ABBA: THE MOVIE FOR STER-KINEKOR CINEMAS

 

The ultimate ABBA party is about to hit Ster-Kinekor cinemas, for two days only on October 8 and 10, 2023.

Have the time of your life when ABBA: The Movie dances into cinemas for a special two-day fan event! Captured by director Lasse Hallström during the iconic group’s mega-successful tour of Australia, this newly remastered film will take you on a flashback journey to the 1970s when disco reigned supreme and ABBA was music royalty.

Including backstage footage as well as full-length performances of some of ABBA's greatest hits including Dancing Queen, SOS, Name Of The Game and Waterloo, the film provides a rare look at the hugely successful band during the height of their popularity.

The subplot is a mocumentary-style story of a country radio disc-jockey who attempts to land an interview with the band. As deadlines loom, the film is a slapstick mix of happenstance and error by the young DJ who is tasked with getting the coveted interview, while ABBA’s dedicated bodyguard does everything he can to stop it from happening.

This fan event also features exclusive extras, including an insight from the creators of the phenomenally-successful London-based concert ABBA: Voyage, plus a glimpse at ABBA The Museum in Stockholm, lyric videos from hit songs, and also some extremely rare behind-the-scenes footage from preparations ahead of the 1977 tour.

Starring the famous ABBA four: Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, and Agnetha Fältskog, and directed by Lasse Hallstrom, ABBA: The Movie will be screened at the following Ster-Kinekor cinemas on October 8 and 10 only: Ster-Kinekor Gateway in Umhlanga as well as Cinema Nouveau Rosebank in Johannesburg; Ster-Kinekor Brooklyn in Pretoria: and at Ster-Kinekor V&A Waterfront in Cape Town.

Don’t miss the opportunity to watch ABBA: The Movie at select Ster-Kinekor cinemas. Book your tickets at www.sterkinekor.com or download the SK App on your smartphone.

For news and updates, go to Facebook: Ster-Kinekor Theatres | follow Ster-Kinekor on Twitter: @Ster-Kinekor. For all queries, call Ticketline on 0861-Movies (668 437).

 

DFMI BUSINESS LAB PARTICIPANTS

 

Durban FilmMart Institute announces DFMI Business Lab participants.

After receiving a record number of applications for the 3rd edition of the DFMI Business lab, the Durban FilmMart Institute is pleased to announce 35 participants from 22 countries across the continent.

The selected participants will undergo a 12-week business development programme, aimed at nurturing and empowering producers with the necessary skills to effectively engage in a global market.

Magdalene Reddy, director of DFMI, says: “The lab is now in its third year. We would like to thank DW Akademie for their continued investment into capacity building on the African continent.

“In addition to providing filmmakers with the expertise to expand their film career, the lab has created a sense of community between the producers, inviting them into a peer-to-peer support system where they are free to share opportunities and learnings as they engage in the film industry,” adds Reddy.

The lab will focus on modules such as Financial management, Business management, IP & Entertainment Law, Distribution and coproduction lead by film and creative industry professionals from Burkina Faso, Canada, France, Kenya, South Africa and USA.

 

DFMI Business Lab participants:

Abdifatah Abdi (Somalia)

Boi Beatrice Kenneh (Sierra Leone)

Boris Fredy Agblo (Benin)

Chelsea Art (South Africa)

Doreen R. Kilimbe (Tanzania)

Duwayne Murphy (South Africa)

Emil Garuba (Nigeria)

Faith Riyano (Zimbabwe)

Faye Binetou (Senegal)

François Maree (South Africa)

Ghislaine Kanga (Ivory Coast)

Gopalen Parthiben Chellapermal (Mauritius)

Habtamu Mekonen (Ethiopia)

Ian Tarimo (Tanzania)

Ibtissem Labidi (Tunisia)

Khangelani Mtyhalela (South Africa)

Khanyisile Zondi (South Africa)

Lauren  Scholtz (South Africa)

Limbani Maxwell Teputepu (Malawi)

Madelize De Lange (South Africa)

Manar El-Zohery (Egypt)

Muhammad Taymour (Egypt)

Muhannad Lamin (Libya)

Naseeba Bagalaaliwo (Uganda)

Ndumiso Gumede (South Africa)

Nduruka Njoroge (Kenya)

Omoyefe Majoroh (Nigeria)

Oueslati Ager (Algeria)

Oularé Momo (Guinea)

Paul Wilo (Zambia)

Pingdewinde Tiemtore (Burkina Faso)

Rugare Ponde (Zimbabwe)

Sally Ngoiri (Kenya)

Timilehin Adewoye (Nigeria)

Zineb Chafchaouni Moussaoui (Morocco)

 

The programme is presented in partnership with DW Akademie and supported by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. The online programme will commence in October, 2023.

The Durban FilmMart Institute receives principal funding from the Durban Film Office and the eThekwini Municipality.

The Durban FilmMart mailing address is:

Durban FilmMart

Fl 11 Rennies House

Margaret Mncadi Ave, South Beach

Durban, KwaZulu-Natal 4001

 

BAROQUE 2000: “BAROQUE NOIR”

 

(Right: Lente Louw & Uwe Grosser with Rosamund Ender in front)

This was a different and most enjoyable concert and was well received by the audience. (Review by Keith Millar)

Baroque 2000’s September concert at the Mariannhill Church of the Monastery offered something completely different from what one has come to expect from them.

