(Toni
Monty, Head of DFO, Chipo Zhou Manager of DIFF and Don Edkins of Afridocs at last
year’s Africa Hub at the EFM)
The African Film Market of the Future:
Durban joins important discussion on the African Film Market of the Future at
EFM taking place in February 2019.
The eThekwini Municipality’s film industry
unit, the Durban Film Office (DFO) will be attending this year’s European Film
Market (EFM) to further strengthen African and international networks,
partnerships and communication links for local filmmakers during this year’s
iconic Berlinale International Film Festival.
The EFM, has for three years now, hosted
the Berlinale Africa Hub, an initiative described as providing an
“international forum for communication and networking for African filmmakers
and creatives, as well as for filmmakers who are active on the continent, in
particular in its sub-Saharan regions.”
Head of the DFO, Toni Monty explains that
the introduction of the Berlinale Africa Hub, has provided focused
opportunities for African filmmakers to gather, share ideas and links globally
and across the Diaspora cementing relationships and connections vital for the
development of film ideas and projects.
The DFO is a co-partner with the Durban
International Film Festival, of the Durban FilmMart, a co-production market
focusing on African content for film, which takes place in the City during
July.
Monty will be representing the DFO and the
DFM at the market, and besides showcasing of the City as a potential location
for film production, will be taking meetings with filmmakers, as well as
current and potential partners, funders and investors.
“Film markets are THE place where the
business of film is actioned,” explains Monty. “It’s all about making
connections, examining opportunities, being exposed to potential funders,
investors, broadcasters, agents, distributors and the like, which play a vital
role in ensuring a film goes from its initial idea to its end product.”
Significantly, the DFO and DFM will be represented
on an important panel: The African Film
Market of the Future at the Hub. South African filmmaker and producer of
the STEPS Generation Africa Project, Tiny Mungwe will moderate this session
which features Toni Monty (DFO and DFM), SA producer Elias Ribeiro, who heads
up the Cape Town FilmMart, Marc Berry, exhibition relations manager from Discop
and Matthijs Wouter Knol, EFM Market Director.
The panelists will reflect on current
trends in cinema, television and new media in their own experiences as
conveners of key African gatherings as well as showcase their events as film
markets, providing an understanding of each platform’s niche, foreseeable
strategy and vision with a view to encourage industry attendance. They will get
an opportunity to unpack how international gatherings like the Africa Hub can
galvanise the continent, allowing for film professionals to connect despite
historical restrictions within the continent, and discuss synergies,
innovations and new opportunities in Africa, and its place in the Global Cinema
space.
This is one of many important panels and
events planned for the Hub which includes pop-up offices, various delegation
presentations, networking sessions and meetings.
“The DFO is pleased to be attending the
EFM, as it plays a key role in connecting African filmmakers to their peers and
to the international film arena,” says Monty. “While our focus is on developing
local filmmakers and African content, there is still a vital need to ensure
that we continue to develop co-production opportunities, global distribution
networks and attracts investors – and that is where these markets play a
pivotal role in ensuring viable connections are made.”
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