40TH DIFF AWARD WINNERS 2019

(Features jury member Ziyanda Macingwane with “Back of the Moon” Associate Producer, Kutlwano Ditsele; actress Moneoa Moshesh; Director, Angus Gibson; Producer, Desiree Markgraff; Lebogang Tsipa as they accept their award for the Best South African Feature Film)

The 40th Durban International Film Festival announced its winner at its awards ceremony last night (July 23, 2019) at the Elangeni Hotel after three jury teams had deliberated early than usual over the film in the competition section.

A total of 19 awards were given out at the ceremony:

Best Amnesty International Durban Human Rights Award at DIFF 2019: For Sama directed Edward Watts and Waad al-Kateab

Artistic Bravery: Letters Of Hope directed by Vusi Africa

Best Cinematography: Divine Love directed by Gabriel Mascaro

Best Editing: Cronofobia directed by Francesco Rizzi

(Left: Sanjeev Singh of Videovision Entertainment accepts the Best Screenplay award for “Les Misérables” on behalf of the filmmaker Ladj Ly, from features juror Silas Miami. Singh also accepted the award for Best Feature Film on behalf Ly for the same film.)

Best Screenplay: Les Misérables directed by Ladj Ly

Best Short Film: Acid directed by Just Philippot

Best African Short Film: Brotherhood directed by Meryam Joobeur. The film also received a cash prize of R20,000 sponsored by the Gauteng Film Commission.

Best South African Short Film: Miracle directed by Bongi Ndaba. The film received a cash prize of R20,000 from the Gauteng Film Commission.

Best Actor: Bongile Mantsai for Knuckle City directed by Jahmil X T Qubeka

Best Actress: Nisrin Erradi for Adam directed by Maryam Touzani 

(Right: Jackie Motsepe, Chief Operating Officer of the KZN Film Commission hands over a DIFF Legacy Award for Roz Sarkin founder of the festival to family friend Wouter Geldenhuys)

Best Documentary: For Sama directed Edward Watts and Waad al-Kateab. The film received a cash prize of R25,000.

Best South African Documentary: Buddha in Africa directed by Nicole Schafer The award is accompanied by a cash prize of R25,000.

Best Direction: Divine Love directed by Gabriel Mascaro

Best South African Feature Film: Back of the Moon directed by Angus Gibson The film received a cash prize of R25,000.

Best Feature Film: Les Misérables directed by Ladj Ly. The award is accompanied by a cash prize of R50,000.

(Left: Dr Lliane Loots, Acting Director of the CCA, UKZN, awards former Director of the CCA a DIFF legacy Award for this contribution to the development of the festival over the years)

DIFF Legacy Award: Peter Rorvik

 

DIFF Legacy Award: Roz Sarkin and Moosa Moosa

 (Right: Head of the Durban Film Office, Toni Monty (right) hands over a DIFF Legacy Award to Vuleka Productions - Julie Frederikse and Madoda Ncayiyana for their bravery in making one of the first isiZulu language films “iZulu Lami” (My Secret Sky) in KZN, South Africa)

DIFF Legacy Award: Julie Frederikse and Madoda Ncayiyana

(Below: Nicole Schafer, director of Buddha in Africa accepts her award for Best South African Documentary)

DIFF is included as a Documentary Feature Qualifying Festival by the Academy of Motion Picture, Arts and Sciences. This means that both the winners of the Best Documentary For Sama and Best SA Documentary Buddha in Africa, automatically qualify for consideration for an Oscar nomination.

The features jury were Emrah Kilic (Turkey), Diarah N'Daw-Spech (USA), Laurence Boyce (UK), Diana Keam (South Africa) and Mohammed Siam (Egypt). In the documentary jury were Patricia Van Heerden (SA), Florian Weghorn (Germany), Tracy Clayton (UK/SA), Rehad Desai (SA) and Ziyanda Macingwane (SA). The short film jurors were Jaime E Manrique (Colombia), Silas Miami, (Kenya), Jacintha De-Nobrega (SA), CJ Obasi (Nigeria) and Mpho Ramathuthu (SA).

(Right: Jackie Motsepe, Chief Operating Officer of the KZN Film Commission hands over a DIFF Legacy Award for the late Moosa Moosa, one of the early founders of the DIFF, to his son AB Moosa)

The festival continues until Sunday, July 28, 2019, at various venues around Durban.

See ccadiff.ukzn.ac.za for more information and the programme.