Not on this occasion the standard orchestral ensemble, but, visiting from Cape Town, the amazing Lutesong Consort.

The consort performs English and European vocal music from predominantly the 16th and 17th centuries.

Founded in 2017 by husband-and-wife duo of Lente Louw (mezzo soprano) and Uwe Grosser (lute, Baroque guitar) the group expanded in 2021 with the creation of the Lutesong Consort. Their concerts feature a combination of historical plucked string instruments, namely Renaissance lutes, chitarrone and Baroque guitar, and any number of voices. The ensemble maintains a regular performance schedule in and around Cape Town.

Their Baroque Noir programme presented at Mariannhill included a selection of Italian, German and English Baroque songs for mezzo soprano as well as solo instrumental works. The compositions were often haunting, hypnotic or melancholy in character, in support of some of the deepest, darkest, most profound and heartfelt poetry found in the literature.

The programme included masterpieces such Dido’s Lament and O, solitude by the great English composer of the middle Baroque period, Henry Purcell. There were also interesting examples of chaconnes and passacaglias by German composer Johan Philipp Krieger and Italian composers Tarquinio Merula and Claudio Monteverdi.

The ethereal solos for viola da gamba were by German Carl Friedrich. Abel and Frenchman Jean de Sainte-Colombe and a rather jaunty one for the guitar by Gaspar Sanz.

Mezzo soprano Lente Louw has an exquisite voice. Originally trained in classical opera she brought all her experience to bear in a beautiful and sometimes emotional presentation.

Her husband Uwe Grosser supported her on the lute (an instrument made by himself) and a baroque guitar.

The viola da gamba, and instrument which slightly resembles a cello and is played with a bow or often plucked, was in the hands of Rosamund Ender. Despite her endless problems with tuning her instrument because of Durban’s humidity she performed with great skill and talent.

Both instruments are designed more for ambience and tone than volume and provide a subtle and refined background to the music.

This was a different and most enjoyable concert and was well received by the audience.

The next Baroque 2000 concert is scheduled for October 29, 2023, at the Mariannhill Church of the Monastery. For more information contact Michel at sursouth@iafrica.com or on 0823035241.

Baroque 2000 is sponsored by Die Rupert Musiekstigting. - Keith Millar

 

DR MADALA KUNENE HONORARY CONCERT

(Above: Dr Madala Kunene. Pic supplied)

The Playhouse Company, an agency of the Department of Sport, Arts & Culture, is proud to salute Dr Madala Kunene with an Honorary Concert in the Drama Theatre on Thursday, October 12, 2023 .

Starring Dr Kunene, and directed by Edmund Mhlongo, the concert will also feature Xolisa Dlamini with Thando Nyameni as MC.

Dr Kunene has recently received an honorary doctoral degree (Doctor of Music) from UKZN's College of Humanities.

Speaking at the investiture of his honorary degree during the University’s graduation ceremony in May this year, Kunene expressed his deep appreciation and humility for the acknowledgment the institution had accorded him.

The university responded this was in recognition of the extraordinary impact Kunene had made on indigenous music, throughout Africa and the world.

Kunene said “I strive to play the guitar in a way that reflects my gift. I also sing in my mother tongue in order to preserve our culture through singing songs relating to issues that affect our people’s welfare”.

One of eThekwini’s best-loved sons of music, Madala Kunene is affectionately known as "Bafo". Born in 1951 Mkhumbane near Durban, his family was forced by the apartheid government to relocate to the township of KwaMashu in the late1950s. He started busking on the Durban’s beachfront at the age of seven, making his first guitar out of a cooking oil tin. 

Over the years, his fame spread exponentially, to the point where he is referred to as the “legendary king of the Zulu guitar”, or the “Maskandi King”.

The Playhouse’s Dr Madala Kunene Honorary Concert will start at 19h00. Tickets R100. Booking through Webtickets.

 

SUGAR MAN

 

Rhumbelow Theatre will present Sugar Man, A Tribute to Rodriguez, featuring Barry Thomson & The Reals - Dawn Selby, Andy Turrell, Mali Sewell & Barry Thomson

Who would know that an unknown album from an unknown artist in 1970 (Rodriguez) would become a huge phenomenon in South Africa?

As big as, say, Elvis Presley. Rodriguez himself was never aware of his huge success, as well as most other Americans. His music was lost in the US but, by a strange coincidence becomes a cult hit in South Africa and becomes a symbol of rebellion for the underground white, anti-apartheid sub-culture.

Celebrate the music and life with all his well-remembered songs such as I Wonder, Establishment Blues and Sugar Man, amongst others.

The show runs from October 6 to 8, 2023:

Friday, October 6 - Show starts 19h30

Saturday, October 7 - Show starts 18h30. Earlier start so our Rugby mad nation can be home in time for big World Cup Rugby game 21h00 Ireland vs Scotland

Sunday, October 8 - Show starts at 14h00

The venue is open 90 minutes before show.

Tickets R200. Bring food picnic baskets or buy at the venue. Bar available (no alcohol may be brought on to the premises).

Bookings is essential - on email: roland@stansell.co.za or Computicket or http://events.durbantheatre.com/

There is limited secure parking available.

For more information contact Roland on 082 499 8636. Rhumbelow is situated at 42 Cunningham Road off Bartle Road, Durban.

 

AEFA CALL OUT FOR SUBMISSIONS

Deadline: November 14, 2023.

