a diversity of venues around the city. DIFF is the premiere platform for the launch of African films and a key gateway to the African film industry. The festival also includes a local and international awards component.

Only films completed in 2014 and 2015 will be considered, and there is no charge for entry. Submissions will be accepted with either a DVD SCREENER or an ONLINE SCREENER. All submissions must be entered via the DIFF Visitor Page online at vp.eventival.eu/cca. In order to submit a film, an account needs to be created if this has not already been done in previous years. The deadline for all entries (short films, documentaries and feature fiction films), including delivery of screeners, is 20 March 2015.

The extensive seminar and workshop programme featuring local and international filmmakers and industry professionals will include the 8th Talents Durban programme (17 to 21 July), in cooperation with Berlinale Talents, and the 6th Durban FilmMart (17 to 20 July), in partnership with the Durban Film Office, as well as various other streams of programming.

Specific streams of programming for 2015 will include a focus on climate change, as well as films that explore our relationship to the earth’s changing ecology. “We are very excited about receiving a wealth of challenging and high quality films from around the world,” says festival manager Peter Machen. “We also welcome engagement with current and potential partners who support the development of cinema in Africa and beyond. Such collaboration is a major part of the festival and helps to provide filmmakers and the public with a programme of brilliant films and a solid development programme.”

For more information check out the festival Submission FAQs or visit: www.durbanfilmfest.co.za or email diff@ukzn.ac.za.

Watch EFC Free at Ster Kinekor

For the final EFC event of 2014, Ster-Kinekor and EFC have teamed up to say thank you to all the loyal fans for the fantastic year. EFC 36: Allen vs. Groth is happening live at the Coca-Cola Dome on Thursday 11 December. Ster-Kinekor and EFC are giving away free tickets to all fans attending any of the Ster-Kinekor cinemas which are screening EFC 36 live.

If you can’t be Hexagon-side for the live event at the Coca-Cola Dome, then booking your tickets for an exhilarating free EFC experience at Ster-Kinekor cinemas is easy. Simply call Ticketline on 0861-Movies (668 437) to secure your seats. Don’t forget that the Ster-Kinekor broadcasts the full event of twelve live fights in full HD on the big screen.

The main Ster-Kinekor Prelim Bout for EFC 36 will showcase the much-anticipated bout between two of the EFC’s best. Fighting out of Edenvale, Johannesburg, comes Gareth Sawyer, with two wins and no losses to his name, taking on Bloemfontein-based grizzly, Warren Allison, who boasts a four win streak. This is the main event of the EFC 36 Ster-Kinekor Prelim Bouts. If you aren’t at the live event, the only other way you can catch this clash is at Ster-Kinekor cinemas. Watch this massive fight live, plus five more Ster-Kinekor Prelim Bouts, and all the action from the five main card bouts, on the big screen for an explosive MMA experience.

The exclusive Ster-Kinekor Prelim Bouts feature the following fights:  Sawyer vs. Allison, Vermeulen vs. Grobbelaar, Visser vs. Hurter, Buthelezi vs. Mulumba, Lakobioze vs Calvert, Illunga vs Seabi and Coxen vs. Pritchard. The full fight card also features the main card bouts of: Allen vs Groth, Begattin vs Roodman, I. Kabesa vs Nienaber, Zulu vs F. Groenewald and Sebeko vs Cutendana.

Cinema audiences are treated to all 12 of the scheduled fights as they take place, broadcast live in state-of-the-art digital projection, on the big screen. The following Ster-Kinekor cinemas will be going live from 16:45:

• Ster-Kinekor Fourways (Johannesburg)

• Ster-Kinekor East Rand Mall (Johannesburg)

• Ster-Kinekor The Zone@Rosebank (Johannesburg)

• Ster-Kinekor Greenstone (Johannesburg)

• Ster-Kinekor Cradlestone (Johannesburg)

• Ster-Kinekor Maponya (Johannesburg)

• Ster-Kinekor Brooklyn (Pretoria)

• Ster-Kinekor Gateway (Durban)

• Ster-Kinekor Cavendish (Cape Town)

• Ster-Kinekor Cape Gate (Cape Town)

• Ster-Kinekor Tyger Valley (Cape Town)

• Ster-Kinekor Mimosa (Bloemfontein)

Cinema-goers receive a complimentary EFC event guide and live commentary throughout the event. EFC 36, is presented by BetXchange.com.

To find out more about EFC events and to reserve your free tickets for EFC 36 at your nearest Ster-Kinekor cinema, callTicketline on 0861-Movies (668 437). Download the SK App on any smart phone for updates, information and to make bookings. For information on other exciting promotions Ster-Kinekor has on offer, follow @sterkinekor on Twitter orFacebook at Ster-Kinekor Theatres, visit www.sterkinekor.com or sterkinekor.mobi.

This edition by Fred Felton

Twitter @fredfelton 

Film Review - The Great Beauty

The Great Beauty         (142 minutes)            Italian with English Sub-Titles

From the very beginning “La Grande Bellezza,” in English “The Great Beauty” entices with its audacious scenes of Rome.

Perhaps all of this is a dream. The film may seem as Baroque as in its sensibilities like Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s “One Hundred Years of Solitude,” we are in the presence of great theatre, the stage is the city, Rome. If life is a dream, we are easily seduced by Sorrentino’s lush canvas.

From the high vistas of Rome, we travel through the facile world of la dolce vita, although these darkened corners are less the world of Fellini; yet showing a wistful but jaded detachment from all, namely a world drenched in facades.

The main character, Jeb Gambardella, a latter-day Proust without the cork-lined rooms; appears satiated by his life as the dilettante. His character although constantly flitting from party to party represents an older world, where sensory beauty, and art is everything.

Gambardella is surrounded by the opposite side of the coin: the nouveau riche. The contrast between the writer, his interior motives and his destiny are uneasily juxtaposed to the new era. The shallow swans, swains and chimeras of this Rome, an Italy of empty poseurs, indulge their media fantasies, endless Bellusconi-like parties, reprises a large segment of the film. The depths of the dark shades are really a beautiful meditation on loss, life, death, memory, art which encourages a dance, an evocation most satisfying, because it is a life involved in art. The visionary element of this film charts the vagaries of modern Rome. Subtly played by all, especially Toni Servillo as Gambardella; but we are drawn to the furies of the city, both good and bad. This universe brings both creation, but also death. Fame, as some have come to regard it, may be the disease of the age, while some find it difficult to part from its allure. Gambardella seems ambivalent, although he is intoxicated by the beauty of this truncated world, and the nature of Rome.

Rome resplendent is very fine indeed. In the hands of this director we share in a very human fable. The body and life of man: his sadness, his pride and his destiny unfold with the poignancy of the most fervent dreams. “La Grande Bellezza” is full of life with many dazzling scenes. We might have a vainglorious tale; the story of a modern Icarus, but my, how brightly he, Gambardella burns. This is an old-fashioned film, but it is a truly Great one in the European tradition.   

Review by Timothy Sparks

Freelance Writer - Poet - Film Reviewer

Email: tphwsparks@gmail.com