KZN AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL

The Fifth Annual community based film festival has an interesting line-up for this year.

In December 2004, the first Kwa Mashu Community Advancement Projects (K-CAP) through Ekhaya Multi Arts Centre (EMAC) launched with success the KZN African Film Festival (KAFF). The KAFF is a community based film festival, which specifically focuses on screening African Films, documentaries and unique world films from various parts of the world.

The 5th KZN African Film Festival (KAFF) is getting bigger and better with an interesting line up for this year. The programme features activities such as screenings of South African films, short films, and unique films from around the world, documentaries, and film development workshops for communities in and around the Inanda Ntuzuma Kwa-Mashu area (INK).

The department of Arts, Culture and Tourism came on board this year as partners of this festival. The festival will also be extended to the provinces Capital City in Pietermaritzburg. The purpose of extending this event to Umsunduzi is to reach more young people and give them skills on how to make films. The Festival will also position the Pietermaritzburg area as one of the locations that can be identified by film makers for shooting films.

The KAFF workshops were established as a means to provide opportunities for emerging young filmmakers to gain skills in filmmaking and to encourage interaction between well-established filmmakers and aspirant filmmakers. This year, workshops include the advanced levels.

Part of the KAFF’s mission is to empower local people – especially young and aspirant filmmakers who will have the opportunity to mingle with filmmakers. The filmmakers are therefore not only invited to introduce their films – but they are involved in Q&A’s engaging with the audience and they also conduct workshops that empower thereby ensuring transfer of skills in the community. Such is the uniqueness of the festival - It is staged in the community, with the community, for the community and by the community.

Screening of films take place on a daily basis from December 6 to 14 at 14h00 and 18h00. Local produced films to be screened include amongst others, Prey, The Puzzle, The Job, Akekho Ugogo, Kwa Mashu Still My Home, and many others. The line-up also includes unique films such as Lilya-4-Ever, The God Who Wasn’t There, Innocent Voices, Black Girl, Sugar Cane Alley and others

All the KAFF screenings are taking place at Ekhaya Multi Arts Centre (EMAC) and Winston Churchill Theatre. The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), KZN Department of Arts Culture and Tourism, KZN Department of Economic Development, Durban Africa are among sponsors and partners of this year’s KAFF edition.

During the film festival there are training workshops conducted by the film makers who are attending this event and who have produced successful films. More information on 031 504 6970 or email kcap@mweb.co.za