The 11th African Emerging Filmmakers Awards call out for submissions.

The African Emerging Filmmakers Awards [AEFA] would like to invite filmmakers to submit their films for the 11th African Emerging Filmmakers Awards. The awards have been running for more than ten years, exposing new talent, promoting emergent filmmakers and serving as a networking platform for talent in film and television in South Africa first, and in the rest of the continent.

The awards encourage collaborations for local filmmakers with their counterparts outside the country. The Awards Ceremony will be on November 25, 2023, in the Greyville Racecourse. The film submissions' call-out period opens on September 14 to run until November 14, 2023.

Film producers of African origin from all over the continent are invited to submit their films. Films from any genre can be submitted in a DVD format. The request is that the films which are submitted must be clearly marked with: "The Film Title", "The Producer's Name" and "The Producer's Contact Details".

Some of the nominated films will be screened in the Mzansi Reel Film Festival which will take place between February 17 and 19, 2024.

Films can be either hand-delivered - during office hours - or sent via post to Durban Film Office, 41 Margaret Mncadi Avenue, Rennie House, 11thFloor no later than November 14, 2023.

For further information, contact Angie Msani on +27 67 022 7974 or email efa031@gmail.com

These awards are hosted by Ethekwini Filmmakers Association, with the assistance of the Durban Film Office, KwaZulu Natal Film Commission, and KZNEDTEA.

POETRY AFRICA FESTIVAL TAKING PLACE IN 3 CITIES

 

(Right: Kwanele Nyembe SA Slam Poetry Champion 2022. Photo credit: Niamh Walsh-Vorster)

The 27th edition of the Poetry Africa Festival will take place in October in three cities: Durban, Johannesburg and Bloemfontein. The festival will kick off in Johannesburg on Thursday October 5, then take its pride of place in Durban from October 9 to 14 and conclude in Bloemfontein on Tuesday October 17, 2023. Poetry Africa is presented by the Centre for Creative Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

The festival theme VOTE4POETRY : MORE THAN WORDS celebrates the crucial role that poets’ voices play to strengthen and advance the values of a constitutional democracy. The programme line-up will showcase a diverse array of established, mid-career, and emerging spoken word poets taking part in performances, workshops, masterclasses, panel discussions and book launches.

Poetry Africa’s curator, Siphindile Hlongwa says: “For more than two decades Poetry Africa has retained its reputation as one of the most significant platforms for contemporary spoken word poetry. After our huge success in Durban and Johannesburg last year, the expansion to Bloemfontein was an inevitable progression.”

In Johannesburg, Poetry Africa will be presented in partnership with the Arts & Culture Centre at the University of Johannesburg. In Bloemfontein, PACOFS will play host to Poetry Africa. The recently-appointed artistic director of PACOFS, Napo Masheane, is an internationally celebrated poet who in her early years also cut her teeth at the Poetry Africa Festival in Durban.

Ismail Mahomed, the Director of the Centre for Creative Arts, says: “Napo Masheane is an alumnus of the Poetry Africa Festival, and she understands how the festival can unearth new talent and simultaneously create newer pathways for established poets. It is not surprising that she intends to make the City of Roses a place where poets can find a nurturing and welcoming space.”

Poetry Africa’s annual Slam Poetry Competition is one of the leading slam events on the African Continent. Poetry Africa’s 2021 champion Xabiso Vili participated in the World Poetry Slam Championships in Brussels and won the World Poetry Slam Championship. Kwanele Nyembe, the 2022 Poetry Africa Slam Champion, will compete for the title in Brazil later this year.

“Poetry Africa set a high bar at the World Slam Championship in 2022. We are confident that Kwanele Nyembe will follow in this same tradition”, adds Siphindile Hlongwa who has championed the Poetry Africa brand both nationally and abroad.

Poetry Africa is supported by the University of KwaZulu-Natal, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Sports, Arts & Culture, the National Arts Council of South Africa, the French Institute of South Africa and Total Energies.

The Poetry Africa festival, along with the Time of the Writer festival, both presented by the Centre for Creative Arts cement Durban’s title as a UNESCO City of Literature.

 

For more information on the Centre for Creative Arts click on the logo advert to the right of this article.

 

MO MAGIC: STAGE OF WONDERS LIVE

 (Right: Mo Magic)

Entertainer Extraordinaire, Mo Magic, invites audiences to his new live show titled Stage of Wonders due to run at Gateway Theatre of Shopping Pop Up Theatre). Expect to be intrigued, enchanted and entertained as he delights you with his world class magic, mystifying mentalism & clean comedy.

With two decades of experience in the art of magic, the electronic engineer turned entertainer is well-known for his previous theatre shows, his record-breaking 13-part prime time magic TV series, his Showmax special and for astonishing audiences on stages internationally, including celebrities in Hollywood and royalty in the Middle East.

Following the COVID19 pandemic, the magician has been in demand, serving as MC and Entertainer at corporate and private audiences globally, and Stage of Wonders marks his return to South African theatre.

The showman says: “Spreading Joy” is my mission and I’m thrilled to be returning to local stages with my new show. It’s been a labour of love to create and I’m visualising the audience responding to it with sheer delight and excitement”.

