FILM TALENT CELEBRATION

DStv has announced five highly esteemed judges to sit on the selection panel for its Film Talent Celebration competition: Kgomotso Matsunyane of Tom Pictures; Helen Kuun of Indigenous Distribution; Eve Rantseli of Women of the Sun; Teboho Mahlatsti of The Bomb and Steven Markovitz of the Encounters Film Festival.

“All of our judges are well-respected within the film industry and each has extensive experience in the film industry. We have also taken great pains in selecting judges who have an eye for identifying great talent,” says Itumeleng Letebele, corporate social investment manager at MultiChoice.

Markovitz adds: “This competition represents a unique platform for filmmakers to show their talent and win great cash prizes. It will raise the profiles of the winning filmmakers significantly, and gives them an opportunity to get cash for their short films, something that rarely happens.”

Filmmakers who believe they have what it takes to make an impact in the industry are encouraged to submit their very short-films before the competition closes on February 29, 2012. The length of the films has to be between three to ten minutes.

The DStv Film Talent Celebration competition is open to every filmmaker and any genre applies. It is however, limited to South African citizens. The judges will select winners for each of the six categories: Best Production, Best Director, Best Editor, Best Sound, Best Cinematography and Best Newcomer. The competition not only celebrates talent but the winners will receive cash prizes between R20,000 and R50,000. The winners will be announced at a special gala event, where the selected short-films will be screened. The event provides a platform for upcoming filmmakers to showcase their work to the industry.

“This is a nationwide search for the best short filmmakers South Africa has to offer and who are able to craft authentic stories through very short-films. This competition presents numerous opportunities for the winners, such as their films being promoted and broadcast on the DStv platform,” says Letebele.

The DStv Film Talent Celebration competition is an acknowledgment of the immense filmmaking talent that exists in South Africa and provides industry players with an opportunity to reflect on the achievements as an industry.

The competition is a natural extension of the DStv Film Skills Development Programme which offers participants from previously disadvantaged backgrounds with filmmaking training and mentorship by top industry professionals. The programme contributes towards skills development in the Film and Television industry in South Africa, and since its inception four years ago, it has equipped 64 filmmakers to excel in this highly competitive industry.

For more information on how to submit entries, filmmakers can visit www.multichoice.co.za