The
Durban International Film Festival (DIFF), hosted by the Centre for Creative
Arts (University of KwaZulu-Natal), with principal funding from the National
Lottery Distribution Trust Fund, and the Durban FilmMart (DFM), the joint
project of the Durban Film Office (DFO) and DIFF, have formed a strategic
partnership with Durban Wild Talk Africa. This is Africa’s most respected
natural history film festival and conference which takes place at the Docklands
Hotel in Durban from July 23 to 26.
The
return of Wild Talk Africa to Durban is supported by the City of Durban through
Durban Tourism and the Durban Film Office. “We are pleased that after a number
of years we can welcome back this prestigious conference and festival to our
City,” says Philip Sithole, Head of Durban Tourism and Business Support.
“Durban Wild Talk Africa combined with the continent’s two major film events –
the Durban International Film Festival and the Durban FilmMart, firms up a
truly strong film industry package for visitors and we look forward to
welcoming the many local, continental and international industry guests to our
shores.”
Durban
Wild Talk Africa is considered to be Africa’s key film festival and conference
for natural history and wildlife film and television programming. The event
includes workshops, seminars, masterclasses, open pitching sessions,
commissioners panels and exhibitions, and is a valuable networking forum with
both local and international delegates and industry leaders. This year DWTA
will include the Wildlife Photographer of
the Year exhibition to be held at uShaka Marine World and sponsored by
National Geographic, from July 25 to September 25, 2013.
“Forming
this strategic partnership with Durban Wild Talk Africa, adds a valuable new
dimension to DIFF,” says Peter Machen, Manager of DIFF. “The Wild Talk Africa
Film Festival selection complements our huge variety of more than 200 factual
and fiction films screened at the DIFF. This, no doubt will add to the dynamic
and vigorous discourse that usually takes place during the festival both
informally and formally in seminars and workshops, as well as in the media.”
“We
have chosen our dates to co-incide with the DIFF and DFM in a united effort to
build the film festival and market environment for factual content and feature
films in Durban,” says Donfrey Meyer, Director of Wild Talk Africa. “As the
DWTA is an autonomous conference, running concurrently with the DIFF, we
believe that film-makers and industry players will take advantage of the
abundance of content, industry representation and opportunities to discuss,
network and start conversations about content generation and distribution.
There is a global focus on the natural history of this continent and, with this
in mind, we are pleased to be welcoming commissioning editors and
representatives from Discovery Networks International, NHK Japan Broadcasting
Corp., BBC NHU, ORF Austrian Broadcasting Corp., ABC Australian Broadcasting
Corp., National Geographic, SABC, NFVF, e.tv. NHU Africa and others to Durban.”
“The
success of the Durban FilmMart is clearly demonstrated by the fact that we have
seen many of the projects pitched in the finance forum successfully make it to
festivals and theatrical release over the past four years.” says Toni Monty of
the Durban Film Office. “The DFM provides an important platform for the
business of film to be conducted. This, together with the industry events at
both the DIFF and DFM, promises to create a conducive environment for delegates
to exchange ideas and forge partnerships and relationships.. All of this helps
to further develop a dynamic and robust industry on the continent. We see the
alignment with Durban Wild Talk Africa as a great opportunity to further
promote and develop factual film content in Africa. We are hoping that film-makers
and industry representatives attending the DFM will stay on a little longer to
engage with Wild Talk Africa, and take in the additional industry opportunities
available.”
Registration
for the DWTA is now open on www.wildtalkafrica.com. The delegate pass
includes full access to workshops, seminars and panels, as well as evening
networking events and functions.
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