The family friendly show is interactive, with audience members being invited onto stage to participate. It will be held at Gateway Theatre of Shopping, in uMhlanga, where Mo Magic is transforming a retail space into a pop-up theatre. “I begin each event by considering the experience I want to create for my audience and how I want them to feel”, adds the magician. “With this in mind, each seating will be limited to just 150 seats, and my team is creating a pop-up theatre especially for this show”, all part of creating a one of a kind, exciting experience for those attending.

Stage of Wonders is suitable for the entire family ages 8+. The three-day debut run kicks off at Gateway Umhlanga on Friday October 6 and runs until Sunday 8 with a matinee performance at 15h00.

Tickets R200. Performances on October 6 and 7 at 20h00 and October 8 at 15h00. Bookings via https://qkt.io/q8hriM on Quicket

Duration is approximately 70 minutes.

Show queries: shows@momagic.co.za

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM FOR DURBAN

 

(Above: The lovers in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. Photo supplied)

Experience the magic of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream as it takes the stage in Stellenbosch and Durban

Brace yourself for an enchanting journey into the realms of love, mischief, and fantasy as VR Theatrical and the Maynardville Trust in association with Durban’s Centre for Creative Arts proudly present the acclaimed 2023 production of A Midsummer Night's Dream on tour.

Following its resounding success at Maynardville, this captivating play is set to grace the stages of two iconic venues - the Oude Libertas Amphitheatre at the Toyota SU Woordfees in Stellenbosch and the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre in Durban.

Get ready to be swept away by the whimsical charm of Shakespeare's classic tale at Toyota US Woordfees, Stellenbosch's renowned annual cultural festival. A Midsummer Night's Dream unravels a riotous journey through Athens and an enchanted forest, intertwining the escapades of young lovers, earthy tradesmen, and a mischievous fairy kingdom. Prepare for a hilarious and chaotic adventure filled with mistaken identities, playful gender swaps, magical spells, and mischievous pranks. The talented cast, who received standing ovations at Maynardville, includes Chi Mhende, Mark Elderkin, Roberto Kyle, Caleb Swanepoel, and Tankiso Mamabolo.

Step into the beguiling world of Athenian forests at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre in Durban. Presented by VR Theatrical and the Maynardville Trust, in association with UKZN's Centre for Creative Arts, A Midsummer Night's Dream weaves a tale of love-struck couples, eccentric actors, and mischievous fairies. The play blurs the line between reality and fantasy, exploring the complexities of human relationships, the power of dreams, and the capricious nature of love. This iconic production promises a side-splitting journey of love and self-discovery, portrayed by the remarkable cast who garnered standing ovations and critical acclaim at the Maynardville Open Air Festival.

Directed by Geoffrey Hyland, this captivating rendition has been hailed as an unforgettable theatrical experience that bridges the gap between tradition and innovation.

Following the performances at Woordfees at Oude Libertas Amphitheatre, Stellenbosch, from October 9 to 13 (Book at Quicket), the show moves to Durban

Performances at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre take place from November 1 to 12, 2023, with various performance times at 11h00, 14h30 and 19h30

Tickets from R140. Book at Computicket link https://bit.ly/AMNDdbn

For school block bookings, contact office@vrtheatrical.com

For more information on the Centre for Creative Arts, click on the logo advert to the right of this article.

 

DANCE STUDIO SHOWCASE

Experience the magic of this Sue Cook Dance Studio show, once again held at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre. This magical production which runs from October 5 to 8, 2023, showcases the outstanding choreography of Sarah Smith and the talents of the dancers, ranging in age from 3 to 20.

With stunning costumes, enchanting music and a variety of dance styles, including ballet, contemporary, jazz and modern, this show promises to be a delightful event for the entire family. Don’t miss the opportunity to catch this mesmerizing production during the upcoming school holidays.

Tickets are R140 and advance booking is through Computicket as follows:

Online: https://tickets.computicket.com/event/there_s_magic_in_the_air/7226523

Call Centre: 0861 915 800

Outlets: Checkers stores at money-market counters

 

Performance dates and times:

Thursday and Friday October 5 and 6 - 18h00

Saturday and Sunday October 7 and 8 - 15h00

JULIA ARBUCKLE LOOKING AFTER EXHIBITION

The exhibition Looking After: An Archive of Familiar Things by Julia Arbuckle has just opened in the Schreiner Gallery at the Tatham Art Gallery in Pietermaritzburg. The exhibition will run until November 19 at 17h00

The artist will conduct a one-day workshop on Concertina Bookbinding on November 2 from 09h30 to 15h00. This workshop will introduce the medium of book arts and paper. This style of book is a great basic book structure that makes for an exciting sculptural artist’s book or a sketchbook

Enquiries reena.bhoodram@msumduzi.gov.za or phone 033 392 2823.

The Tatham Art Gallery is situated opposite the Town Hall in Chief Albert Luthuli Street, Pietermaritzburg. It is open from Tuesdays to Sundays from 10h00 to 17h00.

Café Tatham is open on Saturdays. Safe parking with a car guard available. For more information visit https://www.tatham.org.za/

POETRY AFRICA PROGRAMME REVEALED

 

Experience the Magic of Poetry Africa.

The 27th edition of the Poetry Africa festival, taking place in October, will feature 100 spoken-word poets from 20 countries, maintaining the festival’s status as one of the most significant poetry festivals on the African continent. Produced by the Centre for Creative Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, the festival will present events in Durban, Johannesburg and Bloemfontein. The festival programme was launched on Saturday, September 16, at the Alliance Française in Johannesburg.

