(Bongiwe Selane, joint producer of “Miles from Nowhere”)
A record 22 fiction
feature films and documentaries projects in development from around Africa have
been selected for the 8th edition of the Durban FilmMart (DFM) which
takes place in Durban from July 14 to 17.
A joint programme
of the eThekwini Municipality’s film industry development unit, the Durban Film
Office (DFO) and the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF), the DFM aims to
showcase and increase awareness of African cinema through stimulating film
production on the continent by encouraging collaborations amongst African
filmmakers.
The projects this
year have been selected from across Africa, including Egypt, Kenya, Morocco,
Benin, DRC, Namibia, Somalia, Mozambique and South Africa.
"We are more
than delighted with this year’s submissions and selection of projects,"
says Toni Monty, Head of the DFO. "We have a range of countries
represented as well as an interesting selection of topics and themes, which we
are sure will engage and pique the interest of the visiting experts and peers.
With 12 feature films and 10 documentaries, this promises to be a bumper
edition and we look forward to welcoming and engaging with the film-makers on
these projects in the hope that the DFM will act as a facilitator and catalyst
for the further development of these films.”
“Ultimately the
proof is when we see the projects come to life and get produced, distributed
and screened,” Monty goes on to say. “Many of the projects selected from the
DFM go on to be granted further opportunities to develop at other markets and
incubators around the world. We have seen them doing well at festivals or
picking up good distribution deals for cinema release. In the past we have seen
many of these projects come to life and premiere at the Durban International
Film Festival – a wonderful testimony to the value of the Durban FilmMart.”
The DFM provides a
platform for African filmmakers, industry professionals, broadcasters and
potential financiers, to come connect, network and engage in important
conversations around projects. Over the years it has become an important
networking space for film-makers and a solid springboard for new thinking and
collaboration between African and other international film-makers.
The selected fiction and documentary film-makers will attend the DFM and
will be meeting one-on-one with possible co-producers and financiers in the
Finance Forum. They will also pitch their work to a panel of commissioning
editors from local and international funders and financiers, and meet and
network with a wide range of industry experts and possible collaborators during
the four-day event.
Fiction
An African Tale (Kenya) – produced by Shirleen Wangar and directed
by Gilbert Lukalia
Border (Benin) – produced by Idrissou Mora Kpai and directed by Arouna Sacca
Mora Kpai
Borderlines (South Africa) – produced Kim Williams and Paul Egan and directed by Meg
Rickards
Dabulaphu (Short
Cut) (South Africa) -
produced Kethiwe Ngcobo and David Max Brown and directed by Norman Maake
Matigari (Congo) – produced by Dilima Luzuko, Balufu Bakupa Kanyinda, Fidelis
Duker, Cathy Muigai and directed by Balufu Bakupa Kanyinda
Miles from Nowhere (South Africa) – produced by Bongiwe Selane and directed by Samantha Nel
Rainbows Don’t
Last Long (Egypt) –
produced by Halina Dyrschka and directed by Mayye Zayed
Richard was Here (South Africa) – produced by Akona Matyila and Jack Chiang and directed
by Akona Matyila
The Girl from Wereldend (Namibia) – produced by Dylan Voogt and
directed by Jana Brückner
The Lotus (South Africa) – produced by Bonita Sithebe
and directed by Philani Sithebe
The Sovereign (South Africa) – produced by Gary King,
Cait Pansegrouw and Elias Ribeiro and directed by Wim Steytler
The Woods (South Africa) - produced and directed by
Kofi Zwane
Documentaries
As I Want (Zay
Mana Aiyza) (Egypt) –
produced by Karim El Hakim and directed by Samaher Alqadi
Behind Closed
Doors (Morocco) – produced
by Cyriac Auriol, Hind Saih, Karoline Henkel and directed by Yakhout Elhabibi
Better Sundays (Kenya) – produced by Kelvin Kimathi and directed by Lydia Matata
Desterrados (Mozambique) – produced by Fabio Ribeiro and
directed by Yara Costa
Encore (working title) (South Africa) –
produced by Liesel Priem, Jolynn Minnaar and directed by Jessie Zinn and Jethro
Westraad
Lobola, A Bride's
True Price (South Africa) –
produced by Sarah Basyouny and directed by Sihle Hlophe
Rajada Dalka
(Nation’s Hope) (Somalia) –
produced by Andy Jones, Cynthia Kane, and Lyric R Cabraland directed by Hana
Mire
Softie (Kenya) – produced by Matrid Nyagah and
Linda Ogeda and directed by Soko Sam
Working Womxn (South Africa) – produced by Tiny Mungwe
and directed by Shanelle Jewnarain
Y Revolution (South Africa) – produced and directed by
Suzanne du Toit
“Of course, filmmakers who do not have projects selected for the market
are also invited to attend as delegates as there is a full programme of
masterclasses, forums and networking events during the DFM, ” says Toni Monty
For more information on the Durban FilmMart and to register as a
delegate visit www.durbanfilmmart.com
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