(Director Sara Blecher)
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 36th The
Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) which takes place from July 16 to 26 this
year.
Set in the vibrant,
Afropolitan community of Johannesburg’s Yeoville, Ayanda is a coming-of-age story
of a 21 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 South Africa, 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.”
Co-producer Terry
Pheto says “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.
“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 6th Durban FilmMart co-production market (presented in
partnership with the Durban Film Office). For more information go to www.durbanfilmfest.co.za
The 36th Durban
International Film Festival is organised by the Centre for Creative Arts at the
University of KwaZulu-Natal (a special project of the Deputy Vice Chancellor of
Humanities, Cheryl Potgieter) with support from the National Film and Video
Foundation, KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development & Tourism and
Environmental Affairs, KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission, City of Durban, German
Embassy, Goethe Institut, KwaZulu-Natal Department of Arts and Culture and a
range of other valued partners.
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