(Right: CCA Director Ismail Mahomed. Photo credit Val Adamson)

Ismail Mahomed, the director of the Centre for Creative Arts, said: “The Alliance Française, along with the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS) and the Embassy of France, have for several years been some of our strongest partners in supporting and creating mobility for poets from the African continent to attend the festival. 

This year’s festival will present poets from Ghana, Tanzania, Cote D’Ivoire, Congo/Brazzaville, Senegal, Namibia, Guinea Bissau, Zimbabwe, amongst several others from South Africa, Portugal, Spain, Surinam and the USA.” 

(Left: Amee Slam. Photo supplied)

 Amee Slam, a multi-disciplinarian Ivorian artist who made her first solo concert at the Institut Français de Côte d'Ivoire, which coincided with her being inducted as a member of the International Artistic Committee of the Masa (Africa Market of Performing Arts) in 2013. She will be one of several highlights at this year’s festival. She was named Ambassador of the Africa Cup of Slam Poetry in 2020 and has won several awards, including Artist of the Year 2023 (Lili Women Festival), Best Slammer of the Year 2023 (Lili Women Festival), African Talent Awards for Best Slam Performance 2023, First Special Prize of ECOWAS for Poetry (MASA 2020), Best Slammer against Violence against Women 2021, Women's Inspirational Leadership Journey Award 2021, RnB Revelation Award 3R Revelation Competition 2009 and the 3rd Prize of Excellence of the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, Performing Arts 2018 (Collectif Au Nom du Slam). 

(Right: Rudy Francisco. Photo supplied)

US poet Rudy Francisco, who holds prestigious accolades just like hers, will also be performing. His performance is an amalgamation of social critique, introspection, honesty and humour. He uses personal narratives to discuss the politics of race, class, gender and religion while pinpointing and reinforcing human existence's interconnected nature. He is the co-host of the largest poetry venue in San Diego and was nominated for an NAACP Image Award. He is the 2009 National Underground Poetry Slam Champion and 2010 Individual World Poetry Slam Champion. He has shared stages with prominent artists such as Gladys Knight, Jordin Sparks, Musiq Soul Child, and Jill Scott. 

(Left: Eugene Skeef - Photo credit Jonathan-Rees)

South African poet Eugene Skeef has been announced as the festival’s Featured Poet. Renowned for his work in conflict resolution, Skeef is the Artistic Director of Quartet of Peace. This initiative utilises music and poetry to foster peaceful resolutions to conflicts and poverty, with a special focus on engaging young people. In 2010, his collaborative project, The Battle of the Wordsmiths, with writer Tunde Olatunji and producers Blue Hippo Media, was shortlisted for the PRS New Music Award. 

(Right: Xabiso Vili - World Poetry Slam Champion 2022. Photo credit Lindo Mbhele)

 The Slam Jam Competition is one of the highlights of the annual Poetry Africa festival, with poets vying to win the R20,000 prize and a place at the World Slam Poetry Competition. The 2021 Slam Jam Competition winner, Xabiso Vili, is the reigning title holder of the World Slam Poetry Championships, having won the title last year, competing against poets from 40 nations. Poetry Africa’s 2022 champion, Kwanele Nyembe, will compete for the world title in Brazil next month.

 (Left: Phillippa Yaa de Villiers. Photo supplied)

Poetry Africa stalwarts Lebo Mashile, Phillippa Yaa de Villiers, Masai Sepuru, vangile gantsho, Sara Godsell, Raphael D’Abdon and Jonathan Lefenya are featured in a series of events.  Legendary South African poet Wally Serote and academic Muxe Nkondo will be the speakers at the 2nd Annual Keorapetse Kgosisitsile Memorial Lecture at the UJ Theatre.  

The Annual Mafika Gwala Memorial Lecture, presented in partnership with South African History Online, will feature Sam Moodley in conversation with Omar Badsha.

 This year’s festival also includes partnerships with the Johannesburg Institute for Advanced Studies (JIAS), the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) and the Performing Arts Council of Free State (PACOFS). Author and academic Siphiwo Mahala will present a programme featuring Keith Lewis, Obamafemi Thanni, Chiwoneso Tsikisayi and Noluthando Buthelezi, all Fellows in Residence at JIAS.

Academic Heidi van Rooyen will headline the launch of Voices Unbound, a publication featuring poems from the eighth International Symposium on Poetry Enquiry. The event will feature Kirsten Deane, Larissa Hasim, Marie Pete, Raphael D'Abdon, Pralini Naidoo, DuduZile Ndovu and Angela Hough.

A partnership with PACOFS will feature Free State poets performing in both Durban and Bloemfontein. The programme will feature Hope Mokhele, Thuthukane Ndlovu, Lesika Dipholo and Maleshoane Mphuphlane headlined by PACOFs’ recently appointed artistic director, Napo Masheane. 

(Right: Curator Siphindile Hlongwa. Photo Credit Val Adamson)

“Napo Masheane cut her teeth at Poetry Africa many years ago before taking her place on stages across the globe. We are excited about her appointment at PACOFS and we are optimistic that with her tenacity and passion for spoken word poetry, she will create a vital new node for the poetry movement in Bloemfontein”, said Siphindile Hlongwa, the curator for Poetry Africa.

