Press Release
*For Immediate Release*
The National Film and Video Foundation’s participation at the 38th Annual Durban International Film Festival
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Arts and Culture is pleased to once again support the 38th Annual Durban International Film Festival that opened last night, 13 July until the 23rd of July.
The ten-day festival is aimed at celebrating world-class cinema with screenings of new feature, documentary and short films from around the globe, with a special focus on African films. The festival is also aimed at promoting the development of the local industry by providing a strategic exhibition platform for local product alongside international films within a professionally-implemented and reputable cultural experience.
The NFVF’s is embarking on a programme to strengthen its relationship with South African filmmakers. The first of these sessions will be hosted, today at Suite 3 of the main floor.
“We want to increase the industry’s understanding of our work, and build our own understanding of the challenges faced by filmmakers, so we’re looking at a two-way conversation. The environment has changed significantly since the NFVF was formed, and we want to ensure that we’re all working in the same direction when it comes to finding solutions for now and the future.” Said NFVF CEO, Zama Mkosi
Mkosi will be scaling up the NFVF’s capacity to interact with the industry on a structured basis, and the Foundation will be running a series of workshops around the country to provide a platform for filmmakers to speak out.
“We can’t ignore the recent criticism of our funding model, for example, so we’re embarking on a structured process to explain our processes and find ways of increasing the impact of our funding and our marketing capacity,” Mkosi said.
“The South African film industry is vibrant, and we have to ensure it continues that way.”
Participation at DIFF and Duran Film Mart (DFM) enables the NFVF an opportunity to advance its objectives to promote the local film industry both locally and internationally, increase audience access to South African films, secure partnerships for co-production and to develop and grow the industry. Therefore in addition to contributing towards the festival programme, the NFVF through its festival and market attendance funding, has awarded 17 grants to filmmakers who applied for assistance to attend the festival.
For the first time, winners from the Annual South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs) will be honoured and celebrated during the festival activations. The winners’ cocktail celebration will be held at the Belaire Hotel, Sky Lounge on the 14th of July.
NFVF DFM/DIFF PROGRAMME:
14 July 2017
Time: 12h00 – 13h00
Venue: Suite 3, Elangeni Hotel
Session: Industry Feedback and Engagement
Presentation: Zama Mkosi, NFVF CEO
Time: 16h30 – 17h30
Venue: Mc Café Lounge
Session: SAFTAs 12 reveal
Opening remarks: Zama Mkosi, NFVF CEO
Presentation: Peter Kwele, HOD Marketing and Communications
Time: 18h00 – 20h00
Venue: Belaire Hotel, Sky Lounge 11th Floor
Session: SAFTAs 11 winners’ celebration event
Description: The cocktail event will honour and celebrate all the winners from SAFTAs 11.
15 July 2017
Time: 10h00 – 11h00
Venue: Garden Court, Marine Parade
Session: Policy and Research discussion
Presentation: Ms Aifheli Makhwanya, NFVF HOD Policy and Research
Closing remarks: Ms Zama Mkosi, NFVF CEO
Time: 12h00 – 13h00
Venue: Suite 3, Elangeni
Session: Focus on Female Filmmakers
Opening remarks: Zama Mkosi, NFVF CEO
Facilitator: Zanele Mthembu – Founder, Brown Panther Films
Panellists:
- Julia Apea – Producer, Ghana
- Jinni Mutune – Producer/Director, Kenya
- Twiggy Matiwana – Director, South Africa
- Nadine Cloete – Director/Producer, South Africa
- Lwazi Mvusi – Director /Producer, South Africa
Time: 14h00 – 16h00
Venue: Garden Court, Marine Parade
Session: The Road to the Film Indaba
Facilitator: Victor Kgomoeswana
16 July 2017
Time: 12h00 – 13h00
Venue: Suite 3, Elangeni
Session: South Africa and Canada co-production panel
Facilitator: Lance Samuels – President, Blue Ice Pictures
Panellists:
- Valerie Creighton – President and CEO of the Canada Media Fund
- Nelly Molokoane – Director Film Incentives, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)
- Manoj Seonath – Head of IDC Operations
- Daniel Iron – President, Blue Ice
- Damon D’Oliveira – Actor; TV & Film Producer
- Alfon Adetuyi – Producer; Director Canada
- Jane Lipman – Producer, South Africa
- Steven Markovitz – Producer, South Africa
Time: 14h00 – 16h00
Venue: Garden Court, Marine Parade
Session: CEO’s stakeholder engagement
Facilitator: Victor Kgomoeswana
Time: 18h00 – 20h00
Venue: S34 Home of that Brewing Co, Berea
Session: South Africa and Canada 20th anniversary audio-visual treaty cocktail event
17 July 2017
Time: 09h00 – 11h00
Venue: North Illanga
Session: Speed Dating
Time: 10h00
Venue: Playhouse
Description: Schools programme in partnership with the KZN FC
Time: 12h00 – 13h00
Venue: Suite 3, Elangeni
Session: Exhibition and distribution of South African content
Opening remarks: Zama Mkosi, NFVF CEO
Facilitator: Peter Kwele – Head of Marketing and Communications, NFVF
Panellists:
- Nicki Scheepers – Chief of Content and Programming, Ster-Kinekor
- Nitesh Matai – Managing Executive, NuMetro
- Russel Grant – Founder, The Bioscope
- Craig Ruurds – Chief Technical Officer, Globecast Africa’s OTT Division
- Helen Kuun – CEO, Indigenous Film Distribution
- Mayenzeke Baza – Managing Partner and Head of Sales, AAA Entertainment
Time: 18h30
Venue: Maharani Tugella Room
Session: DFM Closing Night
Closing Speech: Zama Mkosi, NFVF CEO
18 July
Time: 10h00
Venue: Ohlange Library, Inanda
Session: community outreach in partnership with the KZN FC
21 July
Time: 10h00 – 11h00
Venue: Suite 3, Elangeni
Session: Sediba Masterclass
Facilitator: Loyiso Maqoma Producer, screenwriter and script consultant
**Ends**
Contact person:
Peter Kwele
Head Marketing and Communications
peterk@nfvf.co.za and xolelwan@nfvf.co.za
Tel: 011 483 0880
Website: www.nfvf.co.za