 

This year’s festival will see renowned South African pianist Paul Hamner making his debut at Poetry Africa. Piano & Poems will feature him at the keyboards alongside poet, playwright and academic Anton Kreuger. Celebrated poet and graffiti artist Iain “Ewok” Robertson will perform with saxophonist Dr Jeff Robinson. The Live the Spirit Residency will feature US poet and musician Ernest Dawkins with an eight-piece music ensemble.

 Live festival events will take place in Johannesburg at the UJ Arts & Culture Centre (October 5 to 8), Howard College Theatre in Durban (October 10 to 14) and at PACOFS in Bloemfontein (October 16 to 17). An online programme will take place from October 10 to 13. Poetry Africa’s outreach programmes will present poets in five community art centres spread across the broader eThekwini Municipality. The full Poetry Africa programme can be viewed at poetryafrica.ukzn.ac.za. Tickets are available on Webtickets (Durban) and TicketPro (Johannesburg).

Poetry Africa is supported by the University of KwaZulu-Natal, the National Arts Council of South Africa, the KZN Department of Sport, Arts & Culture, the French Institute of South Africa and Total Energies. The festival is co-presented in Johannesburg with UJ Arts & Culture and in Bloemfontein with PACOFS. The 27-year festival in Durban cements the city’s status as a UNESCO City of Literature.

 

For more information on the Centre for Creative Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, click on the logo advert to the right of this article.

EUROPEAN FILM FESTIVAL COMES TO DURBAN

 

Film-lovers in Durban are in for a treat in October during the European Film Festival which runs from October 12 to 22. The festival has extended its reach beyond its principal cinema screenings in Johannesburg and Cape Town to include a special programme at Ster-Kinekor Gateway in Durban.

As co-director of the festival Magdalene Reddy explains: “Five of the most recent films this year will only show in cinemas: Anatomy Of A Fall, Goodbye Julia , The Old Oak, The Teachers Lounge, and Mavka – The Forest Song. Because they will not be available in the festival’s free countrywide online streaming programme, they have scheduled a special showing for these five films for Durban, as well as in Johannesburg and Cape Town. If extending the festival footprint to Durban in this way draws significant public interest perhaps this is something the festival can revisit again for future events.”

(Above: Image from “Anatomy Of A Fall”. Pic supplied)

 

More about the Films:

The French film Anatomy Of A Fall, astonishingly well-written and directed by Justine Triet, won the top prize at Cannes, the Palm d’Or. Starring Sandra Huller, this part thorny family story, part whodunit, part courtroom drama, puts marital power dynamics under the microscope. As Time Out magazine says: “This is a thriller of real psychological, intellectual and emotional depth.”

 

(Right: An image from “The Old Oak”. Photo supplied)

Veteran UK filmmaker Ken Loach’s latest work The Old Oak is an incisive social drama about an English village where there is anger, resentment and a lack of hope since the closing of the local mine. What more could go wrong for the world-weary townsfolk? That’s when the Syrian refugees move in….! A timely story about modern Britain, immigration, xenophobia, and the need for compassion and understanding.

 

(Left: An image from “Goodbye Julia”. Photo supplied)

 Goodbye Julia is a six-country coproduction (Sudan, Egypt, Germany, France, Sweden and Saudi-Arabia) and winner of the prestigious Prix de la Liberté (Freedom Award) at the Cannes Film Festival. 

Directed by Mohamed Kordofani, Goodbye Julia tells the story a friendship between two women who represent the complicated relationship and differences between northern and southern Sudanese communities at a time of intense upheaval and transition in that country.

 

The smallest of decisions has seismic repercussions in The Teachers’ Lounge. When a young teacher decides to investigate theft at her school, things escalate dramatically, not how she intends. Crackling with tension, İlker Çatak’s film is about a lot of things — conformity, rebellion, racism, optics, and intergenerational mistrust. The Teachers’ Lounge swept up the top prizes at this year’s German Film Awards: Best Film, Best Direction, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay, and has just been selected as Germany’s submission for next year’s Oscars.

(Right: An image from “The Teachers’ Lounge”. Photo supplied)

 

Carving a path to peace and a future beyond war, Mavka – The Forest Song, by directors Oleh Malamuzh and Oleksandra Ruban, is a family animation with key intrinsic messages, and the highest-grossing Ukrainian film ever. Poignant and uplifting, this gloriously animated story touches on themes of love, trust, and the coexistence of two worlds: people and forest creatures. And the transformative power of music!

 Visit www.eurofilmfest.co.za for film synopses, trailers, and screening schedules.

The European Film Festival 2023 is a partnership project of the European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC), the Delegation of the European Union to South Africa and the participating European embassies of Belgium, Bulgaria, The Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Italy, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Switzerland and Ukraine; as well as the cultural agencies of British Council, Camoes Institute of Portugal, Diplomatic Representation of Flanders, French Institute in South Africa, Goethe-Institut and Italian Cultural Institute.

The festival is organised in cooperation with Cineuropa, supported by Ster Kinekor, The Labia and coordinated by Creative WorkZone.

EUROPEAN FILM FESTIVAL: GOLDEN YEARS - REVIEW

 

Review by Barry Meehan

The film Golden Years is part of The European Film Festival 2023 which runs from October 12 to 22, 2023 with screenings of all 16 films at cinemas in Cape Town and Johannesburg, and limited screenings in Durban, and online.

“GOLDEN YEARS” (2022)

Country of Origin: Switzerland

Director: Barbara Kulcsar

Cast: Esther Gemsch, Stefan Kurt, Ueli Jäggi, Gundi Ellert

Genre: Comedy / Drama

Duration: 92 minutes

Language: German with English subtitles

 

Golden Years could probably be classed as a “coming-of-age” movie – not the normal teenager into adult, but a “coming of retirement age”.

Peter, who has worked all of his adult life at the same job, is not looking forward to the prospect of walking away from his familiar office into relative obscurity as a pensioner. At the same time, his wife, Alice, is anticipating a return to the closeness of their younger selves, something that has been sorely lacking in their relationship of late. At a retirement dinner for friends and family, Peter and Alice are surprised by Mediterranean cruise liner tickets presented to them by their son and daughter. While Alice sees the cruise as an ideal opportunity to put some sparkle back into their love lives, Peter views it as more of a hindrance to the routine he is slowly creating.

A good friend of Alice’s passes away unexpectedly, putting Alice in a potentially fraught situation, needing to decide whether she should inform the woman’s husband that she had been carrying on an affair in France for the last 15 years.

Unbeknown to Alice, Peter invites the grieving husband along on the cruise, not expecting him to take up the offer, but he does, creating a typical third-wheel situation, scuppering Alice’s plans for a romantic holiday.

It’s when the ship arrives in Marseille that Alice makes a decision that will change all three of their lives, and those of their children, plus a few others along the way.

Golden Years is a rather special film, with outstanding performances by Switzerland’s leading actors, in particular Esther Gemsch as Alice and Stefan Kurt as Peter. It’s a journey of self-discovery with many unexpected twists and turns, along with humorous and light-hearted moments, interspersed with honest insight into the trials and tribulations of what should be a normal and everyday relationship.

The movie is well-written and directed, with a wonderfully unexpected ending, and is genuinely worth viewing! - Review by Barry Meehan

 

Screenings take place at Ster-Kinekor’s The Zone in Johannesburg, and The Labia in Cape Town. Each film will screen once.

Ster-Kinekor Gateway in Durban will present a limited programme of films not available in the online streaming. Five of the most recent films will only show in cinemas: Anatomy Of A Fall, Goodbye Julia, The Old Oak, The Teachers Lounge and Mavka – The Forest Song. 11 films can be viewed for free online.

Visit www.eurofilmfest.co.za for more information or click on the European Film Festival logo to the right of this article.

LLIANE LOOTS HONOURED WITH LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

 

(Above: Prof. Nobuhle Hlongwa (Dean of School of Arts, UKZN) and Dr Ismail Mahomed, Director of the CCA, handing over the award to Dr Lliane Loots. Pic by Val Adamson)

South African Contemporary Dance Stalwart Lliane Loots honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award at JOMBA! Opening.

The Centre for Creative Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal has bestowed a Lifetime Achievement Award on Dr Lliane Loots, the Curator and Artistic Director of the JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience. The Award was presented at the opening of the 25th edition of the JOMBA! festival at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre on Tuesday August 29, 2023.

Dr Ismail Mahomed, the Director of the Centre for Creative Arts, said: “For a quarter of a century under challenging funding environments, changing political landscapes, and varying socio-economic conditions, Dr Lliane Loots has championed the JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience as South Africa’s longest-running dance festival and as one of the leading contemporary dance events on the African continent. The Award recognises her visionary leadership, service to the cultural sector, and committed activism for dance education.”

In 2021, under the leadership of Dr Lliane Loots, the JOMBA! festival received the National Institute for Humanities & Social Sciences Award for Best Creations for work produced in the digital space during the Covid-19 pandemic. During the same year, JOMBA! launched an annual colloquium to advance academic scholarship in African contemporary dance. In 2022, JOMBA! was awarded the Business Arts South Africa Chairman’s Award for Arts & Education & Activism.

(Right: Dr Lliane Loots. Pic by Val Adamson)

During her distinguished career, Dr Lliane Loots has also won numerous national choreographic awards and commissions. She has travelled the world extensively as an academic and artist in her own right. In 2017, the French government awarded her the Chevalier l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Knight of the Order of the Arts & Literature) Award for promoting extensive cultural collaborations between artists from France and South Africa.

For the past 25 years, since founding the JOMBA! festival, Dr Lliane Loots has combined her curatorial work for JOMBA! while simultaneously holding the position of dance lecturer in the Drama and Performance Studies Programme at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (Howard College Campus). She has a Master’s degree in Gender Studies and completed her PhD in 2018 looking at contemporary dance/performance histories on the African continent. She is the founder and Artistic Director of the now 20-year-old FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY which continues to contribute to the contemporary dance landscape of the country, as well as provide important dance training for youth in communities around Durban.

“The Centre for Creative Arts is indebted to Dr Lliane Loots for her selfless contribution that has grown the JOMBA! festival as an iconic international platform. The festival has catapulted the artistic careers of many leading South African choreographers and dancers. It has firmly entrenched the role that the JOMBA! festival can make to academic scholarship; and thus making her a worthy recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award for her more than quarter century of visionary leadership”, added Mahomed.

The JOMBA! festival opened on August 29 and ran until September 10 featuring performances, workshops, talks, digital offerings, an online festival news and review portal, a 25th anniversary book launch, and a dance for youth programme. The festival had a four-day satellite event at The Market Theatre in Johannesburg from September 13 to 16, 2023.

For more information, go to www.jomba.ukzn.ac.za

JAZZ MEETS BOLLYWOOD WITH JIMMY DLUDLU & SHASHIKA MOORUTH

MCCD (Musical Collaboration in Cultural Diversity) Jazz Meets Bollywood with Jimmy Dludlu & Shashika Mooruth on September 30, 2023, at 17h00.

Durban will end Heritage Month with Musical Collaboration in Cultural Diversity (MCCD) which will be hosted at The Station Urban Event Space – Roof Top of the Durban Railway Station on Saturday September 30.

Its theme is Jazz Meets Bollywood which is evident in the line-up of musicians that will be performing.  Revellers will be entertained by Jimmy Dludlu, Shashika Mooruth, Thee Legacy, Nick Pitman, Vincent Mtetwa, Nicky Shange, Virendra Mohan, Shanjeet Teeluck, Vitech Surujbally, Royalson, Vishen Kemraj, Dilkash, Thee Legacy and Zawadi YaMungu.

One of the reasons behind the MCCD is to acknowledge cultural differences among citizens of South Africa and bring about social cohesion. It is sponsored by the National Arts Council which is the funding agency of the Department of Sports, Arts, and Culture. Artists that are billed to perform will be spreading messages of togetherness in celebration of South African cultural diversity by different races. Music is the best way to forge unity that lasts a lifetime.

Revellers are expected to arrive at The Stations Events from 17h00. Tickets are available at www.webtickets.co.za and Pick ‘n Pay. They range from R300 for general public and R700 for VIP. Use hashtags #SagiyaMCCD #FeelSpecial #DressYourCulture.

For more information, follow @sagiyafoundation and @mccdza on Instagram, like and follow the Facebook Page Sagiya Foundation or Philani Duma, subscribe to the YouTube channel of Sagiya Foundation, and visit the website www.sagiyafoundation.co.za

A SUNDAY IN THE COUNTRY WITH DCO

 (Above: The Durban City Orchestra Members)

Music-lovers are invited to an intimate Sunday concert in the company of the Durban City Orchestra (DCO) as they perform a lively programme of evergreen classics at Willow Way Manor in Assagay on Sunday, October 8, 2023, at 10h00 and again at 13h30.

One of the longest running orchestras in the country, the DCO has a complement of approximately 35 active members who get together weekly. The orchestra includes two accomplished professional musicians in Charl van der Merwe as Resident Conductor and Jitske Brien as Concert Master.

The programme is a carefully-curated selection of orchestral favourites – both traditional and contemporary including Toto’s Africa; Ave Maria; Circle of Life from The Lion King; Entry of the Gladiators (Einzug der Gladiatoren); Finlandia; Hallelujah; I dreamed a Dream; In the Mood; Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (Jesus Bleibet meine Freude); On my Own; Pirates of the Caribbean; Pizzicato Polka; Skyfall; Somewhere Out There and Sweet Caroline.

Willow Way is situated in Hillcrest, on a beautiful five-acre garden with a restaurant and venue facility, nestled between the Macadamia nuts trees and overlooking the rolling lawns and natural wetland. Willow Way Manor offers a magical space for any event. Pop in for a cup of coffee or celebrate a special occasion in their function venue.

Tickets: R180 full price (no concessions). Booking is through Quicket.

It is advisable to pre-book tickets.

Cash Bar / no drinks or food to be brought onto the property.

The concerts take place in the Willow Way Manor: The Grand Room, 1 Willow Way, Assagay, Durban.

PS: A reminder that there are two performances on October 8 – one at 10h00 and the second at 13h30.

 

 

 

BLUE LIGHTS – IS COMING TO M-NET

 

One of ‘TV’s Best Shows’ –Blue Lights – is coming to M-Net starring Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon actors

The Guardian called it “gripping, nuanced, almost unbearably tense” and “one of TV’s best shows”. Now Blue Lights which looks at three police rookies as they take on crime in the Irish city of Belfast, is coming to The Home of Entertainment - M-Net (DStv Channel 101).

Viewers can catch this BBC-produced six-parter on Wednesday, September 20 at 22h00 and available on DStv catch up.

The cast features some of the UK and Ireland’s top talent – including Richard Dormer (best known as Beric Dondarrian from Game of Thrones), Siân Brooke (Sherlock, House of the Dragon) and Katherine Devlin (Vikings). Viewers will sit shotgun with fresh officers Grace (Brooke), Annie (Devlin), and Tommy (Nathan Braniff) as they navigate the challenges of their new job.

Grace is a single mother who’s determined to make a difference in the world, meanwhile Annie is a former social worker who’s still troubled by the trauma she witnessed in her previous job. Tommy, a hopeful recruit who’s eager to prove himself. Together, they deal with the pressures that come with being a police officer in a city that’s struggling with high levels of crime and violence. Dormer plays Constable Gerard – Tommy’s veteran training officer.

“We’re thrilled to have another top-quality drama on M-Net,” says Channel Director: Premium Channels Waldimar Pelser. “Blue Lights tackles some of the most pressing issues in the police force, including racism, corruption, and mental health. It’s sure to get viewers engaged.”

Blue Lights is one of the most critically-acclaimed crime dramas of recent years, so viewers are in for a treat.

Catch Blue Lights on M-Net (DStv channel 101) – the home of entertainment - on Wednesday at 22h00 from September 20, as well as live-streamed on DStv Stream, and is also available on DStv Catch Up after broadcast. Visit the M-Net Website and join the conversation on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook.