Screen Africa June 2014

ilmmart F n a b r u D

al Film Festival Durban Internation www.screenafrica.com

VOL 26 – June 2014 R35.00

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BROADCAST, FILM, TV, COMMERCIALS, NEW MEDIA & TECHNOLOGY NEWS

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| IN THIS ISSUE

4 IMSFF provides a creative stepping stone for local filmmakers

18

21

Painting a complex portrait of South Africa’s democracy

Durban International Film Festival 2014

31

34 NAB 2014: What caught my eye

Special Features Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) 2014 DIFF 2014 – Celebrating 35 years of world class cinema and 20 years of democracy....................................... 21 ‘Humanity’s greatest gift to itself’... 22 Features at DIFF 2014....................... 23 Documentaries at DIFF 2014.......... 25

Durban Filmmart (DFM) 2014

About the Durban FilmMart ........... 26 Durban FilmMart experts................. 26 Durban FilmMart 2014 selected projects – Fiction projects.....27 – 28 Durban FilmMart 2014 selected projects – Documentaries... 28 – 29

Screen Africa Golf Day 2014 Screen Africa Golf Day action ................................46 – 47

News CNBC Africa launches studio at the JSE.................................................. 2 Young app star breaks down South Africa’s language barriers..................... 3 In memoriam: Gregory John Walsh... 3 IMSFF provides a creative stepping stone for local filmmakers .................. 4 Disney XD appoints Cameron van der Burgh as Aim High mentor.......... 4

SuperSport Studio 6 – bigger and better FRONT ELEVATION 1:75

Africa

Television

New comedy boosts Zambian film industry.................................................... 6 Cannes’ eye on Africa 2014................. 8 Cannes springboard for FESPACO golden stallions....................................... 9

Six faces of freedom........................... 30 Studio 6 – bigger and better ........... 31

ADCETERA

Media Asset Management

Post-Production

Come over to the dark side............ 32

How democracy feels in advertising....

Storage: The cost of preserving STANDING PRESENTERS ELEVATION 10 33 the future..............................................

1:75 Idris Elba embodies ‘Mastery in the Making’................................................... 12 NAB REPORT Back Shrink prescribes WeChat to the NAB 2014: What caught my eye..... 34 stars........................................................ 12 We need to write the new rules.... 13 TRACKING TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR SPEAK – DYVI Live Production Suite.............. 36 Peri van Papendorp............................ 14 CueScript CSM17 17” LED High Brightness HD-SDI Film Prompter Monitor.............................. 36 Bringing African narrative CameraCorps Q3............................... 36 to the cities.......................................... 16 Imagine Communications Not your average ‘Family Film’........ 17 SelenioFlex............................................ 38 The Padcaster...................................... 38

DOCUMENTARY

Painting a complex portrait of South Africa’s democracy............. 18 SA director brings African perspective to Light Girls documentary........................................ 19

Box Office Comebacks conquer SA’s box office..................................... 39

WEB NEWS David Kau signs a major deal at the Cannes International Film Festival.. 40 35th Durban International Film Festival kicks off with a move to Tsogo Sun............................................. 40 Avid unveils new ‘Everywhere’ product strategy.................................. 40 Director of Searching for Sugarman dies......................................................... 40 Triggerfish Animation Studios to be represented by international media agency.................................................... 40 Star footballer Ryan Giggs signs for SuperSport............................................ 40 KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission attends Cannes.................................... 41 AKK TV upgrades EVS production servers................................................... 41 SA Civil Aviation Authority bans camera drones..................................... 41 New world record set for bingeviewing................................................... 41

Regulars

Production Updates................42 – 45 Events..................................................... 45 Social...................................................... 48

From the editor

News

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The march of progress Two new studios have been added to the world of South African television broadcasting this month. The first is the revamped SuperSport Studio 6 at the sports broadcasting giant’s Randburg headquarters and the other is the new ‘satellite’ studio installed by CNBC Africa at the Johannesburg Securities Exchange (JSE) in Sandton. These are two very different facilities in terms of scale, form and purpose, yet what strikes me with both of them is their incorporation of new technology, and how this technology is both adding value to the viewers’ experience and changing the way our industry operates.

The SuperSport studio, which is to be up and running just in time for the FIFA World Cup, has added state-of-the-art augmented reality (AR) equipment. AR has been a buzzword in the industry for at least the past five years, but it is only now that the technology is being taken up to an appreciable extent in South Africa. For sport viewers, with their love of stats, analysis and gladiatorial pre-game set-ups, this new technology will enhance their viewing experience considerably.

The CNBC studio is remarkable in that it is entirely covered by unmanned cameras. The small studio’s five robotic pan/tilt/ zoom cameras are entirely operated from the control room.

Again this is not new technology but it is still in the uptake phase in the South African market. With this sophisticated machinery moving in, meaning that there is really no need for anyone to be on the studio floor except for the presenter and his/her guests, should camera operators be concerned about their future roles?

The higher-end solutions in this category – and remember that this is technology that is still being developed and perfected – are designed to have much further-reaching roles, being purposed for sports coverage and even uses that allow for a camera to be operated remotely from a different continent.

Perhaps the role of the camera operator – particularly in the news and sport settings and even some documentary environments – is tacitly under reconsideration?

Perhaps this is so, but there will always be a place for the art of cinematography and videography, particularly in the world of film (that word itself needs rethinking, since fewer and fewer operatives in the industry use actual film anymore). In the coming months, we are due to have a number of important celebrations of this particular art – and that of storytelling, which remains the same regardless of medium and technology. This month we have the inaugural International Mzansi Short Film Festival (25-29 June), followed next month by the 35th Durban International Film Festival and Durban Film Mart. In this issue you can get a good idea of what to expect from all three events.

Speaking of technology, check out Ian Dormer’s round-up of some of the new toys that caught his eye at NAB. Warren Holden

FRONT ROW SEAT NEWS: CNBC Africa’s new studio at the JSE in Sandton

CNBC Africa launches studio at the JSE On 15 May, 24-hour business channel CNBC Africa (DStv channel 410) officially launched its brand new studio inside the Johannesburg Securities Exchange (JSE) building in Sandton.

Seven years in the making, the new facility follows the example of CNBC’s studio, which first took up residence at the New York Stock Exchange 25 years ago. Although CNBC Africa has been reporting from the exchange for years, the new studio will give it a front row seat and have traders and chief executives close at hand for comments and analysis.

Rakesh Wahi, founder and vice chairman of CNBC Africa, said at the launch: “From today we will be the first television network that will have the ability to uplink live and integrate all our bureaus from within Africa and internationally, directly from the JSE.” The studio goes live three times a day – first when the markets open, then at lunchtime and then at the closing bell. Although it is self-contained to a certain extent, it is essentially a satellite studio to the CNBC Africa headquarters a few blocks away.

The project was overseen by CNBC Africa’s Jean Landsberg, working closely with Inala Broadcast, which supplied and installed the requisite production and communications solutions. The installation relies on a redundant pair of dark fibres which provide the vital link between the studio and the CNBC Broadcast Centre two blocks away. CNBC Africa chose to

use a Mediornet media network from Riedel which multiplexes 12 HDSDI sources to the studio with four HDSDI return including the main studio output, bi-directional digital and analogue audio, communications and Ethernet. This, says Inala’s Antony Bijsters is a first for Inala and provides a practical demonstration of an economical solution for the many signals required to connect a remote studio.

The studio is equipped with unmanned cameras. Although the use of robotics is on the increase, and the installation at CNBC Africa is not unique in this regard, there are still very few studios around the country that are making full use of this technology. Five Sony pan/tilt/zoom cameras are set up in fixed positions in the small studio around the presenter and panellists’ desk (which, itself, looks out through large windows to the JSE’s main reception area below). These cameras are operated remotely by means of a simple joystick in the control room next door.

The studio and the control room are set up with numerous TVLogic monitors, most notably in the large video wall that adorns one side of the studio. This is composed of eight 46-inch screens.

In the control room, the production team holds the broadcasts together using a Ross vision mixer and a Yamaha audio mixer.

With the studio only in operation for a month now, CNBC Africa, their viewers and Inala appear quite pleased with the results of this project. In a world that demands ever greater speed and immediacy in the delivery and interpretation of information, it is vital that news platforms reporting on matters such as stock markets, which have the ability to experience significant changes from moment to moment, are able to report on these changes as quickly as possible. CNBC Africa has now enabled itself to do so, as it keeps the world up to date with developments at Africa’s largest exchange. – Warren Holden

SCREENAFRICA Publisher & Managing Editor: Simon Robinson: publisher@screenafrica.com Editor: Warren Holden: editor@screenafrica.com Journalist: Carly Barnes: carly@screenafrica.com Contributors: Ian Dormer, Anton Crone, Gethsemane Mwizabi, Faheem Chaudhry, Claire Diao

Sub-Editor: Tina Heron Design: Trevor Ou Tim: design@sun-circle.co.za Website & Production Updates: Carly Barnes: carly@sun-circle.co.za Subscriptions: Tina Tserere: data@sun-circle.co.za Delight Ngwenya: admin@sun-circle.co.za Advertisement Sales: Marianne Schafer: marianne@screenafrica.com Lorna MacLeod: lorna@screenafrica.com

Accounts: Natasha Glavovic: accounts@sun-circle.co.za Sun Circle Publishers (Pty) Ltd Tel: 011 025-3180 Physical address: First Floor, Process House Epsom Downs Office Park 13 Sloane Street Bryanston, Johannesburg South Africa Postal address: PO Box 559, Fourways North, 2086

www.screenafrica.com

| News

Young app star breaks down South Africa’s language barriers Glenn Stein is the founder and director of Aweza, a language app which features translations and pronunciations for all 11 official South African languages.

The project was set in motion when Stein completed his software development diploma at Varsity College and entered the Vodacom App star competition, a contest which gives entrants the opportunity to showcase locally relevant applications and ideas.

After spending a gap year in a Spanish-speaking country, Stein developed an appreciation for the power of language and said, “I wanted to build something that would have a lot of social impact and relevance and because I had learnt a new language and seen how helpful it could be and how it could impact one’s experience of a new culture, I decided to go in that direction.”

Stein’s idea, initially called PhraZApp finished in the top three against some seasoned pros, and was downloaded 30,000 times. The concept has since grown from being a small dream project to a fully operational business, and a catalyst for socio-economic transformation in South Africa.

Once downloaded, the app prompts users to choose a home language, after which all communication copy is switched to this language. Users are then invited to select the language they wish to translate to, which can be changed at any time.

From here users can choose phrases or images relating to a particular scenario, which will be translated into their selected language. One of the cutting-edge cool features which Aweza offers its users is the option to view other user contributions and crowd sourced pronunciations. Users are able to submit and review these contributions and get a thumbs-up or a thumbs-down as to the accuracy and effectiveness of each input.

The highest rated contributions are then displayed on a leader board for easy access.

“The cool thing for me is the idea that this will get South Africans speaking to each other in each other’s languages. It’s just an app now, but it’s the first step in the battle to break down language barriers in South Africa, which is a hard socio-economic problem, with no easy solution,” says the 25-year-old whiz kid, who now runs Speak Mobile with small

SOCIAL IMPACT: Glenn Stein team of friends and creative associates.

“It’s been a hectic journey but one that had to be undertaken. It’s been this calling and I know it’s exactly what I need to be doing,” remarks Stein.

After its official launch in February, Aweza has garnered 5000 users. In April it was rated by Fast Company magazine as one of top ten most innovative companies in Africa, an achievement which Stein refers to as “the PR equivalent

In memoriam: Gregory John Walsh

TRULY MISSED: Greg Walsh

At the end of April, the broadcasting industry was rocked by the tragic death of Greg Walsh of Protea Electronics. He suffered a severe asthma attack on Saturday 19 April, which resulted in a major stroke/heart attack. He then passed away on Monday 21 April.

Greg was born on 1 July 1961 and attended Marist Brothers School. He later attended Mondeor High School where he matriculated in 1979.

He began his working career at Renato and then joined Tedelex in February

1996. With the reshuffling of Tedelex, Walsh left and joined the Protea family in Wynberg in March of 1998. He went from strength to strength, overseeing internal sales.

His knowledge of the industry was incredible and people from all walks of life regularly were in contact with him, asking his opinion on one or other subject, whether it was a Protea product or a personal matter, and he always went the extra mile. He was a well-respected individual, with a vast knowledge in his

of winning an Oscar” and a massive personal career milestone.

Aweza contains no adverts and can be downloaded for free via the Google Play store on all android devices. It will also soon be available for iPhone and iPad users from the iStore. Keep up to date by following Aweza on Twitter (@Aweza_ App) and Facebook (https://www. facebook.com/aweza.mobile).

– Carly Barnes

love of technology and its products in the broadcast and multimedia sector.

He married Chantal, with whom he had two sons, Darren and Donovan. After their divorce Chantal moved to KwaZuluNatal with the boys and Greg remained in Johannesburg; he made every effort to see the boys as often as he could.

Late last year Greg became a first-time grandfather.

He was always the life and soul of a party, with his ever-present smile. The Protea team have so many good memories of Greg and truly are going to miss him.

Greg is survived by his sons Darren and Donovan, daughter-in-law Storm, grandson Jayden, his mother Gloria, brother Tony and the love of his life Emma and her two children, Shaun and Kiara.

News

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IMSFF provides a creative stepping stone for local filmmakers The Independent Mzansi Short Film Festival (IMSFF), which takes place from 25 to 29 June at the Maxi Cineplex in Tshwane, will host six engaging workshops, an assorted spread of short film screenings and a feature film created by directors at the Tshwane University of Technology’s (TUT) Film Academy.

Six workshops will feature at the festival, each geared to enhance the capability and business skills of existing and budding local film makers.

Confirmed seminars include: Legal Workshop for Independent Filmmakers, presented by South African film events group SAFTEC; How to make product placement part of your movie’s pseudo

COLLABORATIVE EFFORT: A scene from Wolf Wolf – Hoe Laat is Dit reality, presented by Pieter Oosthuizen and the MadRobot team; Creative Rights for Screen Writers, presented by the Writer’s Guild of South Africa; and How to keep up with film technology, presented

by Media Film Services.

The feature film, Wolf Wolf – Hoe Laat is Dit, is the collaborative effort of 20 directors from TUT’s Film Academy and stars Anel Alexander, Dewald Reynecke and Justin Strydom. Created as part of the 2009 fourth year students’ final project, the film questions whether a

person, or a killer, is able to change if they learn to love and care for someone.

Jarrod de Jong, organiser at IMSFF comments: “IMSFF thrives on the fact that the University of Pretoria is the central point of our community, and the students will eagerly embrace this event.

It’s good for this community which is particularly artistic and film-friendly.”

Festival sponsors include Hatfield Plaza and MAXI-Cineplex, SAFTEC, Media Film Services, Mad Robot, Slender Wonder, Afrinolly, Gauteng Film Commission, Grey

Cloud Productions and headline sponsor Global Access.

Guy Sclanders, creative producer at Global Access comments:“The skills and experiences of today’s short film makers will ripple forward into the future to give rise to a creative, sophisticated South African voice in narrative storytelling. Raising the bar beyond the norm is a goal of Global Access – clearly one of the IMSFF’s too – and one we believe should be the goal for all media companies in South Africa.”

According to de Jong, audiences will have a diverse film line-up to look forward to. “We have received an overwhelming amount of entries in excess of 100. Although our core focus was the domestic filmmaker, we have been bombarded with entries from international avenues and due to their interest we have accepted a selected amount of films from around Africa and other international countries. Of the films which have been submitted, about 50% have received numerous awards from other festivals around the globe.”

Festival tickets for two-hour screening sessions and a one-and-ahalf-hour workshop can be purchased at the venue for R25, while a day pass, which offers access to all sessions and activities on a particular day, is available for R65.

The festival programme can be purchased at the festival or downloaded from the IMSFF website (www.imsff.co.za). – Carly Barnes

Disney XD appoints Cameron van der Burgh as Aim High mentor

INSPIRING KIDS: Cameron van der Burgh 4 | SCREENAFRICA | June 2014

On 8 May 2014 the Walt Disney Company Africa launched the fifth phase of its Disney XD (DStv Channel 304) Aim High initiative, which will be fronted by Olympic gold medallist and South African sports hero, Cameron van der Burgh.

Disney XD’s Aim High, in collaboration with Nestle Milo Cereal, will offer one lucky Disney fan the opportunity to realise their true potential. The project is aimed at uplifting and inspiring South African youths to achieve their goals.

Previous mentors include Bafana Bafana big shot Siphiwe Tshabalala, South African Idols Season Six winner, Elvis Blue, South African rugby star, Tendai ‘The Beast’ Mtawarira, and the world’s number one fast-bowler, Protea cricket hero Dale Steyn.

Van der Burgh, who has been swimming since the age of 11, is the current 100m breaststroke world-record holder and remembers being motivated to pursue his dreams by iconic South

African sportswoman and Olympic gold medallist, Penny Heynes.

“For me growing up I remember Penny Heynes being one of my biggest heroes.

When I was younger she came to one of our swimming practices and to be in her presence was so amazing. It made me strive to be like her. I know I can teach these kids a lot of things but at the end of the day, I’d really like to just inspire them,” he remarks.

Van der Burgh is excited to be taking part in the campaign and says: “Just spending time with the kids that are going to be entering, whether they are swimmers or not, motivating them to do something that they love and impacting their lives the way Penny impacted on mine, will be hugely rewarding for me.”

Fans who would like to enter this once-in-a-lifetime competition will need to visit www.disneyxd.co.za/aim-high or disneyafrica.mobi from Monday 12 May through to Monday 23 June 2014 where

they will be required to answer a multiple-choice question. The entry will also include a written motivation as to why they should be selected for this opportunity.

As part of their experience, winners will spend a day gaining valuable insight from Van der Burgh, which will be filmed and aired on Disney XD later on in the year. In addition to expert mentorship, they will also receive a year’s supply of Nestle Milo Cereal.

Van der Burgh concludes: “I think that if you don’t have dreams that are big, you can easily forget about them. We all have a destiny, and the journey I’ve taken to get here – the people I’ve met, the relationships I’ve built and the lessons I’ve learnt – is something I will look back on with pride. I think kids can aspire to that, and this initiative will hopefully allow them to begin creating their own journey in life.”

– Carly Barnes

Africa

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Zambia

New comedy boosts Zambian film industry The Zambian film industry has given birth to yet another movie – the action-comedy Red Bag, which certainly qualifies as the year 2014’s blockbuster movie. In the history of Zambian cinema, there has never been a film that has brought together the heavyweights in the industry in one production. Red Bag is the first of its kind.

The film stars renowned and talented Zambian actors like Robam Mwape (popularly known as Mwine Mushi for his humorous lead role in the local series of the same name) Webster Chiluba, Charles Zulu, Kabova, Owas Mwape, D’nice Chipampe, Henry Joe Sakala, Bridget Malumba, Milton Chipipa, Patrick Salubusa, Tommy Lungu, Isaac Kalumba, Joe Sakala Jr., John Nyendwa, Isaac Chamba, Alfred Kandolo and the list goes on and on! Written by Chris Phiri and

6 | SCREENAFRICA | June 2014

Dumbwi stirs up lots of trouble when he steals a red bag belonging to his boss, with lots of cash in it! He runs for his life, Gabz and his goons chasing after him, only to lose the bag to a taxi driver who also loses it to a couple of unemployed youths who then, in turn, lose the bag to a lady on a bus who then has it swindled away from her by a fake witch-doctor! Will Dumbwi get his hands on the bag again and escape from the wrath of his boss?

Red Bag just premiered and already has been receiving a lot of attention from the INDUSTRY HEAVYWEIGHT: Red Bag is an action comedy that is Zambian public who currently drawing large audiences in its native Zambia have begun to appreciate local movies, directed by Frank Sibbuku, Red Bag is an unlike before, when action comedy that leaves people in Nigerian movies were the talk of the stitches. town. Of course Nollywood productions Dumbwi works as a gardener for local still dominate, but it is not as it used to be gangster Gabz Zulu. The poorly paid five years ago. With a lot of production

houses coming up, the industry is set to grow.

It is a fact that the creative industries in Zambia have great potential that needs to be harnessed to reach Nollyhood levels.

Zambians are generally a creative people but need to take their creativity to the next level.

The industry up to now has largely been driven by the passion of the artists in it. There has been an increased interest and investment from government, individuals and private sector and this is welcome and greatly appreciated. Without doubt, the movie industry has the potential to be a key driver of economic success. But there is still a need for a lot of support and action to make this happen. The country could benefit from a special government fund for the development of films, as well as dedicated training for the film and television industries in the institutions of higher learning.

There is also need for co-production treaties with other countries to encourage collaborative efforts.

As for Red Bag, it is an action comedy to enjoy, as its characters and situations really resonate with the Zambian public. – Gethsemane Mwizabi

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MAURITANIA | IVORY COAST | EGYPT | TUNISIA

Cannes’ eye on Africa 2014 The Cannes Film Festival is the place to be in the cinema world, yet Africa had only four movies in the official selection this year – one in the competition, one in Un Certain Regard, one in Cinéfondation and one out of competition.

The Aftermath of the Inauguration of the Public Toilet at Kilometer 375

Official competition Timbuktu

Timbuktu

by Abderrahmane Sissako – Mauritania – 1h37 International sales: Le Pacte www.le-pacte.com Since Bamako (2006), we have not seen anything from Mauritanian director Abderrahmane Sissako.

Set in Oualata (Mauritania), Timbuktu recounts the story of this Malian city occupied by Ansar Dine Jihadists in 2012.

Religious fundamentalists coming from various parts of the world forced local people there to abide by their sharia law.

How do people live under occupation?

How do they resist? How absurd is the complexity of the Jihadists attitude?

Even if a stronger storyline between the characters would have highly improved the movie’s power, Timbuktu has a sensitive mix of poetry, hardness, love and anger and stars stunning actors from Touareg singer Ahmed Ibrahim (Kidane) to French actor Abel Jafri (Abdelkrim).

Un Certain Regard Run

by Philippe Lacôte – Ivory Coast – 102min International sales: BAC Films f.schwabe@bacfilms.fr Philippe Lacôte’s first feature Run was selected in 2012 by the Cinéfondation’s Workshop. Set in Ivory Coast (Abidjan, Bassam) and Burkina Faso (Sindou), the movie recounts Ivory Coast’s recent history through the journey of one character.

“When I shot my documentary War Chronicles in Ivory Coast, I met many young people sent into the streets by older politicians, says Lacôte. This Ivorian youth always interested me because it’s really hard to be young today in our country: no jobs, no visa to go abroad…

But in the meantime, there is an incredible dynamism.”

With stunning cinematography from Israeli DOP Daniel Miller, Run stars two 8 | SCREENAFRICA | June 2014

A QUAD OF FILMS: Run

Ivorian actors: Abdoul Karim Konaté (main character in Burn it Up Djasssa’s previously produced by Lacôte) and Isaach de Bankolé (who worked, among others, with Jim Jarmusch and Lars Von Trier).

Despite those elements, Run misses its goal: by focusing on Run’s life more than his surroundings, Ivoirian history is dismissed as a set more than a driving force of the character’s evolution.

Nevertheless, some brilliant special effects confirm that Lacôte is developing an interesting new take of the African mystical aesthetic.

Cinéfondation The Aftermath of the Inauguration of the Public Toilet at Kilometer 375

by Omar El Zohairy – Egypt – 18min International sales: elzohairyo@yahoo.com Since 1998, the Cinéfondation promotes film students during the Cannes Film Festival. This is how Omar El Zohairy, a Cairo High Cinema Institute, the student of the oldest African cinema school, created in 1959, entered this competition.

After three years of training – extended to eight years due to his assistant work for directors Yousry Nasrallah and Ahmad Abdalla – Omar El Zohairy completed his

The Challat of Tunis

second short film, The Aftermath of the Inauguration of the Public Toilet at Kilometer 375. This came after his previous effort, Zafir (2011), took a Jury Prize at the 2012 Dubai International Film Festival.

The long title of this excellent short film indicates the plot’s black humor. Adapted from Anton Chekhov’s 1982 novel The Death of a Government Clerk, The Aftermath… recounts the story of an employee intimidated by his manager after having sneezed during an official speech.

“My spotlight was on the feeling of fear, abstract from any other feelings. It is a story of the worldwide modern life. I think modern life is the life of human being without feelings, just afraid of everything: working all the time, just eating and not living, like robots.”

Set in abandoned places in Cairo (1960s Russian-style factories) and in front of the Pyramids, driven by an impressive screenplay by Sherif Naguib, this comedy of the absurd reveals a director to follow.

Out of competition – ACID Section The Challat of Tunis

by Kaouther Ben Hania – Tunisia – 90min International sales: Jour2fête sales@jour2fete.com

Kaouther Ben Hania was the only African female director to have been selected this year. Her first feature, The Challat of Tunis draws a dramatic and humoristic portrait of misogyny in contemporary Tunisia. By telling the story of a man who, in 2003, reportedly rode around Tunis on a scooter slashing the buttocks of women he considered indecently dressed – an Arabic urban legend also found in other countries – Kaouther Ben Hania interrogates her contemporary society as well as the religious influence on male mentality.

“This is a movie about macho men,” explains Ben Hania. “The goal is to understand what is hidden behind this narrow-minded and violent attitude.

By making this film, I realised that there is something sad and pathetic with these men. I almost feel compassion for them and understanding: as a filmmaker, it is my work not to judge people.”

Kaouther Ben Hania intelligently plays with the borders between true and untrue, fiction and documentary, men and women, liars and cheats.

Thus, she reveals the complexity of post-Arab Spring Tunisian mentalities divided between tradition and modernity, and removed from any good and bad moralistic dichotomy.

– Claire Diao

MALI | NIGERIA

| AFrica

Cannes springboard for FESPACO golden stallions

SELECTED FOR CANNES: Abderrahmane Sissako

Mauritanian director Abderrahmane Sissako was awarded a prize at FESPACO 2003 for his film Heremakono and Nigerian director Newton Aduaka in 2007 for Ezra. Both were present at Cannes this year – one was in the official competition and the other was fundraising with Cinéfondation. Both took the time to speak to Screen Africa.

Newton Aduaka

A

bderrahmane Sissako was born in Kiffa, Mauritania in 1961 and then grew up in Bamako, Mali. Born in Ogidi, Nigeria in 1966, Newton Aduaka was raised in Lagos. While both studied cinema in the 1980s, Sissako received a Russian education at the VGIK in Moscow while Aduaka trained at the London Film School (UK). But both started a brilliant career with their shorts at the Milan African Film: October (1994) for Sissako and On the Edge (1997) for Aduaka.

But while Sissako received French support for his first feature, Life on Earth (1998), Aduaka independently produced his hip-hop debut Rage in 2001 (a critical hit in the UK). In 2002, both were selected at Cannes: Abderrahmane Sissako with his next feature Heremakono in the Un Certain Regard section, Newton Aduaka with his medium-length Funeral at the Director’s Fortnight. He was also in residence at the Cinéfondation in 2001, with Green Orange, a project that did not come through.

While Abderrahmane Sissako won his Golden Stallion with Heremokono at FESPACO 2003, Newton Aduaka received this distinction three years later with Ezra, also screened at the Cannes Semaine de la Critique 2007. Then Sissako directed Bamako (2006) while Aduaka shot One Man’s Show (2013) and won the Critic’s Prize at FESPACO 2013.

This year, both filmmakers were in Cannes. Abderrahmane Sissako was in competition with his film Timbuktu, recounting a Malian city’s life under a 2012 Jihadist takeover.“At the beginning,

I wanted to make a documentary while unconsciously fearing to make a fiction.

I’ve sent someone shooting on set and the Jihadists accepted him because he was Mauritanian. But when he came back, I understood that people would not be free to speak and that Jihadists would use my movie as a support for their own objective. Then a Touareg couple was stoned to death in Aguelhok (29 July 2012 in Mauritania – editor’s note) and my fiction came out because I needed to denounce this situation”.

At the Cinéfondation, Newton Aduaka was looking for funds for his next project Oil on Water. Adapted from Nigerian Helion Habila’s novel, the movie recounts how two journalists, hired by a European oil company executive, discover what’s happening in the Niger Delta. Militants kidnap the executive’s wife because they feel that the government is not taking care of them.

“And of course, they ask for ransoms because people are making huge profits from their land, explains Aduaka. This is not a documentary but a drama, a psychological thriller, with elements of love story and action, across different genres. I want to make an accessible film for a wide audience.”

Sissako says of his artistic journey: “Long before Bamako – I always feel ashamed of that as an artist – I considered that I didn’t play the role I should play with what happened in Rwanda. It left a mark on me. I didn’t want this to be repeated. So I wanted to testify on what happened to Mali. Did I learn the lesson?

The Aguelhok murder went unnoticed in

a so-called civilised world which takes care of others. This murder didn’t happen in London or Paris. It is easy to say ‘No one did anything.’ We should quit this intellectual comfort of being offended, sometimes with words, about something that finally only flatters our ego. Rising up just intellectually is not courageous. Our work as writers, journalists or filmmakers is also to bear witness about what we consider as unfair.

On his country’s film industry Aduaka has this to say: “In 1999-2000, when I travelled with Rage, I remember being lonely, perhaps one of the few Englishspeaking among the African filmmakers of my generation. And at some point, it becomes clear to you that the obstacle in front of you is real.

“Nollywood has created an audience for people to consume their own goods. It is one of the biggest forces to challenge Hollywood in terms of audience. Without Nollywood, Nigerian cinemas would be as little as European cinemas with American films.

Yes, people are asking for some variety in terms of quality and that’s coming with young filmmakers like Chika Anadu.

When I saw her feature B-For Boy, it was a pleasure, because I know what it looked like before. It was like we had nothing to say. If I was the only one there, the reflection would be people thinking “Wow, they have nothing to say, don’t listen to him.”

The chorus of voices, each one singing his own key, is important. – Claire Diao June 2014 | SCREENAFRICA | 9

ADCETERA

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Opinion

How democracy feels in advertising Anton Crone takes an industry insider’s look at a particularly tricky job for the advertising creative – the party political campaign.

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et me start by saying I am not qualified to write this. I have no experience of politics outside of the boardroom, and in that game I have lost my seat a number of times. Yet despite my political naivety, I have twice been approached to drive political party messages of national significance, and both times I declined saying I didn’t believe in the party. When I look back, I ask myself if I declined because of cowardice.

In one case I was fully employed at an advertising agency where the leaders gave me a choice and respected my decision. In the other, I was offered a freelance assignment at a time when I needed cash. Turning it down meant two more months of two-minute noodles.

That’s not a sacrifice in a country where so many people have it much worse, but that was chief among my concerns: I sensed that the advertising would speak of addressing poverty but that the client would not act on it (rich coming from a guy who’s job entailed convincing people that plastic roof tiles can withstand hail storms and that luxury cars are a necessity).

I’m certain many advertising professionals working on election campaigns don’t vote for their clients. It’s a job, and they are paid for their expertise. You could call this mercenary work. Yet a good friend put it more pragmatically. “There are many brands I’ve worked on that I don’t like or respect or whose ethics and practices I think are questionable,” she says. “Big oil

DA election campaign 10 | SCREENAFRICA | June 2014

ANC election campaign companies, for instance, cosmetic companies that test on animals, big brand clothing and shoe companies whose ads we adore but who use sweatshop labour in China or India. Very few brands can afford to live in glass houses. Yet we take their money, we make their ads and, as

consumers, even buy their products or services.” She has worked on two different party campaigns even though she didn’t necessarily support the parties at the time. Her attitude is that as long as no one is forced to buy the political brand, she will work on their campaign.

Earlier in her career she refused to work on a piece of apartheid government business. “Basically the communication involved justifying the behaviour and the policies of the apartheid government, which was desperate to defend itself at the time,” she says. “For this I was singled out quite sarcastically in a staff meeting. I replied that I was not prepared to advertise a brand that 80% of the country was forced to buy. I’m sure the CD and MD thought I was a cheeky, leftie, communist, shit-stirring individual, but I don’t think I cared. I thought they were greedy and unprincipled.”

We are fortunate now to live in a democracy where we can make a choice.

In the media, despite dubious recent events, we are still free to speak. But as another advertising friend intimates, he who spends the most speaks the loudest.

“The economy is bad because of the government. But if they offer money to do this then you take it,” he says. “One hears of the depth of intimidation this party has employed due to the fact that it holds the purse strings. It’s terrifying and it’s part of the reason people are shooting these commercials. But take that away and they really have very little. For every campaign message there should be an effective counter message or something that challenges it.”

In an economy like South Africa’s, where ad agencies are better off taking what business they can and doing the client’s bidding, a challenge to a client is the last thing on the agenda. The same rhetoric is spewed out election after election. The strategy is written, the mood board needs a bit of polish, but it’s all there, so agencies just get on with it.

It’s easy money. And perhaps we feel that South African political parties are so full of it that not even the magic wand of creative persuasion can add value to their pedantic rhetoric.

But we should be better than that, this liberal industry, advertising. The closest we’ve got to political activism is for a neighbouring country’s newspaper.

TBWA Hunt Lascaris’ Trillion Dollar Campaign illustrated Zimbabwe’s hyperinflation by printing the communication on Zimbabwe Dollar bills.

But do we tackle our own issues?

Perhaps I shouldn’t have turned down those two gigs. Perhaps I was a coward not to take the opportunity to walk into the boardroom and challenge the man to act on what he says, to give him a campaign that was so good it filled him with a sense of his responsibility to change this country and to be accountable to the people who believe him. But no, that’s naïve. I should have learnt by now. I’ve challenged clients to stop following the formula and to innovate. I’ve pushed them too hard, and I’ve lost my seat. But man, it felt good to challenge them. Better than that, it felt right. It felt like democracy.

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ADCETERA

| Report on the South African commercials industry

Idris Elba embodies ‘Mastery in the Making’ As a consummate acting master with an enormous screen presence, Long Walk to Freedom star Idris Elba exemplifies the kind of determination, passion and craft with which Distell’s Oude Meester brandy is associated in its marketing. This is why he was a natural choice to perform in the latest commercial promoting the brand.

Conceptualised by 140 BBDO creative agency and brought to life by Egg Films, the advert is a toast to the success achieved by masters who have made great accomplishments in life, as well as the wisdom which they pass down to generations of young masters still to come. The spot was directed by Kim Geldenhuys and produced by Jon Ronbeck while post-production was handled by Black Ginger and headed up

by VFX Supervisor Marco Raposa De Barbosa.

Michael Pearson, Group Creative Head at 140BBDO, says: “In the last commercial, starring Jamie Foxx, we established Oude Meester as a brand with international street cred, a master (Ben Franklin) on the bottle and oodles of cool. In this commercial, we needed to bring this mastery back home and remind people that this amazing brandy is made right here – and proudly so.”

Pearson added that due to his role in

Long Walk to Freedom as Nelson Mandela, Elba was truly able to connect to South African people as well as their language. On working with the star Pearson comments: “Anyone on the streets who asked for a photo was graciously accommodated. He was also an absolute perfectionist on set – often wanting to see his takes and try something new. The kind of looks and expressions we got from him, the natural acting, was his real star quality.”

Though given some creative freedom, Pearson said they had thoroughly worked out and crafted dialogue which they stuck to quite closely, but that while working with Elba on set, there were some amazing unscripted moments that they were able to capture.

Director of photography Paul Gilpin shot the advert over three nights in February using an Arri Alexa camera with various cranes being used for lighting and camera platforms. As filming took place in the evening extensive pre-lighting, rigging and dressing was done to accommodate the dark environment.

Despite these challenges, both Pearson and Ronbeck agree that the biggest hurdle they faced was chasing time, a commodity which is commonly in deficit in commercials productions. They

Screen shot from Oude Meester

remark: “It was a hugely expansive shoot, with many shots, deliveries and performances to capture every day – and the only problem with working with an actor of Idris’ calibre is that you

want to keep watching him. So, it was a fine balance between getting him to try different options and performances, and still fitting everything into a day.”

– Carly Barnes

sexual tension with.

The first commercials, which feature Zuckerberg and the lawyers, were shot on 8 March while the Gareth Cliff advert was shot on 8 April. Both shoots took place in the grand library room at Rhodes Place in Cape Town and were captured using an Arri Alexa high-speed 4K camera.

Van Papendorp comments: “The psychiatrist’s room was a great device to have our lead deliver the features of WeChat in a way that featured him

prescribing it to his celebrity patients. Part of the quirkiness in these spots is that he is a sincere and learned doctor, in the spirit of Freud and Jung, but his prescriptions are always just WeChat. It also felt like the kind of environment we could have some fun in and create a great structure for what are essentially retail ads.”

Confident that South African audiences will enjoy the quirks and mannerisms of the doctor figure, played by top voice over artist and ex Hollywood puppeteer Adam Behr, Van Papendorp says: “His grasp of accents is phenomenal and he is an accomplished performer who not only takes direction well but has great ideas himself.

Couple that with having the right look for the role, and he was a good bet.”

The production team for the second set of WeChat adverts, which consists of DOP Grant Appleton, gaffer Lesley Manual, grip Allan Gray, art director Laurence Bishop and wardrobe stylist Dihantus Engelbrecht is currently working on the last commercial in postproduction, which Van Papendorp says will give viewers another celeb-coaching shrink session on the couch to look forward to. – Carly Barnes

Shrink prescribes WeChat to the stars WeChat, a mobile text and voice messaging service, has produced a series of quirky adverts which feature local and international celebrities purging their stresses and qualms to a psychiatrist with Freudian flair.

Comfortably positioned on a clichéd chaise longue, the characters of Mark Zuckerberg, Gareth Cliff and a couple of concerned social media lawyers are prescribed WeChat as the medicine to any and all of their personal problems.

Conceived by The Jupiter Drawing Room in Cape Town and produced by Giant Films, the adverts show and explain that WeChat offers much more than just messaging features to its users.

“The brief was to create a humorous character that could become the WeChat mascot, who could deliver WeChat’s features in each ad we did,” says director Peri Van Papendorp, who believes it was crucial that each ad tickled the funny 12 | SCREENAFRICA | June 2014

Behind the scenes on the WeChat commercial

bone. “The idea was to use celebs on the couch to create ‘talkability’ around the brand, playing on the fact that the public are already aware of those celeb’s issues.”

The agency allowed Van Papendorp to inject his own humorous nuances into the brief and to build texture into the psychiatrist character. This included adding character eccentricities like the character’s taxidermy hobby, his collection of self-portraits and his towering assistant Frauke whom he has

OPINION | ADCETERA

We need to write the new rules

By Faheem Chaudhry

Account director, M&C Saatchi Abel The ad industry has always been synonymous with having too many buzzwords. For that, we’re guilty as charged. The problem with buzzwords is that people tend to get a little too fixated on them, and so it follows that one leans to a side. Traditional vs. Digital. The big idea vs. big data. For young people entering the industry, it can all become a little muddy. And as the industry continues to change at a pace like never before – how do we focus on what’s most important?

It’s time we write the new rules. It’s time to rethink how we orientate ourselves in the ad industry. We’re in the midst of our own revolution, the consumer revolution. So let’s take a moment to zoom out a little, and focus on what is really going to drive remarkable change for brands and businesses going forward.

Marketers used to control all communication that brands were associated with. Consumers’ perceptions were shaped by the messages that companies used to put out. Well comrades, the persuasion game has changed. The reasons consumers choose brands are influenced by a growing number of variables, none more important than the views of consumers themselves. People now own brand conversations. Everyone is an author.

Everyone is an advocate and influencer of

brands and what people think of them.

For young advertising bucks growing their careers during such a time, there are a number of things to consider.

Experience isn’t always expertise Few people in the industry today can truly claim to have the experience to navigate the changing tides of the industry. This is simply because the rate at which the communication game is changing far outpaces the speed at which people are able to master new capabilities. Additionally, young people are becoming far more influential much earlier in their careers. Far before millennials even study communication, they’re engaging with technology and learning skills that are of critical importance to the way brands communicate today. Having past industry experience doesn’t always translate into having the relevant expertise necessary to be ahead of the game today.

Agility The industry is no longer looking for only those who are specialists in a particular discipline. More so, the youngsters who show a strong hand at their core discipline, but can add value across the communication spectrum are the sought

after talent. Being able to influence the communication of a brand at every point that it meets a consumer is a skill set that will continue to be sought after.

Adapting to change is fast becoming a core competency of success. As new capabilities enter the market and brands are influenced in new ways, being flexible enough to welcome, understand and grasp change with speed will be of the highest importance.

Good isn’t good enough Now, more than ever, good just isn’t good enough. More and more companies are entering the competitive sphere. A start-up of eight people can be as successful in reaching its market as an established company far larger in size and resources. Pushing out good communication at a time where clutter is becoming king, isn’t going to get you noticed. Great communication is what might get you noticed. Stand out communication is what gives you permission to speak. Consumer’s lives are just too fast and too busy to give their time to brands talking the same talk. Clarity and distinction will win.

Anything that risks becoming part of the clutter will struggle to hold much of the consumer attention.

As the industry continues to push and learn about its boundaries and growing capabilities, young advertisers need to lead the charge in redefining how we do business. We’ll need to make full use of our growing experience, and through

Faheem Chaudhry

being agile, grow our expertise in as wide a way as possible. The industry is living in an ever changing dynamic for advertisers to wrap our heads around, but what an adventure it’s going to be. It’s time to write the new rules.

Speed-dating for creatives Portfolio Night, a global event which took place on 21 May, is a creative hub where aspiring young advertising professionals are given the opportunity to meet with renowned advertising creative directors in a fast-paced evening of advice, networking and recruitment.

For the second year, global marketing solutions company McCann, presented the event in South Africa and for the first time, invited Cape Town to join Johannesburg as a host city.

Pierre Odendaal, Chief Creative Officer at McCann Johannesburg, had previously been involved in The Art Directors Club Portfolio Night concept whilst working at Razorfish in New York and felt South Africa was ready for a creative rumble.

“We chose to host this event because nothing like this existed in South Africa – something that spoke directly to communication-based students. From a grassroots level Portfolio Night makes a big impact to students studying

communication in South Africa at the various institutions across the country,” says Odendaal, who believes the event aids in upping the industry ante in terms of quality and international perspective.

At each South African Portfolio Night roughly 170 students had their work reviewed by approximately 56 creative directors and executive creative directors from around the country – a massive opportunity for any emerging copywriter, art director or designer.

Odendaal comments, “Imagine this, you’re a young student about to enter the creative industry in six months or so and the very people that spearhead and drive this country’s advertising and creative industry – the gods, so to speak – are offering you the opportunity to share the fruits of your labour from the past two or three years of study in the form of your portfolio, and get some amazing advice that can secure you that dream job later. I mean, who wouldn’t be

chomping at the bit?”

The feedback from creative directors who participated in the event has been positive and inspiring. Not only is it apparent that Portfolio Night is growing in interest, attendance and concept with each edition, but McCann also received a number of compliments from creative leaders who were pleased that they were able to impact on the next generation of talent.

“It is very important to the South African market because it shows that we care as an industry and that we want to all get involved and uplift the level of creativity and ideas in this market of ours.

I would even go so far as to add that internationally we as South Africans also send a message to the rest of the world that we are keen to be seen as being on the cusp of what is taking place creatively too,” concludes Odendaal.

– Carly Barnes Pierre Odendaal June 2014 | SCREENAFRICA | 13

Commercials

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Director Speak Van p r Peri Papendo

CONSTANT INSPIRATION: Peri Van Papendorp on set

From the time he started shooting skateboard films on a camcorder with his friends as a child, Giant Films director Peri Van Papendorp suspected he was destined for the director’s chair. He studied Film and Media at the University of Cape Town but went on to do a post-grad in copywriting at AAA Advertising School. After nine years in advertising, the role of director became irresistible.

What is your background and how has this shaped you as a director?

A lot of my experience is in coming up with concepts that can tell a story in 30 seconds and sell the brand. So my advertising background heavily influences how I work on scripts now. I love bringing new ideas and angles into the boards I see and pushing it as much as possible but my background helps me know what’s important in those scripts to the agency, and their clients, which helps me gauge what I can or can’t fiddle with or push.

What is your favourite SA advert to date?

Yoh, tough question. I’ll always have an emotional connection with that damn lovable Staffie in the 80s Dunlop ad. In more recent times, Virgin Atlantic ‘Love Story’ still stands out as a superb spot.

Describe the moment when you decided you wanted to become a director?

I think the moment when I really made the career decision was while sitting on set as an agency creative, thinking: “This oke doesn’t know what he’s doing. I should be in that chair directing this thing!”

14 | SCREENAFRICA | June 2014

What made you decide to move from working at an agency to working in production?

When you’re in an agency, you only get to make, like, 5% of the ideas you come up with. That can be heartbreaking, especially when you fall in love with an idea. As creative people, you want to be always making.

In production, the idea has already fought the good fight and made it through, so you’re that much closer to seeing it come alive.

Where do you find inspiration?

Inspiration is constant and comes from completely unexpected places. Not surprisingly, films give me the most inspiration. I’ll watch something and often store ideas in my mind that will come out in my work. Music is a big one too. I hear tracks that immediately give me a picture in my mind. Also just general conversations. So often I’ll hear someone say something that kind of sits with me and becomes an idea later on.

Plagiarism, basically.

And rainbows. Very inspiring.

Do you have any mentors?

I’ve had great mentors in my advertising career. Ross Chowles, Ahmed Tilly, Chris Gotz are all ad men that have taught me a lot about this game. I don’t really have a film mentor, but the directors at Giant – Robin Goode, Ian Gabriel – have given me a lot of good advice and openly shared their knowledge. It’s a great environment for that.

What are your personal career milestones?

Breaking in and getting consistent work already felt like a milestone. Going into this, you’re told it could take years before you have a proper reel, so having already done a good amount of work is immensely satisfying.

What are your least favourite parts of the job?

There is very little I don’t thoroughly enjoy about this job. Wardrobe calls can be a bit tedious, but even those can be a great opportunity to bond with your cast and start bouncing ideas for on-set.

What has been your hairiest moment on set?

Severely running out of time. Sitting on a product shot for three hours, knowing that I still have shot 12 – 20 to get within the next few hours. That was serious stress. That’s when you just start to run-and-gun. I had a small internal freak out that I think I kept well hidden.

What are your all time three favourite films and why?

Goonies and Coming to America were my faves growing up. I watched those films like 47 times each.

Snatch for the dialogue, pace and camera language.

Who would play you in a Hollywood blockbuster and why?

Daniel Day-Lewis would nail it and make my life look way dramatic. Then Vin Diesel for the shots with my shirt off and Angelina Jolie for my mouth close-ups.

What location would you really like to shoot at?

Teahupoo in Tahiti. Have you seen that wave? I’d like to shoot from the safety of a boat in the channel out at Teahupoo.

Describe yourself in five years?

At the top of my game, shooting big budget, award-winning spots in exotic locations with a remarkable head of hair.

– Compiled by Carly Barnes

www.kwazulunatalfilm.co.za.

FILM

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Bringing African narrative to the cities The African Metropolis project is a series of six short films representing major cities across Africa.

An initiative of the GoetheInstitut and producer Steven Markovitz, the African Metropolis project is aimed at offering unique African stories that challenge perceptions of the continent and its people, and at providing a platform for the development of young African filmmakers.

“T

here is a crisis of perception of our continent,” says Steven Markovitz, executive producer of the African Metropolis project. “The way the world perceives us is quite a static vision and we know living here is a far more dynamic experience than is depicted in cinema. So part of our thinking was to address that and we know that this series is not going to solve that problem – it will take a whole generation of filmmakers but we need to start making more films about this dynamic urban environment – making films that are surprising and not predictable.”

This was the main line of thinking behind the conception of African Metropolis, which Markovitz developed with the conceptual and financial support of the Goethe-Institut, as well as the Guaranty Trust Bank and the Hubert Bals Fund of International Film Festival Rotterdam. The six films tell six very different and idiosyncratic stories from across Africa, with little in common other than the fact that they all arise from the same continent and they all address, in one way or another, the common experiences of urban living in Africa and around the world.

An urban vision Markovitz first got together with the Goethe-Institut three years ago to begin the discussions that would ultimately result in the production of African Metropolis. “We both had the idea of wanting to support African film,” says Lien Heidenreich, Head of the 16 | SCREENAFRICA | June 2014

Programme Department at the GoetheInstitut. “But we did not want what you usually see, or what a lot of people think about Africa – catastrophe, rural settings, HIV/AIDS. We wanted an urban vision of Africa. We knew there were filmmakers out there who were dealing in that and we wanted to bring them together. So we were looking for interesting stories from urban settings.”

Another important aim was to provide a platform for African filmmakers to get into production and create something that they could use as a springboard to bigger projects and development funding. “Many African filmmakers take years to try and make a feature film,” Markovitz says. “To raise the money it can take five, 10 years and often the film is not realised. Then they get relegated to African film festivals around the world, and so they end up in a kind of ghetto.

“Our idea was to take one step back and make a package of short films and support the filmmakers from the scriptwriting process, right through to the marketing of the films and get them onto a big, mainstream international platform that could enable them to talk about their features and, using the networks that they experience, to move on to a bigger project. Having the stamp of approval of these festivals gives you a certain level of credibility when approaching funders for feature films. So it was that kind of ‘leg-up’ that we wanted to create.”

Markovitz and his collaborators decided on a list of nine major African cities and sent a brief out to the continent’s filmmakers to come forward with proposals for stories from each of them. In the end, they chose six scripts to be developed and produced for the final ‘package’ that has now been released as African Metropolis.

Concurrent, supported production Once the six stories were chosen, all of the filmmakers gathered in South Africa just before the 2012 Durban International Film Festival to get to know one another, establish a group dynamic and exchange ideas and support.

Markovitz and the Goethe-Institut offered script development support as well as production advice. Then the production teams went off to their respective cities to shoot their films, effectively operating as separate productions, though with recourse to the central support system of Markovitz and his team in South Africa. Weak points in production units were identified and Markovitz then intervened to help fix them. For example, the Senegalese production lacked a good assistant director, so one was duly sent. The Kenyan one had a need for decent sound recording – this need was met too. Aside from that and the feedback from Markovitz and the Goethe-Institut in the post-production process, each film was essentially an independent production.

The first of the six films that make up African Metropolis is Homecoming (Jimmy Chuchu, Nairobi, Kenya), a light-hearted story of an isolated young dreamer and the numerous fantasies he comes up with in which he gets the attention of the pretty girl in the apartment across from his.

The Cave (Ahmed Ghoenimy, Cairo, Egypt) is a ‘slice-of-life’ drama in which a young, frustrated, aspiring musician finds himself alienated from old friends in the rapid change of contemporary Egypt.

The Line-Up (Folasakin Iwajomo, Lagos, Nigeria), is a chilling and mysterious tale

of a man who finds a way to make easy cash to pay for his sister’s life-saving operation – but he has no idea what he is getting himself into. L’Autre femme (The Other Woman) (Marie KA, Dakar, Senegal) is an intimate portrayal of a special relationship that develops between the two wives of a Dakar businessman.

Taking a fanciful and speculative approach to biography, To Repel Ghosts (Philippe Lacôte, Abidjan, Ivory Coast) recounts the 1988 visit of American artist Jean-Michael Basquiat to Abidjan – and its fateful consequences.

Finally Berea (Vincent Moloi, Johannesburg, South Africa), tells the story of an elderly Jewish man who lives the life of a recluse in the inner city apartment he has occupied for decades, even after Johannesburg has become unrecognisable to him. The catalyst that will restore his connection to the outside world comes in an unexpected form.

The series has been shown at the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF), the Toronto Film Festival (TIFF) and the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR). The short-film omnibus had its theatrical release in May in Johannesburg and Cape Town and has been launched on DVD. Makgano Mamabolo, co-writer and producer of the Johannesburg film Berea, says of the films and their reception so far: “International audiences do have that perception of what they will see in an African film, and to watch an audience sit in a theatre and realise that they are not going to get what they expect, then really to start engage with the stories to the extent that they all have strong opinions about individual films – is wonderful for us to see.”

– Warren Holden

| Film

Not your average ‘Family Film’ South African director Bonginhlanhla Ncube and his family form both the cast and crew in a new short film, Something is Wrong With Kelvin, which is selected to screen on the opening night of the Independent Mzansi Short Film Festival on 25 June 2014.

Holiday turned horror flick

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ost people prepare for a summer holiday by signing up for spinning classes, stocking up on sun screen and packing their cars with beach paraphernalia, but the same cannot be said for the Ncube family. Bonginhlanhla Ncube along with wife Nokuthula Mguni and sons Shaun (nine) and Ashley (18) spent the days before their family break at a forest lodge in the North Coast of KwaZulu-Natal learning the script for a short horror film.

“My son had been telling me how he wanted to break into the industry as an actor and a crazy idea just hit me: how about we write a short film and when we go on holiday, we’ll take a few days to shoot it. In three days I had a script,” says Ncube, better known as Mr B. Unlike most films, which require months of rehearsing, planning scenes and scouting locations, Mr B’s short film had to be constructed in a slightly backwards fashion. Their pre-determined holiday destination, a log cabin situated in a thicket of dense trees, would have to serve as the location for his film and the concept would have to be developed around it.

“I visualised this place and looked at some pictures online. It was full with thick trees and I thought: This would work really well for a horror/ thriller film,” remembers Mr B, who was delighted when he arrived to find a setting that matched the dark and mysterious plot he had built his script around.

Family first The family of four rotated between being in front of and behind the camera. When a scene required that they all take part in the action, they would position the camera, get into character, press record, and clap their hands (instead of using a clapper board) for each new take.

Working with family comes with its positives and negatives, explains Mr B, who at times had to contend with a cranky nine-year-old, made to trade hours of carefree sea-splashing for the role of boom operator.

“Imagine me trying to tell my wife what to do,” says Mr B through a playful giggle, “but everybody understood and I kept

reminding them what we were doing. We need to support our son; he can’t be the only actor in the film. We need to support him with our performances. That helped everyone get into the right mind-set… except my youngest son. To this day, he still insists he wants to go on a real holiday.”

Overall the experience of creating a film brought the Ncube family closer together and Mr B comments: “We’re sometimes in isolation in our everyday lives, but to be in a weeklong project which we are working so hard at, at times almost getting on each other’s nerves, it really brought us together as a family.”

Guerrilla filmmaking “I shot a film in six days, with a family of four. We had one light, one camera, one boom mic, one sound recorder and one tripod – five items – and we shot it,” says Mr B, whose ability to improvise, which went as far as casting a neighbouring holiday-goer in a cameo role, made it possible to complete the product.

Mr B believes that with today’s evolving technologies and smart phone capabilities, anyone is in a position to create a film, if they really want to. Though a Canon EOS 5D Mark III DSLR camera was used to shoot the film, one slow motion scene was shot using his camera phone and was modified slightly to be included with the rest of the footage.

“You don’t need a huge camera; they have the same sensor size as a 5D. Most DSLR cameras are really good with light; they open up and pump light into the subject. You don’t necessarily need extra light, unless you want to motivate something. That’s how good they are. If you have that, and a small decent sound recorder, you can shoot a film,” explains Mr B. Not only did Mr B write, direct, produce and act in Something is Wrong With Kelvin, he edited the film and has enlisted industry friends and film students to assist with the final nuances in post-production.

“After I did a rough cut I started showing it to friends, I shared it with Geo Hoehn who has done scores for a number of international productions. He wanted to score it and some students from AFDA are assisting with composing, sound design and final mix. I feel so excited and overwhelmed, but I think what sells the film is the story behind it,” concludes Mr B. Mr B hopes that the film will be picked up for distribution by one of the local broadcasters and, dependant on its reception at IMSFF, screen at a number of film festivals. However, his initial goal for the project remains the most significant: to offer his son a unique opportunity to express his talents, explore the potential of his dreams and showcase to South African audiences, his ability as an actor. – Carly Barnes June 2014 | SCREENAFRICA | 17

Documentary

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Painting a complex portrait of South Africa’s democracy The documentary Shield and Spear is directed by New Yorkbased independent filmmaker Petter Ringbom, who spent a year collecting stories from some of South Africa’s most influential artists about the social and political issues which they face 20 years into the country’s democracy.

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he emotions, personal struggles and defining events of a contemporary society are often voiced through the art which it produces. In many ways artists and musicians are viewed as the true freedom fighters of a nation, able to express, creatively and courageously, what most people wouldn’t dare. In a country still bruised by apartheid, the intersection of art with politics is not only inevitable, but revealing of the complex Rainbow Nation we live in.

A serendipitous encounter Ringbom attended the Tribeca Film Festival in New York where his first documentary, Russian Winter, was screening, and happened to meet Xander Ferreira, the frontman of South African band Gazelle. The two immediately struck up a friendship and had many discussions about the art and music scene in South Africa. At the same time, Brett Murray’s controversial painting of President Jacob Zuma, The Spear, was dominating international headlines. This made an idea that had already been stirring in Ringbom’s mind, all the more clear.

Ringbom comments, “When the thing with Brett happened I found a thread which I could weave through the film – freedom of expression and what that means 20 years on. I also realised that 2014 would mark 20 years since the 1994 elections, which gave even more relevance to the topic.”

18 | SCREENAFRICA | June 2014

REVEALING THE RAINBOW NATION: Director Petter Ringbom on set in Khayelitsha

Back in South Africa Murray’s painting had sparked a fierce public response and a number of death threats against him, but Ringbom felt the story was rich with the kind of issues he was looking to explore – race, sexuality, freedom of expression – and was determined to have it feature in his film.

“I tried to get in contact with Brett but for a long time he was laying low in hiding and didn’t want to talk to anyone.

When I eventually got hold of him he didn’t want to be involved but after we met a couple of times he finally agreed,” Ringbom remembers.

Art reflects life Another story which Ringbom found particularly poignant was that of performance art and music group, The Brother Moves On, who he feels are true ambassadors of life in the new South Africa.

“I was really intrigued by the concept of these kids from townships and working class communities, who, through educational opportunities that their parents didn’t have, can express themselves and are free to criticise politicians in a way which their parents couldn’t. They also express frequently in their work the idea that there is no governmental party who represents their ideals and beliefs. There is even a song of theirs called ‘No Party’ which articulates this. They have been

approached by both the ANC and DA but won’t affiliate with either one because they don’t feel they really represent what they believe.”

Ringbom says that these stories will not only offer international audiences a unique perspective of modern day South Africa but will also allow them to connect with what he believes is a cutting edge music and art scene that is completely globally engaged and aware.

“This is not the story usually told about South Africa and I think a kid in Brooklyn may be surprised to find he has more in common with BLK JKS than with some singer in Jersey. I could see that when we screened the film in Toronto.

We had an audience full of young people who were intrigued by the fact that the characters in the film are talking the same language as them and thinking the same way,” remarks Ringbom.

He also hopes that people can learn something from the political musicians in South Africa and adds, “It’s not cool to be political musician or artist in the US but in South Africa it is cool and you’re not pigeon-holed the way you would be here. It’s really refreshing.”

Just a guy with a camera Coming from a commercials background, Ringbom has an affinity for visually captivating cinematography, no

matter the film genre, and believes this is something which allows his work to be more accessible and pleasant to watch. This, paired with the fact that throughout most of the production he alone fulfilled the duties of an entire film crew, made the Canon 5D a perfect shooting companion.

“The Canon 5D allowed me to run around freely, and provided some security. If you’re shooting at night in Joburg it’s good to be a bit discreet. I used cine lenses which are fairly affordable, and really help when it comes to controlling exposure. With cine lenses you can fluidly control light unlike traditional photo lenses,” says Ringbom.

The small camera also made it easier to interact with the film’s subjects who spoke directly into the camera. “By being in a crew of one there is nothing else for people to be distracted by, there is an immediacy there which was really interesting to work with,” Ringbom remarks, adding that this technique allowed his subjects to get to know him and comfortably open up without being intimidated by bulky film equipment.

Shield and Spear will feature at the Durban International Film Festival, which takes place from 17 to 27 July 2014 at the Tsogo Sun Elangeni Hotel. – Carly Barnes

| Documentary

SA director brings African perspective to Light Girls documentary

SKIN FLICK: behind the scenes of Light Girls

Following on the success of Dark Girls, a documentary by US filmmaker Bill Duke, which explored the complexities and prejudices faced by dark-skinned woman, Light Girls uncovers the struggles of women with lighter complexions, who live in a society filled with double standards.

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uke had met and formed a friendship with South African producer Themba Sibeko while he was living in New York in the 1990s, and believed that the diverse racial culture which exists in South Africa could offer an interesting perspective to the story he wanted to tell. So he invited Sibeko to collaborate on Light Girls by capturing the stories of some of South Africa’s light-skinned women.

Online accessibility In February 2014 actress Lupita Nyong’o delivered a speech at the 7th Annual Essence Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon in which she explained how moved she had been by a fan’s letter. A young girl had written to tell her that she had chosen not to use a skin-lightening cream promoted by Cameroonian pop star, Dencia, after being inspired by Nyong’o’s pride in her natural dark beauty. Nyong’o went on to say that she too had felt insecure about the colour of her skin until she had seen South Sudanese British model, Alek Wek, reach success.

While the world praised Nyong’o for creating awareness about the inclusivity of black beauty in Western society, Dencia launched a vicious Twitter campaign against the Kenyan actress, which was fuelled further when Nyong’o became the first black ambassador for international beauty brand Lancôme.

This story not only highlights the racial prejudices which exist among women of colour but sheds light on the impact which social media has begun to play in modern society. Sibeko believes that the internet now allows any person to be a publisher and that it is important to explore the pressures and complexities of issues which surface on and off this platform for public expression.

“The dynamic between culture and society is important and there is a need to inform people as to what’s happening in their own world, in terms of what’s okay and what’s not okay,” says Sibeko, who

adds that low self-esteem relating to skin colour is very much a global problem.

“There is still an issue as to how light-skinned woman are perceived in society, both in South Africa and the USA.”

Labels Sibeko spent a week filming and interviewing a range of light-skinned women in Johannesburg, a melting pot of different cultures and complexions, during March 2014. South Africa is somewhat unique in that there are a number of sub-cultures under the light-skinned umbrella, which bare different labels.

Sibeko was able to explore what these labels mean in the context of both South Africa and the USA. He recalls the story of one South African coloured (mixed race) woman who went to school in the USA and subsequently married a white American.

“In America she was introduced and seen as an exotic looking woman but when they came home to South Africa, things changed. Her husband noticed she was the lightest skinned woman in her black family and couldn’t accept it. As a result, their relationship fell apart,” comments Sibeko.

Similarly Lebo Mashile, a South African poet, performer and actress whom Sibeko interviewed and refers to as ‘lightning in a bottle’, was perceived to be of Latino ethnicity while living in the USA, a far cry from her Sotho origins.

The colour divide In uncovering stories about race, identity and the perception of beauty, Sibeko was intrigued as to the contexts in which these issues appear.

“One of the major places in which light women face prejudices in South Africa is in the workplace. Here there is a level of prejudice because of how they are seen by other African women.

Because of their perceived beauty they are constantly asked: ‘How did you get here?’ or ‘Did you sleep with the boss?’

On the flip side of that they are assumed to just be filling a quota,” says Sibeko.

In the USA, Sibeko believes that there is resentment among women of different skin tones because of how light-skinned women are promoted in the media, he says: “Light skinned women are put on a pedestal, which leads to darker-skinned women being resentful sometimes. For example, athletes are seen to gravitate towards marrying light-skinned women. If you look at the women featured in Hip Hop music videos, they are predominantly light-skinned.”

Sibeko hopes to inform and educate audiences on the challenges which light-skinned women experience by bringing a South African angle to the documentary and concludes: “It’s tragic that someone may think another person has it better, when really they are struggling through their own injustices.” – Carly Barnes

June 2014 | SCREENAFRICA | 19

an agency of the Department of Arts and Culture

DIFF 2014 – Celebrating 35 years of world class cinema and 20 years of democracy

20 YEARS OF DEMOCRACY: The DIFF team

From 17 to 27 July, Africa’s leading film event and South Africa’s longest running film festival will once again offer a feast of film from around South Africa, the continent and the rest of the world, with a number of world premiere screenings of local and international films.

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his year’s edition of the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF), which is now in its 35th year, is particularly special, as it celebrates 20 years of democracy in South Africa. As such, this edition of DIFF will reflect on the last twenty years with a focus on films which explore the many diverse facets of the nation’s history over the past two decades.

Other programming streams for this year include the annual focus on African cinema, a focus on British cinema, the Wild Talk Africa Film Festival, the Wavescape Surf Film Festival and a small programme of cinema centred on architecture, in acknowledgement of the city of Durban’s hosting of the International Union of Architects Congress 2014.

Among this year’s plentiful offerings, viewers will get the chance to watch Khalo Matabane’s Mandela: The Myth and Me, Rehad Desai’s devastating Miners Shot Down, which documents the Marikana massacre, Zee Ntuli’s Hard To Get, Richard Linklater’s Boyhood, Mickey Dube’s One Humanity, Annalet Steenkamp’s I, Afrikaner, Carey Mackenzie’s Cold Harbour, Diao Yinan’s Black Coal, Thin Ice and Jane Pollard and Iain Forsyth’s documentary about Nick Cave, 20 000 Days on Earth, to name just a few.

While DIFF will return once more to light up screens in numerous venues across the city with a programme of fresh and exciting global cinema, the festival has announced that the central hub, which houses both screenings and industry events based around DIFF’s sister event, the Durban FilmMart, will now be located at the new, lavishly renovated Tsogo Sun hotel on Durban beachfront’s Golden Mile.

Mike Jackson, Director of Operations for Tsogo Sun KZN, said: “We see this as a fantastic opportunity to showcase Durban to national and international film producers, buyers, sales agents, broadcasters and film financiers, with great networking opportunities for local talent. We look forward to welcoming both national and international visitors to our province to enjoy the warm

hospitality at our hotels.”

Festival manager, Peter Machen, is looking forward to the move, which is, according to him: “both strategic and practical. Both the festival and market have grown tremendously over the years and we needed to consider a venue that could accommodate the size of our current set of programmes, as well as allow for growth in line with future plans”.

Machen, who was appointed head of the festival last year and curated a highly successful and vibrant festival, is also very excited about this year’s programme. “The growth of DIFF, particularly over the last decade, has coincided with a rapid acceleration of the South African film industry, both in artistic and commercial terms,” notes Machen. “It is deeply gratifying to witness the maturing of the South African film industry with the international success of films such as iNumber Number, Khumba, Felix and Of Good Report at festivals and marketplaces around the world. We have now reached a point where South African filmmaking has established its own distinctive idiom. Local filmmakers have much to be proud of.”

Notable Industry initiatives this year include a programme of seminars and workshops with notable industry figures from across the globe. Additionally, DIFF 2014 will host the 7th Talents Durban, in cooperation with Berlinale Talents (which seeks to incubate African talent through master classes and networking opportunities), and the 5th edition of the Durban FilmMart coproduction market, which is currently open for delegate registration.

The festival is a key event for the African film industry and is an unmissable date on any film lover’s calendar. Keep an eye on durbanfilmfest.co.za for details and screening schedules. Follow on Twitter @DIFFest or on Facebook on DurbanInternationalFilmFestival.

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‘Humanity’s greatest gift to itself’ As the 35th Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) is almost upon us – set to take place from 17-27 July, Screen Africa caught up with the Festival’s manager, Peter Machen, to ask him about current and future plans for the festival, and to share his insights on the greater global film festival environment in which DIFF operates.

Screen Africa: In visiting the various international festivals in preparation for DIFF, what trends and developments have you noticed in the films on display and how has this influenced your choices for DIFF? Peter Machen: In the festivals I’ve visited over the last year, there’s a noticeable shift away from large, sprawling, big budget films to smaller, more considered works. This is hugely encouraging as I think smaller films tend to be better films (although of course this is not always true and there will always be a space on the artistic continuum for quality blockbusters) and are often far more resonant in terms of their emotional and artistic content.

I have also noticed a major increase in both the quantity and quality of documentaries from around the world and South Africa. This is reflected in the increased number of doccies at DIFF 2014. Another trend that has been accelerating over the last few years is the increasing blur between documentaries and fiction films. We will be exploring this phenomenon this year with a focus area entitled ‘Almost Fiction’.

SA: With an overwhelming range of choices constantly coming at you, how do you go about narrowing it down for the final programme? What are the criteria, guidelines and overall vision that you are working with in formulating your programme?

PM: The key criterion is, as always, the quality of the films. Although it should be pointed out that DIFF, like most film festivals, also makes a point of showing films that are significant for other reasons, whether it’s because they are of great social importance or because they break new ground. And of course, DIFF, like all festivals, is always on the lookout for premieres.

Personally, the thing that makes me most excited about a film is if it is rendered in a film language that feels new or original. And, of course, focus areas also guide the selection process – this year, for example, we have been looking for a slate of films that celebrate and interrogate 20 years of democracy in South Africa. I should also mention that, with extremely rare exceptions, we do not screen films that have had any kind of commercial release in South Africa. In terms of the overall programme, DIFF is a true festival of world cinema, with a strong focus on African and South African film. It is one of the best platforms in the world for African films to premiere. Last year, all of the African films that were showcased at DIFF went on to do very well at festivals and markets around the world.

SA: What films from the international festival circuit are you highlighting at DIFF? PM: We are screening a fantastic selection of films from around the world. These include Jim Jarmuschs’downbeat vampire masterpiece Only Lovers Left Alive, starring Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston; Swim Little Fish Swim, a delightful first film from young

French co-directors Ruben Amar and Lola Bessis (who also acts in it, and from whom I’m sure we will see a great deal in the future – she’s a star in the making) and The Rocket, a beautifully engaging film set in Laos, about a young outcast who enters a rocket-making competition. We’ll also be showing the African premiere of Boyhood, Richard Linklater’s masterful chronicle of adolescence, and Love is Strange, Ira Sach’s emotionally exquisite account of two gay New Yorkers who marry but are then forced to live apart from each other.

SA: What South African films will be showcased at the Festival?

PM: We are very excited to be premiering a strong slate of South African films. Fiction titles include Zee Ntuli’s Hard to Get, a film which I suspect is going to be huge and break the mould in terms of South African cinema; Jenna Bass’ Love The One You Love, a delicate relationship-driven drama; Carey Mackenzie’s tightly controlled thriller Cold Harbour; Ernest Nkosi’s beautifully wrought The Two of Us; and Joe Bullet, a film made in 1971 but never released and which forms part of the Gravel Road project. This project restores unreleased South African films which got lost in the dark fog of apartheid. We are still in the process of locking down South African titles, and there will be many other interesting local films. We are also showing an exceptionally strong selection of South African documentaries, including Khalo Matabane’s Mandela – The Myth and Me, and Miners Shot Down, Rehad Desai’s devastating account of the Marikana massacre.

SA: What films have you brought from elsewhere on the continent?

PM: We have a very strong selection of films from around the continent, including the disturbing but gorgeously made Timbuktu, which has received a lot of positive attention at Cannes; the riveting White Shadow, about albinism in Tanzania, the Tunisia/ Netherlands production Die Welt, which is already gathering cult status; and Beti and Amare, a super-low budget Moroccan vampire film with which I fell in love.

Then there’s the utterly charming Coz ov Moni II: Fokn Revenge, a Ghanaian hip-hop opera, and Bloody Beans, a highly experimental and utterly bewitching metaphorical re-enactment of the Algerian revolution which is populated almost entirely by young children.

All of these films, as well as several others which we will be screening, extend the language of African cinema and provide unique experiences on the world cinema stage. While African film is still facing a massive struggle in commercial terms, the artistic growth in the last few years has been astounding and is truly gratifying.

I should point out that some of these films are African co-productions made by non-African directors. While Africa is often used as a canvas for European or American fantasies about Africa, this is certainly not the case with the titles screened at DIFF 2014, all of which function powerfully within an African idiom.

TRUE FESTIVAL OF WORLD CINEMA: Peter Machen, Manager of the Durban International Film Festival SA: How are you finding your position as festival manager and what challenges have you faced since you took the job?

PM: I am loving the job but it’s also exceptionally hard work. It seems inconceivable to many people I speak to that the job involves any work at all – the general perception is that I just sit back watching films, which would be a wonderful thing indeed! But the reality is that DIFF is a massive undertaking. The festival involves a remarkable amount of logistical planning and while the artistic content is central, the curation thereof is only a small part of the job. In terms of the challenges facing the festival itself, the key challenge is engaging local audiences.

I’ve been working in the broader culture industry for more than two decades as a writer and critic, and South African audiences are remarkably intransigent. It’s very difficult to get them to attend cultural events, particularly if they are local in flavour. This has changed to some extent but there is still much work to be done in terms of persuading local audiences that homegrown events and cultural products can be as good as anything from America or Europe. That said, DIFF has a very loyal audience in Durban and South Africa for which I am extremely grateful but it is an audience that needs to be substantially expanded.

SA: What do you have in mind for the festival going forward – are there any changes or additions that you would like to make to the event, the programming and so on?

PM: Over the last 35 years DIFF has grown into a festival of globally significant proportions, something I am reminded of wherever I go by the international enthusiasm and respect for the festival. This is largely due to the fantastic work done by Peter Rorvik and Nashen Moodley over the last decade. Every year, DIFF develops incrementally but substantially and I think that it’s a good idea to maintain this gradual but consistent growth.

The only real change that I’d like to make over the coming years is to increase the glamour-factor around the event, giving it the sheen and polish that will increase the festival’s appeal to South African audiences. The move to the beachfront two years ago, and to the newly revamped Elangeni-Maharani complex this year, will go some way to achieving this.

In the future I’d also like to add some very high profile names to the festival, although it’s imperative that the celebrity quotient never outshines the festival itself in terms of national publicity. Programming-wise, I’d like to increase the programme slightly and also introduce a larger repertory section in order to help young filmmakers and audiences increase their understanding and experience of film history. At the end of the day, though, DIFF is centred around a profound love and respect for the medium of film, an art form that I consider to be humanity’s greatest gift to itself, and for me it’s key that this remains the case.

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Features at DIFF 2014 An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker

Bloody Beans

Boyhood

Bosnia and Herzegovina | France | Slovenia | Italy

Algeria

USA

Academy Award-winning writer-director Danis Tanovic returns to his documentary roots in this stark offering, in which a cast of amateur actors recreate an incident of discrimination from their own lives.

Awarded the Grand Jury Prize at Berlin this year, the film, framed against the bleak winter landscape of poverty-stricken rural Bosnia-Herzegovina, follows Roma couple Nazif and Senada as they eke out a tenuous existence. Grimly authentic, the film is an unwavering, unembroidered record of the harsh reality on the precarious margins of poverty.

Narimane Mari’s Bloody Beans obliquely alludes to the Algerian War of Independence refracted into shadow through the eyes of young children. On a brilliantly lit beach, set against the backdrop of war, a group of children play their days away. Tired of their staple meal of red beans, and hearing rumours of exotic food stored at the French barracks, the children decide to go to war themselves. With their faces painted, and full of feral energy, they conduct a raid on the barracks.

With atmospheric use of light and shade, and a soundtrack that is liltingly ominous, this compelling film combines playfulness with the machinations of war to create a world that is both make-believe and urgently real, filtered through the dream-like possibilities of childhood.

Filmed over a 12-year period, veteran filmmaker Richard Linklater’s latest offering is a humanist epic of great poignancy and power. It follows the life – from age five to 18 – of a young boy named Mason (Ellar Coltrane) as he goes about the bittersweet business of growing up.

Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette offer substantial performances as Mason’s parents, as does the director’s daughter, Lorelei Linklater, who plays Mason’s sister. But it is Mason himself who anchors the film and whose real-time aging is strange and fascinating to watch. Boyhood is a remarkable piece of cinema which, as it plays out under the camera’s unfaltering eye, reminds us of the gravity of a life, no matter how ordinary.

Cold Harbour

Hard to Get

Joe Bullet

South Africa

South Africa

South Africa

When a seasonal south-easterly storm washes up the mutilated body of a Chinese man on a Cape Town beach, it represents an opportunity for township cop Sizwe Miya to prove himself and earn the promotion he desperately needs. His boss and mentor, Venske, gives Sizwe the case but assigns a rookie cop, Legama, to keep an eye on him. When Sizwe discovers that the homicide is linked to Chinese mafia smuggling abalone, a beautiful Chinese shipping executive named Soong Mei tries to seduce him into giving her information about the case.

In a world where self-interest and corruption have overtaken personal loyalty and civil duty, Sizwe is left with no-one to trust. This gripping and engaging thriller comes from the assured directorial hand of Carey MacKenzie and is produced by Tendeka Matatu.

This luminous debut from South African writer-director Zee Ntuli tells of a handsome young womaniser with trust issues named TK (Israel Makoe) who is thrust into Joburg’s underworld when he falls for Skiets (Thishiwe Ziqubu), a beautiful, reckless young woman who earns her living as a petty criminal. But If TK is to have any chance with her, he will have to survive a gauntlet of dangerous undertakings.

When TK’s life is threatened by an admirer of Skiets, he has to trust her for his own survival. Produced by Junaid Ahmed and Helena Spring, Hard to Get is a an action-fueled love story overflowing with visual poetry and promises great things to come from Ntuli.

Joe Bullet tells the story of a mysterious gangster who starts sabotaging soccer team, The Eagles’ chance at winning the upcoming championship final. In the criminal underworld of soccer, only Joe Bullet can save the championship.

Produced in 1971, Joe Bullet was one of the first South African films featuring an all-African cast, and starred Ken Gampu, one of the first black South African actors to appear in Hollywood films. The film was independently released in 1973 in the Eyethu cinema in Soweto, but, after only two screenings, was banned by the apartheid government.

The film was later unbanned but never released.

Now, after more than 40 years, the film has been digitally restored and is finally available for worldwide release, courtesy of the Gravel Road project which aims to restore many of the films that have been lost in the dusty archives of apartheid.

Love is Strange

Omar

Only Lovers Left Alive

USA | France

Palestine

UK | Germany

After 39 years together, painter Ben (John Lithgow) and music teacher George (Alfred Molina) formalise their relationship by getting married. But when the archdiocese of the Catholic school where George teaches finds out about the wedding, he is fired and forced to sell their New York apartment, and the couple are temporarily separated.

George moves in with the gay couple next door and Ben moves to Brooklyn to stay with his nephew Eliot (Darren Burrows), Eliot’s wife Kate (Marisa Tomei) and their teenage son. This latest offering from indie darling Ira Sachs is given weight by wonderful central performances from Lithgow and Molina, whose portrayal of the long-standing relationship is warmly and authentically wrought.

Set in the West Bank, Hany Abu-Assad’s tense political thriller, nominated for this year’s best foreign language Oscar, uses the conflicted ground – both actual and psychological – of the occupied territories to remarkable atmospheric effect.

In order to visit his childhood friends and the young woman, Nadia, with whom he is tentatively in love, Omar, a young Palestinian, must scale the imposing wall – a concrete visual metaphor anchoring the film – that divides his community. But when he is caught by the Israeli security forces, tortured and convinced to work in their services, Omar returns to a life that is complicated by secrets and suspicions.

From much loved maverick indie auteur Jim Jarmusch, comes this coolly elegant interpretation of the vampire genre. World-weary musician Adam (Tom Hiddleston) cultivates his long-observed distaste for humanity in an aesthetically desolate industrial Detroit while his lover Eve (Tilda Swinton) indulges her taste for books and blood in literary Tangiers.

But when Adam’s existential ennui takes on a serious edge, Eve is drawn to Detroit. Beneath the film’s effortlessly hip surface and its broken melancholy, lies an enduring bond that gives these bloodless lovers – and the film – a transcendent warmth.

The Congress

The Lunchbox

White Shadow

Israel | Germany | Poland | Luxembourg | France | Belgium

India | France | Germany | USA

Tanzania | Germany | Italy

From Ari Folman, the Israeli animator behind the universally acclaimed Waltz with Bashir, comes another masterful interweaving of live action and animation.

The Congress tells the tale of a Hollywood actress named Robin Wright – played by actress Robin Wright – who is fast approaching her leading-lady sell-by date.

When the powerful Miramount Studio offers her a lucrative deal in which they will scan, preserve and subsequently own her image as a character for their sole use, she finds herself both immortal and consigned to obscurity. The Congress is an innovative mind-bending experience with surprising emotional heft.

The Indian tradition of dabbawallas – a food courier system – is the premise of this charming story set in the teeming streets of Mumbai.

Isolated housewife and young mother Ila worries about her relationship with an increasingly distant husband and sets out to seduce him through the exotic ingredients of her delectably prepared meals. But when a specially prepared lunchbox is delivered to the wrong office worker, ending up on the desk of a lonely middle-aged widower named Saajan, she finds herself exchanging daily notes with a stranger, a correspondence which begins as an innocent friendship but blooms into something deeper as they share their secret thoughts and wonder about the meaning of life.

Winner of Best Debut in Venice, with Ryan Gosling as executive producer, this stunning feature debut of artist-turned-director, Noaz Deshe, is a nightmarish vision set in Tanzania.

The film tells of a young albino boy named Alias (Hamisi Basili) who is targeted by the trade in body parts for muti. In a scene whose dark disorientation and panic set the tone for the film to follow, Alias watches as his father is murdered by machete-wielding muti-dealers. To protect him, his mother sends him to the city with his uncle where he learns to scramble for survival and falls tenderly in love. But danger lingers, and Alias finds himself once again pursued by a terrible evil.

Wish I Was Here USA While his 2004 hit debut Garden State explored the anxieties of millennial twenty-somethings, Zach Braff’s latest film Wish I Was Here feels something like a sequel, exploring the mid-thirties crisis of Aiden (Braff) as he tries to balance a meaningful life with a responsible one. But when his father, a conservative Jewish man who is paying for Aiden’s two children to attend a prestigious school, falls ill and cannot afford the extra expense, Aiden is forced to take on a home-schooling role and, in the process, finds the fresh meaning that he has been searching for.

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Documentaries at DIFF 2014 A World Not Ours

InRealLife

Mandela – The Myth and Me

UK | Lebanon | Denmark | United Arab Emirates

UK

South Africa | Germany

This intimate documentary paints a deeply personal portrait of a Palestinian refugee camp in south Lebanon which is home to some 300 000 refugees who live in terrible social and economic conditions.

Born in Dubai and raised in Denmark, Fleifel’s video diary-style camera chronicles his visits to the camp, where he encounters such colourful figures as his crotchety grandfather and temperamental friend and chicken-raiser, Saïd. The highly watchable film is a vivid archive of idiosyncratic impressions of the refugee experience. Containing undertones of Woody Allen and Martin Scorsese, it is characterised by an unusual warmth, compassion and humour in its depiction of refugee life.

Young people today are growing up in radically different conditions to those of the generation before them, spending much of their formative years on the internet, with no experience of a world in which the web wasn’t woven into the fabric of civilization. Reality itself has a different meaning for teenagers born into the digital age, and InRealLife examines the effect of being perpetually plugged in on their young minds.

In tackling such a vast topic, British director Beeban Kidron takes the lives of ordinary kids as case studies, opening up a window into the web-dependency of modern civilisation. Thoughtful context is provided by interviews with major players in the digital age, such as Wikilieaks’ Julian Assange and Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, highlighting the way in which overexposure, digital addiction and the corporate collection and storage of personal data are all a part of a tectonic shift in our social environment.

This major new work by South African director Khalo Matabane takes a turn towards the deeply personal, as he excavates and vocalizes his passionate and conflicted inner thoughts about the revered late Nelson Mandela.

He wonders aloud about the nation’s first democratic president’s message of freedom, forgiveness and reconciliation in the context of present day South Africa, meticulously unpicking his own disillusionment in a way that will resonate with those who ask themselves the question “Where did we go wrong?”. While movingly intimate, Matabane avoids too individualistic an account by juxtaposing his reflections on the beatification of a complex human being with those of a wide and impressive range of relevant figures, including the Dalai Lama, Henry Kissinger, Colin Powell, Peter Hain and Albie Sachs, as well as the thoughts of ordinary working class South Africans.

Shield and Spear

The Do Gooders

The King and the People

USA | South Africa

Palestine | UK | Israel

South Africa

When acclaimed artist Brett Murray painted an unflattering caricature of South African president Jacob Zuma, he provoked a lawsuit, death threats and major protests. Set around this incident, Shield and Spear explores a constellation of stories about identity, art, race, and freedom of expression in South Africa, twenty years into democracy.

A story about what comes after the jubilation and celebration of South Africa’s newly won freedom, the film explores those areas where art and politics intersect. Shield and Spear is a film about creative identity in a place where issues of race, class and history are impossible to ignore.

In The Do Gooders British director Chloe Ruthven embarks on a personal journey, following in the footsteps of her aid-worker grandparents who tried to help the oppressed people of Palestine. But Chloe’s quest soon becomes more complex as she begins to explore the impact of foreign aid in the area.

The film is shot with guerrilla-style immediacy and introduces us to some of the many people who have offered their assistance to the Palestinian people over past decades, exploring the problematic nature of aid workers and the troubled legacy they leave in their wake. The film also introduces us to the fascinating and opinionated Lubna, a local woman who is taken on as Ruthven’s driver, fixer and translator. Lubna has fierce criticisms of foreign aid in the region, and what begins as a quest to explore the altruism of her aid-worker family becomes a far more complicated engagement between two women as they seek to understand each other’s point of view.

Shifting his attention from Zimbabwe to Swaziland, Simon Bright (director of Mugabe… What Happened?) turns his camera onto another African leader, King Mswati III, Africa’s last remaining absolute monarch.

Set against the backdrop of approaching elections, The King and the People poses the question of how one man is able to retain power over the state, the law, the land and its people in the contemporary world, while capturing the spirit of the Swazi people’s struggle against the oppressive monarchy. This important documentary sheds light on a crisis that is misunderstood by many, and uncovers the reality of a system of governance that is based on royal supremacy, greed, power and the eschewal of basic human rights.

Contact: Tel +27 (0) 31 260 2506 / 1816 Website: www.durbanfilmfest.co.za

Twitter: @DIFFesta

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FACEBOOK: DurbanInternationalFilmFestival

18 – 21 JULY 2014

About the Durban FilmMart The 5th Durban FilmMart is set to take place in Durban at the new venue of Tsogo Sun, Elangeni Hotel from 18 – 21 July 2014, during the 35th edition of the Durban International Film Festival (17 – 27 July 2014). A joint initiative between the Durban Film Office and the Durban International Film Festival – the annual Durban FilmMart serves as a meeting place for African filmmakers, financiers, broadcasters and top film experts. Its aim is to not only create partnerships and drive the development of African film content, but to also provide global awareness and recognition for African cinema.

The Durban FilmMart is proud to receive the ongoing support of a number of international partners and supporters. These partners include the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam, Hot Docs – Blue Ice Documentary Film Fund, Rotterdam Cinemart, Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie, Arte France, Produire au Sud, France, Afrinolly, Docubox, Rome Cinema Network and

many more.

Delegates of this year’s Durban FilmMart will have access to insightful sessions presented by leading experts in the Masterclasses and the ‘Africa in Focus’ programme, featuring local and international industry experts and filmmakers, who will discuss African issues and initiatives. In particular, this year’s industry programme will have a special focus on story development and will also include a trans-media lab programme for the first time.

This year’s official selection of Durban FilmMart projects will comprise of 10 feature films and 10 documentaries. The selected projects will participate in one-on-one closed meetings within the Finance Forum. Scheduled networking sessions will also be available for delegates who are on the lookout for coproduction partners. If you are looking for opportunities to promote your brand, a number of options are available – contact info@durbanfilmmart.com.

Durban FilmMart experts DENIS VASLIN

MIGUEL MACHALSKI

STEFANO TEALDI

JULIA OVERTON

Denis Vaslin created Dutch documentary and fiction production company Volya Films in 2004.

Recent films include 40 Days of Silence directed by Saodat Ismailova (Berlinale Forum 2014); Solo by Guillermo Rocamora (Best First Film Award at the Miami International Film Festival); The World Belongs to Us directed by Stephan Streker (Montréal World Film Festival), The Hum of Holland by Stella van Voorst van Beest (Competition Feature Length Documentaries Netherlands Film Festival 2012), and Snackbar, the first fiction film by documentary filmmaker Meral Uslu (Berlinale Generation Plus 2012). Currently, we are developing projects with a.o. Marjoleine Boonstra, André van der Hout, Marco De Stefanis and Jan Willem van Dam. We are in post-production with Kurai, Kurai – Tales on the Wind, the first fiction film by documentary director Marjoleine Boonstra, Men Who Save the World by Seng Tat Liew and The Dream of Sharhazad by director Francois Verster.

In production are Niks Mektoub!, a documentary by Gülsah Dogan, The Market by Marleine van der Werf, and Greed by Ingeborg Jansen. Recently added to the list of developing fictions is Aliyushka, by Kazhak director Adilkhan Yerzhanov, which has been selected for L’Atelier at Cannes Film Festival 2014. Since 2011, Denis Vaslin manages France based Mandra Films that he co-owns with Eric Mabillon.

Miguel Machalski was born in Buenos Aires to a Polish father and a British mother and was based in Paris for many years. With a multicultural and multilingual background, Miguel has been working since 1995 as a development and creative consultant on projects from all parts of the world. He specialised in what is sometimes labelled as World Cinema – though his track record as a script analyst also includes major studio films and works from prominent filmmakers such as Clint Eastwood (Million-Dollar Baby), Alejandro Amenábar (The Sea Inside), David Cronenberg (Spider), Sydney Pollack (The Interpreter) and Ingmar Bergman (Saraband). Many of the films he has worked on have garnered awards at major festivals.

He works as an advisor on several European Media-funded script development programmes, as a trainer at the Binger Writers’ Lab in Holland, and as a consultant for film funds in several countries (Colombia, Chile, Belgium and formerly Jordan and Malaysia). He has published two Spanish-language books on screenwriting, one of which has been re-edited and translated into Brazilian.

He has three produced screenplays: Ramata (Senegal), directed by Léandre Alain-Baker, Kluge, El Arreglador (Argentina), directed by Luis Barone and America (Puerto Rico), directed by Sonia Fritz.

Born in Johannesburg (South Africa) in 1955, Stefano Tealdi studied Architecture in Torino, Italy. After graduating, he worked on film and TV at the Politecnico di Torino, becoming head of production. In 1985, he founded, with others, Stefilm where he works as a director and producer.

He produces and directs one-off documentaries and documentary series.

Since 2008, he has also directed A World of Pasta, Doctor Ice (Science Film Festival – Milano 2009), Coffee Please and Tea for All and the series Food Markets – In the Belly of the City. Recent works produced: Mostar United (IDFA 2009), Vinylmania (IFF Rotterdam 2012), Char, No Man’s Island (Berlinale Forum 2013).

In 1992, he graduated from the MEDIA training course ‘EAVE – European Session’. He has directed all 17 editions of the annual Italian workshop Documentary in Europe. He chaired EDN (European Documentary Network) and is national co-ordinator for INPUT, Television in the Public Interest.

He tutors film development and production at universities and master courses, and film pitching for organisations, such as Biennale Cinema College, Cannes Film Market, Films de 3 Continents – Produire au Sud, Media Business School, Med Film Factory, Scuola Holden, TFL-Torino Film Lab and ZELIG Film School.

Julia Overton has had a long career in the screen and cultural production industry in Australia and internationally across all story telling genres. Her recent credits include the theatrical documentaries The Last Impresario (London 2013, SFF 2014) Red Obsession (Berlin, Tribeca, Pusan, Best Doc 2014 AACTA) and From The Bottom of the Lake for See-Saw Films (Hot Docs 2014). Like most practitioners Julia has a slate of projects in various stages of production and development.

For 10 years from 2001 to 2011 Julia worked with Australia’s national screen agencies assisting filmmakers in the development, financing, production and marketing of their projects. In the last six years of this tenure she specialised in documentary and factual production for broadcast and theatrical release and assisted in the formulation of policy in that area.

Julia has been on the board of the Australian International Documentary Conference, where she is now a marketing consultant, is an international advisor for Hot Docs Canada, FIFO Tahit, Doc Edge New Zealand and is national co-ordinator for INPUT, a public broadcast television event. In May 2012 this annual event was held in Sydney and she was the co-director.

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www.durbanfilmmart.com

Durban FilmMart 2014 selected projects Fiction projects ALL TIME IDLERS Producer: Hossam Elouan Director: Khaled Hafez Country: Egypt “All Time Idlers is an ironic epic about historical conspiracies, revolutions, and more revolutions.”

Five linear historical time periods ‘open’ on each other and protagonists perform the same roles across time, over and over.

Period One: Circa 1350 BC, during the Amarna period (18TH Dynasty), precisely the 18 years when Akhenaton is king. Period Two: 1610 AD, Stratford von Avon, when Shakespeare succeeds in writing four masterpieces, and struggles to write a fifth.

Period three: 1952 AD, when some officers plan for a revolution to oust a king and replace a monarchy with a republic. Period Four: late 1963 AD, United States of America, a group of characters in some dark alleys devise a plan. North America and France 1963, between Texas, New Orleans, Mexico City and Marseilles, a conspiracy is being woven to eliminate an American politician, a head of state.

Period five: 2013 AD, the same characters from period one reappear to play the same parts, where seculars confront the religious and army officers play kings.

Throughout intermingled relationships between protagonists, where actors play the same roles of conspiracy, leadership, virtue and vice, viewers float in a never-ending sea of plans, plots, conspiracy, disappointment, hypocrisy and cheat, identical in every possible way since the beginning of history.

COLD STONE JUG Producer: Ashleigh Nash Director: William Collinson Country: South Africa At the age of 21 Herman Charles Bosman was arrested for murder and sentenced to be hanged. However, he was granted a reprieve and after several reductions to his sentence, he was a free man again. Twenty years later, he wrote an autobiographical account of his prison experience, Cold Stone Jug, a coming-of-age story which was published in 1949.

“Perhaps the most startling characteristic of Cold Stone Jug is that it is pre-eminently humorous and largely a raconteur’s holiday…as though a sojourn in the death cell and the miseries of imprisonment were essentially comic adventures.”

“It is a tribute to Bosman’s creative genuineness and psychological insight that the chronicle of his gaol years is not a document of self-glorification, self-pity or indignation. Cold Stone Jug is totally original and, under its vast funniness, fully charged with intimations of horror, pity and misery so that it ends by being overwhelmingly poignant. The daringly light hand reveals all the awfulness of what men do to each other…in the throwaway roughness of this jokey fictionalized memoir Bosman expressed truth and beauty in rich and difficult ways, and has manifested in something we can only call genius.”

– Lionel Abrahams, Johannesburg, 1985

DANCES OF RED

NYANGA SKY

Producer: Mutaleni Nadimi, Tapiwa Chipfupa Director: Oshosheni Hiveluah Country: Namibia

Producer: Rafeeqah Galant Director: Matthew Griffiths Country: South Africa

Dances of Red (Oudano doutilyane) is a quirky coming of age melodrama that fuses the real world with the spiritual and the gross imagination of the narrator. A prose set mainly in a small all-girls missionary boarding school in a small northern Namibian village.

The middle sister Ndaty is brutally murdered by her husband Tiko and after the funeral, her sisters Oletu and Tuli come to pack up her belongings.

They find Ndaty’s prose diary book and other items that evoke their memories of the one year when they attended boarding school together. It was also the same year when Ndaty and Tiko’s relationship blossomed.

Told through the eyes of the youngest sister Tuli, who has a very sharp and active imagination that leads to funny and thoughtful moments in the film, they try to cope with the loss of their sister. It’s a story of sisterhood, love and dance and a girl who wants recognition and acknowledgement through her dance so badly it ‘destroys’ her. However, Tuli learns that through interwoven dreams, visions and memories sometimes things can be made right, when we just open ourselves up to believing.

HAWA HAWAII Director: Amirah Mohamed Tajdin Producers: Wafa Mohamed Tajdin, Bongiwe Selane, Helena Spring and Junaid Ahmed Country: Kenya/South Africa Hamedi is a Swahili wedding singer and a part-time drag queen who returns home to be by his dying mother’s side.

The film takes place over seven days in Mombasa and unfolds as an intense week for the protagonist who has to balance his mother’s worsening cancer condition and the culmination of his wedding singer career.

He discovers truths about his mother’s past, revisits painful memories from his childhood and channels his emotions through his one true love – music. Thus the sounds of popular ‘Taarab’ music, Bollywood love songs and old Egyptian orchestral music accent Hamedi’s island existence and more importantly his deeply fractured relationship with his mother who violently shuns his drag queen lifestyle, a less than manly career choice.

Hamedi finds comfort and wisdom from his aunt who truly understood his eccentricity. A gentle spirit and positive soul, he embarks on the daily trials and tribulations of attending to his distant and disapproving mother, as well as finding solace with the family servants and his best friend, a seamstress who’s been responsible for his ‘outfits’ but most importantly is the creator of his masterpiece, the ensemble set to accompany his final performance as his alter ego, ‘Hawa Hawaii’.

Thabo is a young boy from an affluent background who finds himself in Nyanga Township. Lost and confused, he is unable to accept this new setting as his home.

When he meets Mdu and Gadgets he is sucked into their project to build and pilot a model airplane and in the process encounters Mandla, the local school bully. Thabo’s pride leads him into a confrontation with Mandla, causing Mandla to destroy the model plane.

Mdu blames Thabo for the incident and their newfound friendship falls apart. However, Mandla also takes the opportunity to steal Thabo’s most prized possession: his bicycle.

Distraught, Thabo arrives at Mdu’s door and tells him of the theft, explaining his parent’s death and how the bicycle was from his father.

The three boys come together and make a plan. Gadgets creates a distraction so Thabo can sneak in and grab the bicycle. Then Mdu pilots the revived plane to guide Thabo through the streets while Gadgets lays booby traps for Mandla and his gang. Mandla makes it through and catches up to the three boys.

Mdu is finally prepared to stand up to him but Thabo, realising the day is already won, encourages the boys to just go home.

THE BOY IN THE MASK Producer: Jennifer Mostert Writer & Director: Jan Lampen Country: South Africa Tshimbiloni is a gentle spirited Venda boy growing up in Limpopo. As a small child he falls into a fire and burns his face beyond recognition. The villagers reject him until his grandfather, a traditional wood-carver, carves him a beautiful wooden mask.

At the age of 12, Tshimbiloni is selected for reconstructive surgery. The grandfather who accompanies the boy to Johannesburg has to accept that the doctors will now replace the face that he had created for the boy.

When a violent strike breaks out at the general hospital, grandfather and the boy decide to return to Venda. Dr Truter, the renowned plastic surgeon, offers to take Tshimbiloni into his ersatz Tuscan Villa until his new face is complete.

Dr Truter’s wife Adele resents this additional responsibility and the presence of this monster boy triggers a crisis for Charlie, his obese teenage daughter who has always felt inadequate and ugly compared to her mother.

In forgoing his own mask, the little boy from Venda forces everyone around him to drop theirs and in the painful construction of his new face, he inspires everyone to face up to their own demons, their little indiscretions and dishonesty.

THE STORY OF A KISS Producer: Wael Sayad El Ahl, Karim Boutros Ghali, Alaa Karkouti Director: Ahmed Amer Country: Egypt Balash Tebosni; the Story of a Kiss, is a mockumentary that follows the story of Tamer, a young and ambitious Egyptian director who faces issues while shooting a kissing scene in his new film.

The leading actress Fajr, once a starlet known for her steamy roles, decides to quit the film before finishing it because she has ‘found God’ and now has a problem with kissing in front of the camera... jeopardising the completion of the highly publicised film, and more importantly, Tamer’s vision.

The story is interwoven with archival footage and interviews with heavyweight actors and directors from the Egyptian film industry and ones who come from the liberal eras of cinema who tell their own stories of kissing on film. They will also comment on their ‘colleague’ the director Tamer and his problem with Fajr, blurring the line between fiction and the documentary. Famous preachers and ‘redeemed’ actors will also present their case regarding what is halal and why they are pushing for ‘clean cinema’ but all in the context of our story of Tamer and Fajr. This film will examine the rise of conservatism in Egyptian cinema and society and its complex relationship between religion and art.

THE TRAIN OF SALT AND SUGAR Producers: Pablo Iraola, Pandora da Cunha Telles Director: Licinio de Azevedo Country: Mozambique Mozambique is in the midst of a civil war.

The train that connects Nampula to Malawi is the only hope for hundreds of

Documentaries AFTERGLOW Producer/director: Amber (Arya) Lalloo Country: South Africa Feature / documentary: Documentary Afterglow tells the story of Steve Fataar, the founding member of The Flames, a band of brothers that become known in the early sixties as the South African Beatles.

Following an overwhelming local response, they embarked on a successful international tour that led to a record deal with The Beach Boys and a meteoric rise through the American pop charts. The Flames were poised for stardom but the pop machine was tearing the band apart with its mechanical production and general hedonism. So in the early seventies Steve traded the absolute freedom of Hollywood for his hometown Durban and tried to assume a normal existence.

Now in his seventies, the film finds Steve in the sunset years of a life defined by a boyhood fantasy that came true. It will explore the lasting

people, who are willing to risk their own lives to guarantee the survival of their families.

Running 5km per hour over sabotaged tracks, the train journey is filled with obstacles and adventure, where the violence of soldiers against the people who they were supposed to protect is tangled with the enemy’s violence.

This is the story of the stoic Mariamu, a frequent passenger who continues doing the same journey to take salt from the coast of Mozambique and is bringing back sugar from Malawi; of nurse Rosa, who is going to the hospital where she was placed, living the reality of war for the first time; and of the Lieutenant Taiar, who only knows the reality of the military life. Stories of love and war that defy death and despair, creating a space for hope filled with the traditional African oral stories.

THE WOUND Producer: Elias Ribeiro Director: John Trengove Country: South Africa Kwanda, a rebellious and sexually confused teenager from the city, travels to the rural settlement of his family’s origin to be circumcised in a traditional rites-of-passage into manhood.

For three weeks Kwanda and his fellow initiates – a group of rural boys – live in isolation, recuperating in mountain huts. He forms an intimate bond with his caregiver – Xolani – a mysterious rural man who helps him endure his first week on the mountain.

Kwanda’s curiosity is piqued when he begins to suspect that Xolani is involved in a closeted sexual relationship with Vija, a charismatic and volatile alpha male from the village. Kwanda is drawn to Vija and seeks out his approval as a father figure, igniting a jealous rivalry between the two rural men.

When it is discovered that Kwanda has witnessed a sexual encounter between them, Vija, fearing exposure, goes on the hunt for the city boy. Forced to choose between his compassion for Kwanda and his loyalty to Vija, Xolani helps Kwanda escape. As they descend the mountain, Kwanda discovers too

consequences of one moment so big, it shaped everything that followed. A cinematic journey into the life of a local legend Afterglow explores one man’s battle to make peace with his past and casts light onto one of the most dynamic periods in popular culture from a whole new source.

ALEX ON SEVENTH Producer: Guy Bragge Director: Engelbert Phiri Country: South Africa A stone’s throw from the excesses and privilege of Africa’s richest square mile – Sandton, South Africa is a very tough neighbourhood – Alexandra – whose socioeconomics couldn’t be more diametrical.

Here, we meet a very pretty 86-year-old matriarch – Claire and Lulu her cat. Claire and Lulu are passionate about the mean-looking and sculpted bodybuilding young-men in Claire’s backyard gym.

The tiny gym doubles up as a tattoo parlour and fine art studio. The seemingly claustrophobic gym harbours the aspirations of many who include Tumi, unpredictable like a volcano at rest is an agonising fine artist, tattoo artist and body-builder. Bobo, is an introspective body-builder, cum-commuter taxi

late that he has been ambushed when Xolani pushes him off a mountain ledge to his death.

TREE OF CROWS Producers: Stephen Abbott & Eduan van Jaarsvelt Director: Stephen Abbott Country: South Africa Cain is a violent man who suppresses his murderous past as he ekes out survival in a rural post-apocalyptic South Africa.

In this desperate and decrepit future, old prejudices have taken new forms: racism flares, the police sell bodies, the news investigates, the travellers provide transient slave labour, and no-one returns when they leave for the distant city.

When Cain is confronted by an alluring traveller, Helen, his dormant conscience begins to stir. Could he find peace from his past?

A powerful journalist from the city begins an investigation into the murder – unsolved until now. Cain strains to conceal his evil deeds. He begins to see visions of the ghost of murders past.

Cain falls for charming Helen and the absolution she seems to offer. His two murderous accomplices follow diverging paths: one spirals into madness and suicide, and the other into more murder and intimidation, clashing with Cain over his changing resolve. Cain’s visions grow clearer and more horrific. Meanwhile, the investigation draws ever closer to the wicked truth.

Cain seeks redemption, but must admit to the evils of his past, face his depraved accomplice, and sacrifice his freedom and ultimately his life for the woman he has come to love.

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driver and arm wrester and Gino, a complex, multi-layered struggling boxer and single parent to an ambitious little girl.

Over two years, the film follows Claire, Lulu and the guys from the gym navigating an escalating series of treacherous streets and decisions. The film unveils and presents an intimate portrait of these protagonists with similar problems yet different aspirations for their lives. They are human and filled with contradictory characteristics and motivations. It is through their raw perspective of life that the story of the other South Africa can be felt – not told.

ALISON Producer: Amy Nelson Director: Uga Carlini Country: South Africa In December 1994, two men raped, stabbed and disembowelled Alison after they abducted her from outside her home.

They then slashed her throat 16 times to make sure she was dead. But Alison defied death. And more than that, she denied her attackers the satisfaction of destroying her life.

Nineteen-year-old Tiaan Eilerd found her next to the side of the road. He was a veterinary student,

which meant he had some medical knowledge. Dr Angelov was on call at the Provincial Hospital. He was a thoracic surgeon and capable of dealing with Alison’s severe throat injuries. Alison lived to tell a story that would break a code of silence about rape and brutal assault. She was the first South African to ever speak out publically about rape.

Just one year after the attack, Alison gave her first public talk. She spoke from the heart, sharing the pain and ultimate inspiration she discovered within herself during the attack and subsequent recovery. She is now one of the most sought-after speakers in South Africa, has visited over 20 countries worldwide to share her story to enraptured audiences and has received numerous awards.

BEYOND THE BARRICADES Producers: Peter Goldsmid and Joost Verheij Directors: Peter Goldsmid and Zanele Muholi Country: South Africa This is a personal journey into the ‘heart of darkness’ in which lesbian photographer and activist Zanele Muholi investigates violent hate crimes against LGBTI people in South Africa. Can she not only understand but also forgive? That is the dramatic question that also provides the arc of the story.

We will meet survivors and their families as well as perpetrators – and Zanele will photograph them. We will observe her as she works and tries to grasp the issues, context and motivations. The impact on her will be emotional and dramatic.

Her photographs will provide intense, brief, focused moments interpolated into the narrative.

The journey starts in Umlazi, Zanele’s home, and ends up in ‘gay-friendly’ Cape Town, whose dormitory townships of Gugulethu, Nyanga and Khayelitsha regularly see horrific hate crimes. But it will include lighter moments, documenting gay pride events and beauty contests.

We will meet the heteropatriarchy, gaining access to both men both in prison and male and female traditional leaders.

We will revisit a crime scene with both the survivor and perpetrator.

The film’s climax will be a dramatic survivorperpetrator encounter.

And the final questions: How has the journey changed Zanele or helped her deal with her anger?

EGYPTIAN JEANNE D’ARC Producer: Talal Al-Muhanna Director: Iman Kamel Country: Egypt ‘Jeanne d’Arc Masriya’ (Egyptian Jeanne d’Arc) is a creative documentary that explores issues of female emancipation in post-revolutionary Egypt.

Beginning with the return journey to Cairo of a filmmaker long absent from her own country, the film weaves a series of intimate portraits composed of interviews, poetic voice-over and dance; exploring themes of oppression, guilt and faith with Egyptian women, many of them artists. Reflecting on Carl Theodor Dreyer’s 1928 film The Passion of Joan of Arc

– in which the female figure is martyred by the patriarchal forces surrounding her – ‘Jeanne’ is a contemporary commentary that melds various expressive elements to arrive at the core of the filmmaker’s enquiries into the circumstances of women in Egypt today.

HOME EXPULSION Producer/director: Kayambi Musafiri Country: Rwanda In 2013, government officials in Tanzania ordered the deportation of over seven thousand ethnic Rwandans, claiming that they were in the country illegally and were a threat to the security of the country. Ethnic Rwandans, many whose families had lived in Tanzania for generations, left behind family members, land, houses, livestock, and other property because of the government policy.

This documentary focuses on four individuals who are victims of this mass expulsion as they adapt to their new situations. It begins with Christopher Rubamba Matata, 63-years-old, a musician living in a refugee camp in Rwanda. Matata provides a historical account of the thousands of Rwandans who immigrated to Tanzania.

The next portrait is of Kayinamura Angel, 18-yearsold, born and raised in Tanzania to Rwandese parents.

She lives with her neighbours after the government razed her family’s house during the expulsion. The third portrait follows Vena Kamihanda, 50, Angel’s mother, wheelchair bound and living in a refugee camp. The film ends with Agnes Alida, 45, a radio hostess in Tanzania. Separated from her Rwandese husband and one of their children during the deportation she is unable to locate them.

IN SEARCH OF AFRICAN DUENDE: THE UGANDA FLAMENCO PROJECT Producer: Keren Cogan Director: Caroline Kamya Country: Uganda In En Busca del Duende Africano we open up both the practice and history of flamenco through its undeniable but little known connection to Africa.

This journey follows a small group of young Ugandans over a period of twenty-four months. Their aim, to put on the first Flamenco dance performance in Uganda at the National Theatre in Kampala. Against the backdrop of the poverty of inner city Kampala, the individual obstacles that each young Ugandan must overcome; some of whom are refugees, and orphans; form the spine of the documentary. Their stories are interspersed with a narrative history of black Africans in Spain, and how their oppression together with the persecuted Gypsies and Jews, led to the birth of Flamenco.

KULA: A MEMORY IN THREE ACTS Director/producer: Inadelso Cossa Country: Mozambique Kula was a name of PIDE brigade in the 60s during the Portuguese colonial regime in Mozambique, where political prisoners were interrogated and tortured, forced to reveal their

www.durbanfilmmart.com

connections with liberation movements. Today, 35 years later, those former political prisoners decided to go back to the same place to represent their memories as a treatment to their post-torture trauma.

THE COLONEL’S STRAY DOGS Producer: Steven Markovitz Director: Khalid Shamis Country: South Africa In 1981, seven Libyan exiled revolutionaries gathered to form the National Front for the Salvation of Libya (NFSL). My father was one of these ‘Stray Dogs’ and their main objective was to use armed warfare against the Gadaffi. But soon the Front found itself mired in political wrangling, infighting, personal loss and dissipation.

The NFSL’s main mission was to rid Libya of Gadaffi, but it was the people inside Libya who eventually chased him out and killed him. Suddenly there was a void of power and these stalwart revolutionaries in exile rushed back home to be part of their new country, taking up positions in and around the interim government. However, it soon became apparent that they had jumped into a volatile situation and were not the only ones vying for power. Unnamed armed militia, Islamic extremists, politicos, peasants and returning exiles now all compete for a piece of the pie.

A luta continua, but victory is far from certain.

When all efforts are focused on the freedom of a faraway land, what is sacrificed and what is achieved in the process? Now that the future of Libya hangs in the balance, does the expectation of freedom ever live up to the dream?

THE SOUND OF MASKS Directed and produced by Kofi Zwane and Sara de Gouveia Country: South Africa A visual account of Mozambique’s past and present as told through dance. The Mapiko dance is part of their culture that has been going on for centuries.

What makes it different from a regular ritualistic dance is that it’s always changed and adapted to tell the story of what people are going through at any specific point in history. The result is a living, breathing visual archive of a people’s journey through colonialism, independence, civil war and ultimately democracy.

After the war, most of the Makonde were given land and areas as a reward for their struggle. One of these areas in Maputo – the Zona Militar – forms the scene for our film. As a result of the forces of capitalism, these ex-combatants and their families are being kicked out to make way for condominiums and plazas for the wealthy. This is the current struggle of the people versus their government. And like in all past conflicts, the Mapiko dance is interpreting this story and rallying people to fight against it. Through the experiences of people from different generations of the dance, a parallel emerges between how people have struggled through change in the past and continue to adapt in the present.

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Television

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Six faces of freedom

SIX FACES OF POST-1994 SOUTH AFRICA: Top row: Zwo Farisani, Bruno Nzasibira, Thando Moleketi

A series recently broadcast by the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), Freedom is not Free offered a fascinating insight into the lives and worldviews of young people in South Africa and their experiences of the complex society of the country post-1994.

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iring just in time for national celebrations of the 20th anniversary of the first democratic elections, Freedom is not Free devoted each of its six episodes to telling the story of one very unique resident of South Africa between the ages of 24 and 30. The idea, explains series producer and director Takalani Mulaudzi of Tshedza Media, was not to rehash ongoing questions of race and politics – although these matters do come through in some of the stories.

30 | SCREENAFRICA | June 2014

Rather Mulaudzi and her crew set out to find interesting young South Africans and examine their lives to find out how they experience or consume South Africa’s much-praised freedom.

The world of the born-frees “My generation, meaning people in their 30s, seem to carry a lot of baggage and understandably so. We seem to carry a lot of our history and we see everything in terms of colour, we talk legacy, we attribute stuff to the past. The so-called born-frees see things differently and we wanted to hear that voice and really get into how they see things – we were surprised,” Mulaudzi says of her show, which was originally intended to tell stories about children of exiles – those who had grown up outside of the country and then returned in, just before or just after 1994. The concept then expanded to include people who originate from other countries on the continent and have now settled in South Africa for various reasons. The final series consists of six 48-minute episodes, three of which deal with South Africans born in exile, while the other three deal with immigrants.

The cultural diversity represented by the subjects is astounding – all the more so when considering that they exist within the South African context. The six people that Freedom is not Free places under the microscope are Zwo Farisani, who was born in South Africa and then fled into exile with his family when he was two

Bottom row: Gugu, Philani Brown, Dire

years old; Bruno Nzasibira, whose family came to South Africa on an ‘extended holiday’ in order to get away from the Burundian genocide; Thando Moleketi, a South African born in Zimbabwe; Gugu, a Mozambican who made her way to Johannesburg in order to find a place to work and live; Philani Brown, another exile, whose mixed parentage both enriched and complicated his experience of South Africa; and finally, Dire, an Ethiopian Muslim who sought asylum in South Africa to escape persecution in her own country.

Personal journeys Mulaudzi says: “The series was mainly to say, what has happened 20 years on? And what are the views of the people who live in and consume this democracy? What are their experiences? They do touch on the experiences of race. They also touch on career paths they have chosen and other matters that are important to them.

It’s very personal, the journey they take us on but it’s with reference to the country and the space they were in. It is quite a journey.”

Mulaudzi had to take on the directing role by default when the director she had contracted for the project took on another assignment not long before shooting was due to begin. While she notes that wearing both directing and producing hats did create a slight conflict (she had to call upon her accountant to rein in some of her less budget-friendly directorial impulses) she found the

experience a rewarding one, particularly as the kind of show she wanted to create required her to build strong personal connections with her interviewees. By the time the cameras rolled, the subjects were at ease with her and the crew, understood what the aims of the project were, and were well equipped to talk about those aspects of their lives most relevant to the concept of the show.

Some of the secondary characters required a somewhat different approach, however, and Mulaudzi had to use some more sophisticated directorial tools to get the information she needed.

“It’s easy to have a conversation about yourself,” she says. But I found that with some of them, when you went into the themes of the show – they found it difficult to speak about freedom, democracy and all of these concepts.

They seemed to be heavy words for them to deal with. I had to find ways to link our themes to the story that they had been telling. You need to consistently probe until they give you the answer you’re looking for but don’t realise it.”

Shot using the trusty Canon 5D on various locations around Johannesburg, with some forays into other parts of the country, Freedom is not Free is a fascinating and intimate document of South African democracy and the many, complex ways in which it has affected the lives of the country’s residents, told from the point of view of those who, through their unique life experience, are able to place that democracy and freedom in perspective. – Warren Holden

| Television

SuperSport Studio 6 – bigger and better

READY FOR KICK-OFF: The design of SuperSport’s new Studio 6

FRONT ELEVATION 1:75

which had to be used for multiple SuperSport have purposes, but the thing was that it always recently redesigned and looked like one and the same set,” Gill explains.

“What we have put into the new design rebuilt their flagship is a number of smaller ‘sets within a set’, which will each suit different purposes, production centre, and look like separate sets while at the Studio 6, just in time for same time still looking very much a part of the bigger picture. On the wide shot the kick-off of the FIFA you’ll see the set in its entirety but then we can go in close into the smaller sets.

World Cup 2014, taking We have the main presenter set, an entertainment stage and some interview place in Brazil from areas.” This adds variety and provides for multiple purposes.

12 June PRESENTERS to 13 July. ELEVATION STANDING “Another thing we’ve added is that

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s the country’s premium sports broadcaster prepared for the airing of the world’s most watched sporting event, the decision was made to completely refurbish Studio 6, which is the heart of SuperSport’s preand post-match, analysis and entertainment broadcasts. The idea was to give it an entirely new look and feel that would take the broadcaster forward into the next few years, as well as adding some technological upgrades.

Bigger, better and more modern SuperSport called upon award-winning set designer Michael Gill and his team at Michael Gill Designs to create the new set, asking him to make it “bigger, better and more technologically advanced,” to accommodate the growth that SuperSport has seen over the past few years, the needs that have arisen from the growth and the current and projected expansion in the broadcaster’s programming.

“Previously we had just one single set,

now we can shoot 360 degrees around the set. On the previous design, we could only shoot more or less in one direction but now, particularly with the interview areas and the entertainment stage, we can turn around and shoot from the opposite direction, we can reverse shoot, offering a different background,” Gill says.

“That’s one of the biggest differences between this set and the previous one,” adds SuperSport director and producer Ryan Toerien, who is also the project manager for the construction of the new studio. “Now, from anywhere in the space, we can shoot in, through or across the set. The number of cameras hasn’t changed – it’s six or seven cameras – but the versatility of the area has been dramatically improved. The depth we can achieve through that is just going to be phenomenal.”

In order to create the aesthetic for the studio, Gill researched the attributes of stadiums around the world. “Stadiums are common to all sports,” he says. “I went and looked at the shapes and designs of stadiums currently in use, as well as the shape of stadiums to come, so as to future-proof the look of the studio.

So in four years’ time, when the next World Cup rolls around, our set will still look current. We also have a much cleaner and brighter look as opposed to what is currently in place.”

Just off the main studio is an enclosed garden area, which many people may recognise both as the garden for the original Big Brother house and the bush lodge set that was used in the last Rugby World Cup. This is also being overhauled, and will suit the new look and feel, as well as offer interview spaces, and grandstand seating for 60 people.

Augmented reality No modern sport studio would be complete without the augmented reality (AR) technologies that are now becoming commonplace in such settings. Studio 6 will be well-equipped with this technology, courtesy of SuperSport’s partnership with UK-based graphics company Alston Elliott. Since AR is attached to, and synched with, the cameras, there is really no need for anything to be built into the set. All that was required from Gill in this regard was for sufficient space to be left around the studio for the insertion of AR elements.

“The AR equipment is probably the biggest technology jump in this studio,” Toerien says. “We’ll be adding all kinds of AR elements into the set. One of the ideas is to have ticker columns, like you see in American newsrooms with stock prices. We would have scores and other stats on those. On this area on the floor in front of the presenters we can create an AR model of the pitch and the camera will actually go between the players to show the different lines and movements – defence, attack, midfield. You can put a virtual, full-size, fully detailed Formula One car here and bring the camera right down onto it on a jib and examine this

virtual car, the wheel, the engine and go all around it. Those visuals are rendered in 4K so there is so much detail that you can show.”

The studio will also include a new 70-inch touchscreen, a total of 86 monitors, a new jimmy jib to go with the AR and a substantial amount of new LED lighting accommodated in a grid that far exceeds in size any previous one in SuperSport’s studios.

The World Cup and beyond The new Studio 6 will make its debut during the broadcast of the FIFA World Cup but is designed to suit all the sports on SuperSport’s schedule. Naturally, all of the broadcaster’s current efforts are going into preparing for the FIFA event. It has spared no expense in securing celebrity experts for the tournament.

Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs is among the slate of international football stars that will be taking their place in Studio 6 to analyse the tournament as it develops, along with Marcel Desailly of France, former England and Liverpool left winger John Barnes, Spanish star Gaizka Mendieta and South African players Andre Arendse, Neil Tovey and Doctor Khumalo.

Next year, the studio will host broadcasts of the Rugby World Cup, the Olympics in 2016 and so on. “In 2010, we established the new Studio 6 with the legacy of the World Cup, and all the events that followed took up that legacy,” says Sifiso Mbambo, who heads up football programming at SuperSport.

“The same thing is happening now again with the new studio. Studio 6 becomes our nerve centre with the football and sets the tone for all broadcasts that follow.” – Warren Holden June 2014 | SCREENAFRICA | 31

Post-Production

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Come over to the dark side

WORKING UNLIMITED – Alastair Orr

Dean Konidaris

Darkside Studios is a production house based in Rivonia, north of Johannesburg, which offers a full range of production services ranging from pre to post.

Founded by producer Dean Konidaris and director Alastair Orr, Darkside draws on the experience and expertise of both, as well as that of their team of animators, to offer post-production services ranging from 3D animation to offline and online

editing and sound design.

However, Konidaris and Orr are both in the business to make movies and so they do not limit their work to post-production alone. While they offer their skills in this area to clients on both short- and long-form projects, they are one of the only post houses bringing international work into South Africa. They recently finished an international film, Flock of

Dudes starring Ray Liotta. They also develop their own feature films (one of which is set to begin shooting in October) and are able to serve their clients throughout the production value chain.

Orr is an experienced director with three feature-length horror films under his belt, including the South African releases The Unforgiving and Rancid, and the soon-to-be-released Hollywood

production Indigenous. He also trained as an editor and writes the screenplays for his films. Konidaris has 17 years of experience in various aspects of post-production, with a particular focus on sound, working on television, cinema and radio projects. While the Darkside team works on its own feature projects, it currently makes the majority of its bread and butter in corporate AVs, commercials, animation on various projects and full post services on television shows. Among its output in the latter category are shows for kykNet, SABC1 and SABC3 Darkside is equipped with Maya and After Effects for animation, Final Cut Pro and Avid for editing and a 7.1 ProTools sound suite. It is also set to install a DaVinci Resolve finishing suite in the near future.

Previously based in Randburg, the company has set up its new base in Rivonia and is on a mission to expand its client base. Forming lasting relationships with people in the industry, Konidaris says, is currently one of its main objectives. The facility will do their best to beat any written quote from competitors, inviting everyone in the industry to ‘come over to the Darkside’.

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32 | SCREENAFRICA | June 2014

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| Media Asset Management

Storage: The cost of preserving the future As data usage continues to grow exponentially, IT managers will need to orchestrate multiple kinds of storage — including flash, hard disk, tape and cloud — in a way that not only optimises capacity and performance, but cost and power consumption too. Storage costs are continually dropping in the fields of digital repository – and yet remain high because we are simply producing more of it.

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hen I got my first computer back in the... oh a long time ago, I remember wondering how I could possibly fill all 20 megabytes (MB) of hard drive space. Last week I installed a trio of 4 terabyte (TB) drives in my Mac, wondering if the extra space would last me through to the end of the year! Due to the digital revolution that we are all caught up in, the need for high-capacity storage is evident more than ever before and more importantly at low, affordable cost.

In an effort to put it all into perspective I found some historical pricing data to illustrate how the cost of storing a gigabyte has changed over the last 30 years. Of course a gigabyte was a laughable concept to all back in the 80s, but it’s a nice middle-of-the-road magnitude for the purpose of this discussion.

In 1980 Morrow Designs released their first 26MB drive (a huge jump over Apple’s 5MB capacity) at the incredible cost of just US$5 000. In 2014, Hitachi’s HGST 4 TB (4 000 000 MB) Deskstar hard drive costs just $179. Comparatively; 1GB of data in 1980 would have cost US$193 000 to store, today the cost is just US$0.044 per gigabyte.

More data In today’s world we are obviously creating more data than before and as we become increasingly dependent on digital data, so its storage, management, transport and governance become ever more

critical. The estimated size of the digital universe (that is, all the digital data created, replicated and consumed) in December last year was said to be 2 837 exabytes (EB) and it was forecast to grow to 40 000EB by 2020 – roughly doubling every two years. So by 2020, the digital universe will amount to over 5 200GB per person on the planet.

This sort of data growth clearly requires heroic amounts of storage to keep it available for as long as it’s required, and to archive much of it thereafter. And herein lies the problem: although the cost of hardware has dramatically reduced over the years there are major capacity limitations for the amount we are producing.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences archives over 70 000 movies. They can do this efficiently and inexpensively for one reason: Photochemical film is cheap and easy to preserve. All you need is a cold room that’s not too humid and not too dry, and the chemically processed film will last for 100 years or longer.

Digitised movies are not nearly as easy to archive for the long term as good old film. Apart from the requirement of preserving an 8.3-terabyte digital master, a major Hollywood production racks up about 2 petabytes (PB) of ancillary data (the equivalent of almost half a million DVDs). Where do you store 2PB when, worldwide, we are producing about 7 000 new feature films each year? The uncertain state of digital preservation is such that most major studios continue to

archive their movies by transferring them to separate, black-and-white polyesterbased film negatives, one each for red, green, and blue, even for those works that are born digital.

New technology Although hard drive technology is getting bigger and cheaper by the year it still does not provide the capacity and is not 100% reliable over the long term. Having said that, Hitachi is developing so called ‘cold storage hard drives’, Helium filled drives that offer greater capacity, less drag on the spinning platters and therefore, longer serviceability.

LTO technology has proved to be the cheapest and more stable format for data archiving but again we are fairly limited capacity-wise. A breakthrough in tape technology was announced by Sony at the beginning of May this year however.

Sony has succeeded in creating a nano-grained magnetic layer tape able to record approximately 74 times (185TB) more data than conventional magnetic tape media (LTO 6s 2.5TB) at a supposedly lower cost and this may be a step in the right direction for our mass storage needs.

For large collections of important or valuable digital data – not just motion pictures but news footage, scientific measurements, governmental records, and our own personal collections – today’s digital storage technologies simply do not work to ensure their survival for future generations. So if you’re an engineer or computer scientist or just someone like me up for a grand challenge, investigate ways to make the problem of digital information decay become obsolete and add digits to your bank account rather than to another hard drive! – Ian Dormer June 2014 | SCREENAFRICA | 33

NAB REPORT Back

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What caught my eye NAB 2014, the world’s largest broadcast media show, not only pulled in the crowds but stunned them as a never-ending series of new products were announced on a daily basis for the duration of the show. Here’s my top choice of great product unveilings!

Blackmagic Design URSA and Studio Camera

Once again Blackmagic Design took centre stage at NAB, unveiling their new additions to their impressive portfolio, the Blackmagic URSA and Blackmagic Studio Camera.

The URSA is a new high end digital film camera designed to revolutionise workflow on set. It’s built to handle the needs of large film crews as well as the singular user and comes complete with multiple accessories built in.

Especially impressive is its 10-inch fold out on set monitor – however the product also boasts a large user upgradable Super 35 global shutter 4K image sensor and internal dual RAW and Apple ProRes recorders.

The Studio Camera marks out Blackmagic’s place in the live production market as the product is designed for live production. It is available in 1080 HD and Ultra HD models and starts at a modest $1 995.

It has been designed to solve previous problems encountered by those working specifically in live production.

Up until now, producers have been mostly forced to use cameras designed for general video production for live work so they lose out on essentials such as a large viewfinder, talkback, tally and optical fibre, all of which are available on this beauty.

34 | SCREENAFRICA | June 2014

AJA CION camera

Hot on the heels of Blackmagic, AJA unveiled their CION camera, firmly establishing their mark in the cinema camera market at NAB and stepping out of their firm focus on the ProRes disk recorder market.

The CION not only looks fantastic, embracing traditional ENG styling with a lovely suede contoured shoulder pad and a 6 lb. magnesium body but boasts a true 4K CMOS sensor, PL mount for standard lenses, global shutter, and manual back-focus adjustment. Plus, of course, it encompasses a ProRes workflow.

Atomos Shogun monitor

Atomos once again impressed the marketplace with the launch of its latest monitor/recorder, the Shogun, a 7IPS monitor backed with recording capability. Shogun allows the recording of 422 10-bit images straight from the camera sensor captured using 4K/HD Apple ProRes, Uncompressed RAW Cinema DNG or Avid DNxHD codecs.

Avid Pro Tools new features

lens aimed at its Cinema EOS range of Super35mm camcorders. It is the first servo-driven zoom lens in the format with 7x magnification at 4K resolutions, and a useful focal length range of 17-120mm, and T2.95 minimum brightness.

Sonnet xMac Pro Server On the audio front, Avid, the broadcast software company, added significant new collaboration features to its Pro Tools range of professional audio software. The new features, part of the company’s Avid Everywhere strategy, focuses on cloud-based content sharing and creation. Pro Tools editors will be able to post audio sessions to cloud storage, and work on an edit online or offline; Pro Tools can be set to push updates to track other collaborators automatically. Users can also stream from synched Pro Tools sessions.

JuicedLink Little DARling recorder

Perhaps one of the most exciting audio products comes from JuicedLink, who unveiled Little DARling, a Pocket-Sized Recorder. The Little DARling records a stereo signal to Micro SD cards and runs for 6-8 hours on a signal AA battery. The best part is that the stereo signal is created with a duplicated and attenuated track at -16db as a backup in case things get too loud unexpectedly during recording. The only way to turn the recording off once it starts is by pressing a button with a pen through a recessed hole, so you won’t have to worry about losing recordings when your subjects are moving around.

Canon CN7x17KAS S

On the lens front, Canon launched the CN7x17 KAS S Cinema EOS cine-servo

For those wondering how to rackmount the awkwardly round new Mac Pros, Sonnet have come up with a cracker of an idea. The xMac Pro Server is a rack-mount expansion chassis for the 2013 Mac Pro. The 4U industry-standard, 19-inch enclosure can house a Mac Pro as well as three PCIe expansion cards, which connect to the host computer over Thunderbolt 2.

Sony a7s

One product that showed an unusual amount of interest was … another camera, but this time a stills camera.

Sony released the A7s, or Apha 7s, a mirrorless full-frame camera capable of 4K video recording.

The A7s boosts some strong credentials for HD filming, utilising the XAVC format introduced on the F5 and PMW-300 video cameras, with a broadcast-friendly bitrate of 50mbps.

Sony has added support for Log recording, as S-Log2, and the camera can film at up to 120fps at 720p. The direct read out, without pixel binning, also applies to HD recording.

Clever technology indeed and it just keeps getting better and better! NAB 2014 indicated one thing to me, that no matter how much we are told that the industry is flailing, the manufacturers out there are continually proving them wrong.

– Ian Dormer

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Tracking Technology

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DYVI Live Production Suite

Receiving its first South African demonstration at the offices of Inala Broadcast in Midrand, Johannesburg just after NAB this year, the DYVI is a new addition to the production switcher market but, its developers say, it is so much more than just a switcher. The product, which is set to hit the market in September 2014, is described as a “real-time video compositing engine”.

The product is the brainchild of SVS (Scalable Video Systems), a Germanbased company that was created by former employees of Grass Valley’s now defunct European development centre. They decided to put their heads together and create something of their own. The DYVI is designed as a scalable, customisable, easy-to-use production solution that offers creative power, simple control, a solid technical platform and the capability for decentralised production.

The creative power offered by the DYVI encompasses the following attributes: • With a full 3D DVE engine, DYVI’s processing modules offer the most powerful DVEs in the switcher industry • Pre-built and modifiable effects and an easy step-by-step 3D DVE menu are standard, featuring effects with Z/Depth information as well as 3D intersections between multiple effects.

• DYVI allows more than one keyer (chroma or luminance) in a single layer.

• Clips are stored uncompressed as RGB+key for high-quality motion graphics via processing modules with built in RamRecorders. The internal memory consists of 32GB, which is divided between eight dynamic channels of RamRecorder.

• The Create Art Tool (CAT) gives you control over the colour, texture, brightness and contrast over the entire picture or parts of it.

CameraCorps Q3

36 | SCREENAFRICA | June 2014

CueScript CSM17 17” LED High Brightness HD-SDI Prompter Monitor

The CSM17 17” LED High Brightness HD-SDI Prompter Monitor, recently beta tested with great success in an American infomercial production, is the first offering by the newly formed company CueScript, formed by industry veterans Michael Accardi, Peter Carey and Brian Larter. Both the company and the product were launched at NAB 2014. The CSM17 features low energy consumption and a low power start up. Its three-mode adjustable power input includes low (26 watts), medium (30 watts) and high (38 watts). It also features an integrated mounting system, low profile design and an increased viewing angle (170 x 16) for easier screen readability.

Moreover, built-in LED cue lights come standard with the CSM17, something that is not often an add-on option in this product category.

CueScript takes this feature to the next level and offers LED adjustable brightness and 180-degree viewing, providing the tools and applications necessary for a variety of productions from an evening newscast to a light entertainment program. Finally, the CSM17 meets the following requirements: CE, TUV, FCC, C-Tick, PSE, RoHs.

Camera Corps launched its new Q3 advanced robotic pan/tilt/ zoom/focus head at NAB 2014.

The Camera Corps Q3 retains the compact spherical housing that users of the Q-Ball will recognise. All commonly used HD formats are accommodated – interlaced and progressive – at up to 60Hz frame rate. An enhanced pan/tilt/zoom drive gives producers the freedom to match the precise acceleration and deceleration of much larger robotic heads when tracking moving performers on air.

Initial interest and sales have surpassed all expectations.

The Q3 can perform an unlimited number of 360 degree lateral rotations, with 3GB per second video being transferred over high-quality slip rings to ensure complete freedom from cablesnagging. Pan and tilt speed are adjustable from an ultra-slow 360 degrees in 90 minutes to 90 degrees per second. Motion control sequences of up to 25 seconds duration can be stored to internal non-volatile memory.

Minimum illumination requirement for the Q3 is 0.5 lux (colour mode) or 0.02 lux (monochrome). Camera alignment features include gamma correction, white balance, 16-step edge enhancement and a 2 second to 1/10,000 second shutter. A genlock input with user-adjustable sync timing offset is provided.

The camera can be locked to external C sync or tri-level HD sync.

An optional optical-interface provides data control, genlock and 3 gigabits per second video over a pair of single-mode fibres.

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Tracking Technology

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Imagine Communications SelenioFlex Software and Network solutions provider Imagine Communications has unveiled SelenioFlex™, a comprehensive, software-based transcoding and encoding solution for live and file-based media processing.

SelenioFlex promises efficient, automated, high-quality media processing at any point in the content value chain from production to distribution for applications, including: File-to-File Transcoding, seamlessly blending customisable transcoding and workflow capabilities, supporting a comprehensive range of formats with superior quality for applications from post production and archive to multiscreen distribution. Delivering intelligent automation, exceptional scalability and unparalleled workflow agility, SelenioFlex file-based software solutions streamline operations, optimise resource utilisation and lower operational costs.

Live/Linear Multiscreen Encoding: Also powered by Xenio, the SelenioFlex multiscreen encoding solutions provide superior live encoding for high-value multiscreen applications – from live event streaming to over-the-top (OTT) delivery of linear channels. Combining multiformat output flexibility, software-based upgradeability, and rich adaptive streaming (ABR) format support, SelenioFlex enables operators to reach audiences with superior quality, live viewing experiences across the broadest range of devices.

Live-to-File Ingest Encoding: SelenioFlex live-to-file ingest solutions provide efficient, multiformat capture and encoding from live sources or tapes and transcoding from file-based sources. Combining superior quality, format flexibility and the industry’s deepest feature set, the SelenioFlex ingest system is the ideal gateway to file-based production and archive workflows and today’s vast array of multiscreen distribution opportunities.

4 Camera SD OB Van (Triax)

8 Camera HD OB Van (Triax)

HD DSNG Vehicle

Various Multi Cam Mix Kits

4 Camera SD Flyaway Kit

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38 | SCREENAFRICA | June 2014

The Padcaster

This simple, sturdy aluminium frame is created to transform an iPad into a mobile production studio. The frame accommodates the tablet in its flexible insert, while a lens bracket strategically placed to correspond to the iPad’s built-in camera, fits a variety of lenses. There is also space for a detachable microphone and the frame can be mounted on a standard tripod, monopod or shoulder mount. Showcased at NAB 2014, the Padcaster was named one of the most innovative new production tools of 2014 by StudioDaily. It is also available in iPad Air and iPad Mini models.

| Box Office

Figures supplied by SAFACT

Comebacks conquer SA’s box office

The biggest South African box office earners in May were proof that a cinematic round-two can deliver knock-out ratings. The idea of having one more chance to rewrite history, wander along the yellow brick road or plot the perfect revenge, is one which keeps audiences coming back for more…

X-Men: Days of Future Past The X-men franchise continues with a superhero sequel featuring some familiar fan favourites. Two generations of mutants merge when original cast members Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Halle Berry, Anna Paquin, Ellen Page, Shawn Ashmore and Daniel Cudmore join James McAvoy, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, and Michael Fassbender in X-Men: Days of Future Past.

The film made an epic entry, earning R5 302 220 in its opening weekend at the SA box office after bringing in US$ 91 million in its US debut weekend. It is the second-highest international opener in the Fox-Marvel series after X-Men: The Last Stand.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2: Rise of Electro After five weeks on circuit The Amazing SpiderMan 2, released by Columbia Pictures, continues to captivate SA audiences, spinning R20 884 831 at the local box office, with 72 prints. Directed by Marc Webb, the mighty Marvel sequel has grossed US$187 100 000 in the USA and has broken box office records in a number of countries.

Godzilla

Rio 2

The Warner Bros.-Legendary remake of the 1954 Japanese classic Godzilla has captured R4 481 127 nationwide, a 47% drop since its opening weekend due to monstrous competition from the Marvel mutants. Breakthrough Brit director Gareth Edwards revives this version with roaring relevance which appeals to a new generation of movie-goers and monster fiends alike.

The second Rio movie, which features the voices of Anne Hathaway, Jesse Eisenberg, Bruno Mars and Jamie Foxx, is still soaring after spending seven weeks in SA cinemas. The animated family film, directed by Carlos Saldanha, has garnered R20 189 659 at the local box office, with 53 prints. The movie is distributed by Times Media Film.

The Other Woman Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann, and Kate Upton are the scheming starlets who feature in Fox’s raunchy rom-com, The Other Woman. Appealing largely to female audiences, the chick-flick has done better than expected, accumulating R 10 455 994 at the local box office after four weeks. As it turns out, three women scorned spells sweet success.

Walk of Shame Despite having earned her comedic chops in a number of brilliant blockbusters, Elizabeth Banks’ latest offering has been criticized as just another one-note chick flick. In its opening weekend the Steven Brill comedy earned R434 882 nationally and may have to face up to its name in coming weeks.

Legends of Oz: Dorothy’s Return

Heaven is for Real

A-list actors venture down the yellow brick road, breathing life into the characters that lit up our imaginations in the original 1939 musical film The Wizard of Oz. Lea Michele is the voice of Dorothy, Dan Aykroyd plays The Scarecrow, Kelsey Grammer features as The Tin Man and Jim Belushi is The Cowardly Lion. Despite a sparkling cast, Summertime Entertainment’s Legends of Oz hasn’t quite found a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, earning a mere R953 020 nationally in its opening weekend.

Based on the New York Times best-selling book by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent Heaven Is for Real has earned R1 503 829 at the SA box office, after three weeks of release. Directed by Randall Wallace and distributed by Ster-Kinekor, the movie challenges audiences with the ultimate comeback…

– Compiled by Carly Barnes June 2014 | SCREENAFRICA | 39

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www.screenafrica.com

David Kau signs a major deal at the Cannes International Film Festival SA comedian David Kau (Blitz Patrollie,Taxi Ride) concluded a major production and distribution deal with Archstone Pictures and Archstone Distribution to co-produce and distribute his new film Sekwankwetla.

The deal was concluded on Tuesday 19 May at the SA Pavillion at the Cannes International Film Festival.

Los Angeles based Archstone Distribution has a reputation of being filmmaker friendly with nearly 100 titles in their current library while Archstone Pictures currently produces and co-produces three to five films a year.

Sekwankwetla, which tells the story of a South African township superhero, will be

David Kau in Blitz Patrollie directed by South Africa’s award-winning director Teboho Mahlatsi. Archstone Pictures will co-produce the film along with Kau’s Disadvantaged Background Productions and Mahlatsi’s The Bomb Shelter.

35th Durban International Film Festival kicks off with a move to Tsogo Sun South Africa’s largest and longest-running film festival, the Durban International Film Festival, hosted by the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Centre for Creative Arts, takes place from 17 to 27 July 2014 at the new, lavishly renovated Tsogo Sun hotel on Durban beachfront’s Golden Mile.

This year, the celebration of world class cinema will see over 200 screenings of new films from South Africa, the continent and the world.

Festival manager, Peter Machen, is looking forward to the move, which is, according to him: “both strategic and practical. Both the festival and market have grown tremendously over the years and we needed to consider a venue that

Avid unveils new ‘Everywhere’ product strategy Post-production technology company, Avid, recently unveiled the product strategy and first set of solutions designed to deliver on the promise of its Avid Everywhere vision.

At a presentation given by Avid CEO Louis Hernandez Jr, products were unveiled that are intended to streamline workflows and enhance collaboration; to better create, manage, distribute and monetise content; and increase flexibility

A scene from Jane Pollard and Iain Forsyth’s 20 000 Days on Earth

could accommodate the size of our current set of programmes, as well as allow for growth in line with future plans.”

and security.

Hernandez described the new strategy as: “the most profound, sweeping, strategic product vision since our inception: one single, integrated, global platform, one shared, extensible, open and customisable framework, totally integrated. This means the entire workflow becomes interoperable, it becomes connected, and it becomes secure.”

Avid Everywhere is designed to keep the company and its users ahead of trends as the media world continues to shift. The new Avid platforms ought to have a marked impact on creative and technical practice in the industry.

Avid CEO Louis Hernandez Jr presents Avid Everywhere

40 | SCREENAFRICA | June 2014

Director of Searching for Sugarman dies Photo courtesy The Guardian

WEB NEWS

Malik Bendjelloul, a Swedish filmmaker who directed the Oscar-winning documentary Searching for Sugarman, died on 13 May, at the age of 36.

Stockholm police stated that the circumstances of Malik’s death were unknown, however Bendjelloul’s brother later confirmed local media reports that he had committed suicide.

Jan Goransson, spokesperson for the Swedish Malik Bendjelloul Film Institute said: “This terrible news has put us all in a state of shock. Malik Bendjelloul was one of our award as well as the 2012 International most exciting film makers, which the Documentary Association award. The film Oscar award last year was a clear told the mysterious story of Sixto proof of.”

Rodriguez, an anonymous musician who, Searching for Sugar Man received a unbeknownst to him, had gained a large BAFTA, a Director’s Guild award, a following in South Africa despite having Producer’s Guild award, a Writer’s guild fallen off the public radar.

Triggerfish Animation Studios to be represented by international media agency William Morris Endeavor (WME), an entertainment talent agency with offices in the US and London, has signed Cape Town-based Triggerfish Animation Studios as one of its representations. The agency represents artists and content creators across various media platforms including film, television, music, theatre, digital and publishing.

Currently developing their third animated feature, Sea Monster, Triggerfish is known for producing successful animated features as well as US and South African versions of Sesame Street. WMA will offer Triggerfish access

to valuable networks as well as opportunities in advertising, marketing and brand integration.

Stuart Forrest, CEO of Triggerfish, returned from meeting with the agency in Los Angeles and concluded: “In an industry that relies deeply on relationships, having access to high-level networks is a big breakthrough for a company like ours who have been working in relative isolation for so long.”

Star footballer Ryan Giggs signs for SuperSport SuperSport has announced that global football icon Ryan Giggs will head up a stellar cast of analysts and experts for the broadcaster’s coverage of the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The Manchester United legend will be a studio analyst for the World of Champions, offering his insight during build-ups, halftime and post-game, starting in June.

“We have contracted a world class player for a world class event,” says Alvin

Naicker, Head of Production of SuperSport.

“Ryan Giggs represents the very best of football. He is in a class of his own.

Ryan is a massively popular figure on the continent and we expect his expert views will be much anticipated and enjoyed during this coming World Cup.”

| WEB NEWS

The KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission attended the Cannes Film festival in France from 14 to 25 May as an official partner of the National Film and Video Foundation, at the South African pavilion.

The Provincial Department of Economic Development and Tourism had previously represented the Commission at Cannes, however this year Chairman Welcome Msomi, CEO Carol Coetzee and Chief Operations Officer Jackie Motsepe were in attendance.

In an initiative to promote the

Photo courtesy EVS

AKK TV upgrades EVS production servers

EVS XT3 server The EVS production servers which service German outside broadcast (OB) facility, AKK TV, have been upgraded in order to enable ORF, Austria’s public broadcaster, live coverage of European Grand Prix.

Photo courtesy Presswire

KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission attends Cannes KwaZulu-Natal region as an international filming destination, the Commission used the opportunity to engage with film producers, sales agents and film commissions from around the world. The Commission also aimed to facilitate investment in the KwaZulu-Natal film industry, create opportunities for persons, especially from disadvantaged communities, to enter the industry as well as enhance the organisation’s capabilities and skills.

EVS, a company which designs broadcast and media production systems for sports, news and television entertainment, upgraded AKK TV’s current XT2 servers to XT3 servers and added an LSM Connect tablet-based solution which will provide the broadcaster with immediate access to, and control of, all clips and playlists.

Without having to overhaul its infrastructure, AKK TV is able to manage current or future formats and workflows with its new XT3 servers, which offer 20TB of storage space, 381 hours of HD recording space or 762 hours of SD recording volume. The upgrade will also allow the facility to have two operators working on the same machine at the same time, as it is equipped with two additional HD/SD video channels.

Erik Pettersson and Mascoll Silverstolpe

New world record set for binge-viewing On 5 May, Erik Pettersson, Mascoll Silverstolpe, Thobias Johansson and Aina Lessefour aimed to beat the previous TV binge viewing record, set by Dan Jordan, Spencer Larson and Chris Laughlin in January 2014.

The attempt was part of an initiative to

launch Viaplay Premiere, which provides viewers with exclusive premieres on the online platform.

Pettersson reached 90 hours of viewing the 24 TV series on Viaplay, a Scandinavian online media service for TV, film and sports content. Silverstolpe also managed to beat the previous record of 87 hours, by 17 minutes.

The challenge took place at the Viaplay headquarters in Stockholm, where contestants were either allowed to take one five-minute break an hour or, by saving up their minutes, a longer break at a later time.

XPLORE THE UNEXPECTED

Photo courtesy dronecentre.com

SA Civil Aviation Authority bans camera drones

Camera drone

The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) has executed an immediate prohibition on the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or camera drones in South Africa.

The SACAA stated that the ban is due to a lack of regulations guiding its use, as it is a relatively new technology, and that

the organisation along with others around the world, is in the process of understanding, outlining and incorporating UAVs into the civil aviation sector.

Two film permits for Cape Town productions have already been refused and Denis Lillie, Chief Executive of the Cape Town Film Commission (CFC) said: “The ban will not only affect feature films but also tourism promotion agencies often look for aerial shots. South Africa runs the risk of losing production activities to other areas who approve the use of drones.”

C-Cast Xplore is the key to access live production content from anywhere around the world. www.evs.com/XPLORE

June 2014 | SCREENAFRICA | 41 111-155_EN.indd 1

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PR ODU CT IO N

UPDATES FOR FURTHER DETAILS VISIT www.screenafrica.com

Those productions in red are newly listed this month Production Updates Order of Information 1. Title 2. Production Company 3. Director 4. Genre

IN DEVELOPMENT

A Bank in Krugersdorp (Working Title) Panda Broadcast Prod: Sam Groenewald Feature Film A LION IN THE BEDROOM Two Oceans Production Prod: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature

Camping Two Oceans Productions Prod: Giselher Venzke/Bertha Spieker Feature

JIVA Tamol Media Prod: Thabang Molibeli Feature

Sea Monster Triggerfish Animation Studios Dir: Anthony Silverston Animated Feature

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE Two Oceans Production Prod: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature

KING SEKHUKHUNE Sukuma Media Prod: Leonard Sekhukhune / Bonginhlanhla Ncube Feature Film

SEBOKENG MPA (Motswako) Dir: Charls Khuele / Zuko Nodada Feature

CHILDREN OF FAMOUS ACTIVISTS Current Affairs Films Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman Feature

LEKKERKAMPPLEKKE Grey Cloud Productions Dir: Jacques Brand Prod: Jarrod de Jong Variety

69 BODIES/SHARPEVILLE Tamol Media Prod: Thabang Molibeli Feature

AT THE CREEK WITHOUT A PADDLE Zen Crew Prod: Laura Tarling Documentary

80 MINUTES Periphery Films Dir: Simon Taylor / Julia Taal Feature

BREAD AND WATER Periphery Films Dir: Simon Taylor / Julia Taal Feature Documentary

CINDERELLA Two Oceans Productions Prod: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature

MANCHE, THE AFRICAN SAINT Get the Picture Prod/Dir: Jacky Lourens / Fiona Summers Documentary

Are Aganeng/Asakhaneni Michics Global Communications Exec Prod: Mishack Motshweni Talk Show

BIG FRIEND LITTLE FRIEND Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker TV movie

DIE VERHAAL VAN RACHELTJIE DE BEER Nostalgia Productions Prod: Brett Michael Innes Feature

MOM’S CHOICE Sukuma Media Dir: Bonginhlanhla Ncube Feature Film

Die Vervoerder Grey Cloud Productions Dir: Jacques Brand Prod: Jarrod de Jong Feature www.xtprocases.co.za

Equipment Protection

Manufacturer of • Flight Cases • Aluminium, Wooden & Tubes • Polyethylene Fabricated Flight Cases

ENTREPRENEURS Footprint Media TV Prod: Cheryl Delport Magazine ESCAPE Current Affairs Films Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman / Beata Lipman Feature EX PATS Current Affrairs Films / French Connection Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman Series FORSAKEN DO Productions Prod: Marlow de Mardt / Brigid Olën Feature

Donald +27 (0)11 071 2169 +27 (0)82 648 7633 xtpcases@gmail.com

Address: 5 Daisy Street, Florida Ext 2, Florida, Johannesburg, 1709

OUR OB FLEET

HEAVEN – AFRICA 2 Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature HHOLA HHOLA Vuleka Productions Prod: Julie Frederikse / Madoda Ncayiyana Feature High School Modeling Michics Global Communications Exec Prod: Mishack Motshweni Feature HOEHLENMENSCH Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker TV movie HOTEL SONGOLOLO The Media Workshop Dir: Benito Carelsen Series

You can reach us at: Tel: +27 (0) 11 431 3053 Fax: +27 (0) 86 689 9233 Cell: +27 (0) 83 426 6634 Email: mojapelepe@gmail.com www.mojapeleproductions.co.za

42 | SCREENAFRICA | June 2014

IIQ Sukuma Media Dir: Bonginhlanhla Ncube Feature

NEW BEGINNINGZ Sukuma Media Dir: Bonginhanhla Ncube Documentary NIXEN ALARM Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker TV movie NONGOLOZA/ THE BLOOD KING AND THE RED DRAGON Current Affairs Films Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman / Mtutuzeli Matshoba Feature

Sin Bin Diamond Hill / Engage Entertainment / Coco TV Prod: Sisanda Henna / Stephen Lorenzo Documentary The Dandelion ShootAway Production Prod: Patrick Walton Drama THE DREADED EVIL EYE FROM PAST TO PRESENT AND ACROSS CULTURES Blue Marble Entertainment Dir: Eugene Botha Documentary The Exchange Engage Entertainment PROD: Stephen Lorenzo Feature THE GIFT Ferguson Films Prod: Shona and Connie Ferguson, Bobby Heaney TV Feature Film THE GREAT KAROO Current Affairs Films/ White Pine Pictures Prod: Jane Lipman Series

Oscar Pistorius Synergy Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman Documentary

THE HITCHERS: A GHOST STORY Blue Marble Entertainment Dir: Eugene Botha Short Film

PALACE OF THE FAITHLESS White Heron Pictures Dir: Themba Sibeko Feature

The Mountain of the Night Nostalgia Productions Prod: Herman Mabizela/Brett Michael Innes Feature

PARADISE Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker TV movie PASSARES (BIRDISH) White Heron Pictures / Casa De Criacao Cinema Prod: Themba Sibeko Feature Pippie se Towerkombuis Grey Cloud Productions Dir: Jacques Brand Prod: Jarrod de Jong Variety Ponte Nostalgia Productions/ Black Irish Productions Prod: Jamie Ramsay/Brett Michael Innes Feature Rachel Weeping Nostalgia Productions Prod: Johan Kruger/ Brett Michael Innes Feature SARAH GRAHAM: BITTEN 2 Okuhle Media Dir: Chris Lotz Series

The Norwegian Brothers (Working Title) Panda Broadcast Prod: Sam Groenewald Feature Film The Reggies Rush Nostalgia Productions Prod: Brett Michael Innes Feature The Sales Lab Time Frame TV Prod: Vanessa Yelseth, Jasmyn Asvat Series THE SCORES ARE IN Current Affairs Films Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman Game Show TIENERWERELD Grey Cloud Productions Dir: Jacques Brand Prod: Jarrod de Jong Variety TURN THE TABLES Footprint Media TV Prod: Cheryl Delport Magazine

PRODUCTION WAY TWO ROLL Way To Roll Pictures Dir: Freddie Strauss Feature

GENERATION FREE Okuhle Media Dir: Jemima Spring Series

Welcome To Art Michics Global Communications Exec Prod: Mishack Motshweni TV Series

GENiAS Khinc Studios Dir: Khalid EL – Jelailati Feature Film

Westgate Shopping Mall attack (Working Title) Media Village Productions Prod: Diane Vermooten Documentary

Got It Global Access Creative Agency Dir: Guy Sclanders Corporate

WHIPLASH Get the Picture Prod/Dir: Jacky Lourens / Meg Rickards Feature

GRIZMEK Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker TV Movie

Zakouma Two Oceans Productions Prod: Giselher Venzke/ Bertha Spieker Feature

HIDDEN HOLOCAUST IN THE DUNES: GENOCIDE IN NAMIBIA Blue Marble Entertainment Dir: Eugene Botha Series

ZEN FILM CREW MANAGEMENT ZEN Film Crew Management Prod / Dir: Laura Tarling Commercial

IHAWU LE SISWE Black Drop Prods Prod/ Dir: Sechaba Morojele TV Series

IN PRE-PRODUCTION ABLAND PROPERTY DEVELOPERS FC Hamman Films Dir: FC Hamman Marketing Video Alex on 7th Xcut Studios Dir: Engelbert Phiri Documentary ANDOLEX Xcut Studios Prod: Guy Bragge TV commercial ATTACHMENT PARENTING Blue Marble Entertainment Dir: Eugene Botha Insert BIG BROTHER ANGOLA Endemol South Africa Prod: Terja Beney, Llonka Geudes Reality CASE Tamol Media Thabang Molibeli Short Film De Brazzaville a Johannesburg Site et sons media productions Dir: Elvis Nkosi Feature Film Die Laaste Ure: Inconnu French Film Festival Grey Cloud Productions Dir: Jacques Brand Producer: Jarrod de Jong Short film Domestic Bliss 2 Blonds and a Redhead Filming Prod: Anne Myers Advertising Funder Project EL ELJON PROJECTS FC Hamman Films Director: FC Hamman Marketing Video ESPAFRIKA PRESENTS THE CAPE TOWN INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL 2014 ESPafrika Prod/Dir: Rashid Lombard / Yana Lombard / John Bright Documentary

LOVE MORE: POLYAMORY IN SOUTH AFRICA Blue Marble Entertainment Dir: Eugene Botha Series KNYSNA West Five Films Prod/ Dir: Maynard Kraak; Andre Velts Feature Film MARRY ME IN MZANZI Blue Marble Entertainment Dir: Eugene Botha Series Medical Male Circumcision Meropa Prod: Feizel Mamdoo Documentary SAKEGESPREK MET THEO VORSTER SEASON5 Dirk Mostert Camera Production Prod/ Dir: Dirk Mostert Series

IN PRODUCTION 3 TALK Urban Brew Talk Show 20 and Free X CON Films Dir: Munier Parker Documentary 50/50 Clive Morris Productions Current Affairs 53 EXTRA M-Net Inhouse Productions Dir: Navan Chetty Magazine AFRICA 360 eNews News Head: Patrick Conroy Current affairs AFRO CAFÉ SEASON 7 Bonngoe Productions Prod: Pepsi Pokane Music ArtsCulturex Talent 1000 Championships Michics Global Communications Exec Prod: Mishack Motshweni Series BIG BROTHER MZANSI Endemol South Africa Prod: Terja Beney, Liza Kleitman Reality

BONISANANI Grounded Media Talk Show

CARTE BLANCHE (INSERTS) Modern Times Prod: Sophia Phirippides News

Unashamedly Ethical Media Village Productions Prod: Diane Vermooten Awards and Gala Evening WORKERSLIFE NETWORK MARKETING FC Hamman Films Director: FC Hamman Marketing Video

www.atlasstudios.co.za

BRAVO! Homebrew Films Prod: Jaco Loubser Magazine

SLENDER WONDER INFORMATION VIDEO Grey Cloud Productions Dir: Jacques Brand Information Video

THE MESSENGER FOOTPRINT MEDIA TV Prod: Annalise Van Rensburg Series

t +27 [11] 482 7111

BODA BODA THIEVES Switch Films Prod: James Tayler Feature

Bugatti Together Lucky Fish Productions Dir: Raphaël Crombez Commercial

STICKS+STONES (Working Title) Fireworx Media/ Tunc Prodcutions Prod: Bridget Pickering Telenovela

Cnr. Frost avenue & owl street | Milpark | Jo’burg

BINNELAND Stark Films Prod/Dir: Friedrich / Elsje Stark Series

SEATBELT MEDIC FC Hamman Films Dir: FC Hamman Commercial

SOCIAL WORKER Tamol Media Thabang Molibeli Short film

U PDAT ES

Carte Blanche shorts TIA productions Prod / Dir: Tarryn Lee Crossman News CLASH OF THE CHOIRS Endemol South Africa Prod: Josh Feldman Talent / Reality COOL CATS Red Pepper Pictures Prod: Cecil Berry Children’s Show CORTEX MINING FC Hamman Films Prod Man: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video COME DINE WITH ME SOUTH AFRICA Rapid Blue Prod: Kee-Leen Irvine Reality

Unit C5 RobeRtville Mini FaCtoRies 255 nadine stReet RobeRtville RoodepooRt 1709

CUTTING EDGE SABC News Current Affairs

DIY MET RIAAN Prod: Riaan Venter-Garforth Magazine

Debra Deel Khaki Productions Prod/Dir: Christelle Parrott, Wynand Dreyer Series

EASTERN MOSAIC Red Carpet Productions Prod: Saira Essa / Mark Corlett Magazine

DINNER DIVAS 2 Blonds and a Redhead Filming Prod: Anne Myers Series Ditokelo tsa Medupi LMOL Production Dir: Lizzy Moloto Feature

END GAME Fireworx Media/ Tunc Productions Prod: Bridget Pickering Dir: Akin Omotoso/ Thandie Brewer/ Thabang Moleya Feature EXPRESSO (Season 2) Cardova Prod: Paul van Deventer Series

June 2014 | SCREENAFRICA | 43

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UPDATES LATE NITE NEWS ON E.TV Diprente Productions Prod: Tamsin Andersson Series Light Girls South African Unit White Heron Pictures Prod: Themba Sibeko Documentary LIVE Urban Brew Music LIVE LOTTO SHOW Urban Brew Game Show

Unit 3, Harbour Place, 1061 Schooner Road, Laser Park, Honeydew

POWER COMBAT ZONE Mixed Motion Entertainment Dir: Dieter Gottert Sport

MASHELENG 2 LMOL Production Dir: Jonny Muteba Feature

PROJECT MV Zen Crew Prod: Laura Tarling Music

IGNITE Footprint Media TV Prod: Cheryl Delport Reality

MASSMART CSI REPORT SummerTime Productions Prod/Dir: Roxanne Rolando / Sean Gardiner Corporate Video

Rands with Sense 2 Blonds and a Redhead Filming Prod: Anne Myers Education

IHAWU LE SISWE Provoke Entertainment Dir: Sechaba Morojele TV Series

MassTalk Global Access Creative Agency Prod: Brad Montgomery Corporate

IMIZWILILI Ukhamba Productions Prod: Alfred Mpofu Music

MATRICS UPLOADED Educational Improvement and Study Help (EISH) Prod: Lisa Blakeway Educational

HOUSE CALL Izwe Multimedia / Urban Brew Prod: Annalie Potgieter Talk Show

FRENZY Red Pepper Pictures Prod: Morena Sefatsa Variety GENERATIONS Morula Pictures Prod: Mfundi Vundla Series GOOD MORNING AFRICA Planet Image Productions SA Prod/Dir: Wale Akinlabi Magazine GOSPEL GOLD Engage Entertainment Prod: Sthembile Mhlongu Music GROEN Homebrew Films Prod: Jaco Loubser Wildlife Had Better Days Uniquely Novel Productions Prod/Dir: Deon VD Merwe Feature Film HECTIC 99 Okuhle Media Prod: Wilna van Schalkwyk Magazine HITACHI POWER AFRICA MEDUPI AND KUSILE Betta Beta Communications Prod/Dir: Tommy Doig Documentary

44 | SCREENAFRICA | June 2014

PBS EXTENDED NEWS PROGRAMMING Current Affairs Films Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman Feature

MASHELENG1 LMOL Production Dir: Lizzy Moloto Feature

Facility Management Lectures (A4FM) Panache Video Productions Dir/ Prod: Liesel Eiselen Educational

Free State Toursim Indaba Our Time Productions Dir: Jaun de Meillon Corporate

PAWN STARS SOUTH AFRICA Rapid Blue Prod: Kee-Leen Irvine, Ed Worster, Johan Naude and Kat Weatherall Reality

Marang Estate: Mixed Used Development Nov/ Dec Our Time Productions Dir: Jaun de Meillon Documentary

HOPE NHU Africa Prod: Vyv Simson / Donfrey Meyer Documentary

FOX NEWS CHANNEL Betta Beta Communications Prod/Dir: Tommy Doig News

PASELLA Tswelopele Productions Dir: Liani Maasdorp / Werner Hefer Magazine

PHOENIX RISING...THE BUSINESS OF STYLE Phoenix Entertainment and Production Prod/Dir: Koketso Sefanyetso Reality

FACE OF GEMINI Footprint Media TV Prod: Cheryl Delport Series

Faith Today Impact Christian Media Prod: Carl Schultz TV Series

Mandela’s Gun DV8 films Dir: John Irvin Feature

Oscar Pistorius Documentary Inserts TIA Productions Dir/ Prod: Tarryn Crossman Documentary

INKABA Urban Brew Studios Prod: John Kani Telenovela ISIDINGO Endemol South Africa Prod: Pumla Hoppa, Leo Phiri Soap JOU SHOW Homebrew Films Prod: Jaco Loubser Talkshow comedy KOKKEDOOR 2 Homebrew films Prod: Jaco Loubser and Paul Venter Cooking reality series KOLLIG Homebrew Films Prod: Jaco Loubser Magazine KONA The Directors Team (Pty) Ltd Prod/Dir: Laurence Lurie / Cathy Sykes Series KOOLCON CORPORATE VIDEO FiX Post Production/ Marketing AV Marketing Video KWELA Pieter Cilliers Productions Prod/Dir: Pieter Cilliers Magazine

MILLIONAIRES Two Oceans Production Prod: Giselher Venzke/Bertha Spieker Feature MOTSWAKO Carol Bouwer Productions Prod: Grant Paul Roy Talk Show MCA Training Global Access Creative Agency Dir: Guy Sclanders Corporate MUVHANGO Word of Mouth Prod: Pieter Grobbelaar Feature My name is Funeka Sabido Productions Dir/Prod: Catherine Rice Documentary MZANSI INSIDER Bonngoe Productions Prod: Pepsi Pokane Magazine NET1 – SASSA Betta Beta Communications Prod: Tommy Doig Corporate NEWS NIGHT eNews Prod: Nikiwe Bikitsha Current Affairs

RHYTHM CITY Quizzical Pictures Prod: Yula Quinn Soapie RHYTHM CITY INTERACTIVE Quizzical Pictures / e.tv Prod: Viva Liles-Wilkin Interactive Platform Media RIVONINGO Asi-B Films Prod: Asivhanzi ‘Asi’ Mathaba Children’s Show ROCKING FUTURE SummerTime Productions Prod: Sean Gardiner / Tanya Vandenberg Educational Video ROLLING WITH KELLY KHUMALO Red Pepper Prod: Cecil Barry Reality ROOTS Ukhamba Communications Prod: Alfred Mpofu Music

SA’S GOT TALENT Rapid Blue Prod/Dir: Kee-Leen Irvine Talent show SCANDAL Ochre Moving Pictures Prod: Romano Gorlei Soapie SCHOEMAN BOERDERY – MOOSRIVIER Khaki Productions Prod/Dir: Christelle Parrott / Wynand Dreyer Documentary SELIMATHUNZI Sikhoyana Productions Prod: Baby Joe Correira Variety SHIZ NIZ Red Pepper Pictures Prod: Allen Makhubele Variety SHIFT Urban Brew Talk show SISTERHOOD Red Pepper Pictures Prod: Andy Leze Variety SIYAKHOLWA – WE BELIEVE X CON Films Dir: Munier Parker Edutainment Slender Wonder Doctors Conference Grey Cloud Productions Dir: Jacques Brand Prod: Slender Wonder Corporate Video Slender Wonder Patient Testimonial Videos Grey Cloud Productions Dir: Jacques Brand Corporate Videos SOCCER ZONE SABC Sports Head: Sizwe Nzimande Magazine STUDY MATE Educational Improvement and Study Help (EISH) Exec Prod: Lisa Blakeway Educational THE CHAT ROOM Eclipse Prod: Thokozani Nkosi Talk Show THE CODE BREAKER NHU Africa Prod: Vyv Simson / Donfrey Meyer Documentary

SAINT AND FREEDOM FIGHTER Blue Marble Entertainment Dir: Eugene Botha Documentary

THE COMMUNIST REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA Jam TV, Creative South Africa, Nkhanyeti Production Prod: Barthelemy Ngwessam Documentary

SA Top Model for a Day Michics Global Communications Exec Prod: Mishack Motshweni TV Series

THE JUSTICE FACTOR eNews Prod: Debbie Meyer Current Affairs

Shreds and Dreams Penguin Films Prod: Roberta Durrant TV Series

THE LAST GREAT TUSKERS NHU Africa Prod: Vyv Simson / Donfrey Meyer Documentary

SOUTH AFRICAN TOURISM Rapid Blue Prod: Kee-Leen Irvine Global TV Commercial

THE REAL GOBOZA 7 Urban Brew Entertainment

PRODUCTION The Revolution Betrayed Shadow Films Prod/Dir: David Forbes Documentary THE RUDIMENTALS Periphery Films Prod: Simon Taylor Feature THE TECH REPORT Homebrew Films Prod: Jaco Loubser Technology Magazine TOP BILLING Tswelopele Productions Prod: Patience Stevens Magazine TOP TRAVEL (Season 3) Cardova Prod: Bradley van den Berg Series Troopship Tragedy (Working Title) Sabido Productions Prod/Dir: Marion Edmunds Documentary TSHIPE BORWA MANGANESE MINE Betta Beta Communications Prod / Dir: Tommy Doig Documentary Vaseline Experience Xcut Studios Dir: Lee Anne Theron 4D AV production VILLA ROSA Spectro Productions Dir: Luhann Jansen / Andries van der Merwe/ Leroux Botha/ Isabel Smit Series Volkspele South Africa Grey Cloud Productions Dir:Jacques Brand Prod: Bertie Brink Documentary WARD 22 TIA Productions Prod/Dir: Tarryn Crossman Documentary WEEKEND AM LIVE SABC News Current Affairs YILENGELO LAKHO Prod: Nndanganeni Mudau Current Affairs ZOOM IN Footprint Media TV Prod: Cheryl Delport Talk show

IN POST-PRODUCTION A BUSHMAN ODYSSEY Onetime Films Prod: Richard Wicksteed Documentary A DIFFERENT COUNTRY Sabido Productions Dir: Lisa Henry Documentary series A Love Letter to Luxor Shadow Films Prod/Dir: David Forbes Short Film AFROX CO2 PLANT FC Hamman Films Prod: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video

AFROX FINANCIAL RESULTS FC Hamman Films Prod: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate VideoAFROX RAU INSIGHT FC Hamman Films Prod: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video AFROX SHEQ INDUCTION FC Hamman Films Prod: Odette van Jaarsveld Commercial Challenge SOS 2 Blonds and a Redhead Filming Prod: Anne Myers Reality Collide Media Village Productions Prod: Ardeen Munnik TV Series FORMIDABELE VROUE: CISSY GOOL Khaki Productions Prod/Dir: Christelle Parrott/ Wynand Dreyer Documentary

Pushi- Passion LMOL Production Dir: Lizzy Moloto Series Rockville Season 2 Ferguson Films Prod: Shona and Connie Ferguson, Bobby Heaney TV Series SAFE BET Sukuma Media Producer: Nokuthula Sakhile Mguni / Bonginhlanhla Ncube Feature Film SANOFI Xcut Studios Prod: Guy Bragge AV production SIYAYA Francois Odendaal Productions Prod/Dir: Francois Odendaal Series SLENDER WONDER FC Hamman Films Prod: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video

Hear Me Move Coal Stove Pictures / FiX Post Production Dir: Scottnes L.Smith Feature

SLENDER WONDER MJ LABS FC Hamman Films Prod: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video

IQILI Impucuzeko Prod: Sharon Kakora Feature

Solo Flight Two Oceans Production Prod: Giselher Venzke/ Bertha Spieker Feature

THE FLAWED GENIUS OF JAN SMUTS Tekweni TV production Prod/Dir: Sandra Herrington / Neville Herrington Documentary

Spud 3: Learning to Fly Rogue Star Films Dir: John Barker Feature

U PDAT ES |

UPCOMING EVENTS JUNE 3 Tech Demo Africa

Hyatt Regency Hotel, Johannesburg www.itnewsafrica.com 4 – 5 Broadcast, Film & Music Africa 2014

Nairobi, Kenya www.aitecafrica.com

6 – 15 Edinburgh Short Film Festival

Edinburgh, Scotland www.edinburghshortfilmfestival.com 11 Next TV Summit

London www.nexttvsummitlondon.com

14 – 22 The Zanzibar International

Film Festival

Zanzibar, Tanzania www.ziff.or.tz

15 – 21 Cannes Lions

Cannes, France www.canneslions.com

18 – 29 Edinburgh International Film Festival

Edinburgh, Scotland www.edfilmfest.org.uk

25 – 29

Independent Mzansi Short Film Festival

Hatfield Plaza, Pretoria www.imsff.co.za

27 Africa Media Business Exchange

Nairobi, Kenya www. aitecafrica.com

JULY 3 – 13 National Arts Festival

Grahamstown www.nationalartsfestival.co.za

11 – 13 Plett Food Film Festival

Plettenburg Bay events@pletttourism.co.za

Joyous 18 RM Recording Prod: Lindelani Mkhize Other

SWARTWATER Quizzical Pictures Prod: Bianca Isaac Dir: John Trengove/ Jozua Malherbe/ Denny Y Miller Series

12 – 18 Rwanda Film Festival

JULIUS HAS A DREAM Creative South Africa, Nkanyethi Productions,Jam TV Prod: Bathelemy Ngwessam Documentary

SURVIVOR Endemol South Africa Prod: Anton Burggraaf, Josh Feldman Reality

18 – 21 Durban FilmMart

KADARA Media Navigation Prod: Dan Akinlolu/ Biola Karonwi TV Drama

THE CHEETAH DIARIES SERIES 4 NHU Africa Prod: Vyv Simson / Donfrey Meyer Documentary

Kerels wat Kook Penguin Films Prod: Roberta Durrant Reality TV Series

The calling LMOL Production Dir: Lizzy Moloto Feature

NEW LAND Plexus Films/ Four Corners Media Dir: Kyle O’ Donoghue TV Series

The Lighthouse Run SummerTime Productions Dir: Tanya Vandenberg Documentary

NORTHMEN Two Oceans Productions Prod: Giselher Venzke/Bertha Spieker Feature

The Message Reel Edge Studios Dir: David Golden TV Drama Series

Nyaope Gangsters LMOL Production Dir: Lizzy Moloto Feature

THE SHORE BREAK Marie -Verite Films and Frank Films Prod: Ryley Grunenwald, Odette Geldenhuys Documentary

PERFECT SHISHEBO Quizzical Pictures Prod: Nthabiseng Mokoena Series PLAY MORE GOLF FC Hamman Films Prod: Odette van Jaarsveld Commercials

THE STORY OF LITTLE FOOT Paul Myburgh Film Prod: Paul Myburgh Documentary THE TRANSPORTERS Sukuma Media/ Reality Motion Pictures Dir: Bonginhlanhla Ncube Documentary

Rwanda rwandafilmfestival.net

17 – 27 Durban International Film Festival

Durban www.durbanfilmfest.co.za

Durban www.durbanfilmmart.com

25 – 3 Aug New Hope Film Festival

Pennsylvania www.withoutabox.com

28 – 2 Aug The Shungu Namutitima

International Film Festival

Zambia www.viloleimages.com

Traffic Penguin Films Prod: Roberta Durrant TV Series UNDER THE MOUNTAIN Plexus Films Prod: Miki Redelinghuys,/ Lauren Groenewald Short film

XJ-1 Eternal Film Productions Prod: Marius Swanepoel/ Dana Pretorius Feature You Deserve It Penguin Films Prod: Roberta Durrant TV Game Show

Unfriend Two Oceans Production Prod: Giselher Venzke/Bertha Spieker Feature VKB LANDBOU BEPERK FC Hamman Films Prod: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video When I Was Water Shadow Films Dir: David Forbes Documentary

Screen Africa relies on the accuracy of information received and cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions which may occur.

E-mail production updates to: online@screenafrica.com

June 2014 | SCREENAFRICA | 45

G ol f ers

12 th

Golf Day

Gavin Joubert (Bomb), Paul Thompson (Paul Thompson Productions), James Barth (Panavision) and Marc Harrison (Bomb)

Crue Productions 4-ball: Steve Bishop, Clive Humphries, Marco Rodroagues and Byron Silver

SuperSport OB 4-ball: Cedric Beukes, Jaco Bester, Adriaan Smit and Jacques Barnard

Atlas Studios 4-ball: Andrew Lester, Jonathan Gimpel, Joey Rasdien and Stanley Thloaele

Andre Kotze (Goldings), Rhys Williams (Stray Dog), Owen Nkumane (SuperSport) and Gavin Carter (SuperSport)

Rave Casting 4-ball: Brendan, George, Bruce and Ricky

John McLean (ATA), Okesh Reewith (Artemis), Jan Kuik (Ceyet) and Jurie Vosloo (Seb 4vision)

Brandon Redcliffe (ATA), Zane Cretten (Questek), Quinton Robbertse (Questek) and Neal January (Axion)

Johan Gous (SuperSport), Leroy Michael (Multichoice), Andile Joni (SuperSport) and Ferdi Kunneke (SuperSport)

Protea team: Gary Johnston, Shaun Kerr and Jannie van Rensburg

Sheer Publishing 4-ball: Athol Curtis, Jarrod, Dominic Mitchell and Rob Cowling

Wessie van der Westhuizen (UNISA), Freddy SABC 4-ball: Sven Maynard, Flip Steyn, Cliff Bredenkamp (Protea), Rynau van der Westhuizen Schwartz and Heinrich Petrus (Labotec) and Robert Oosthuizen (Tecmed)

Denzel Burgess (City of Tshwane), Neal Watson (GlobeCast), Karl Burgess (Varsity College) and Kyle Suttie (Globecast)

Lesh Kaminski (SuperSport), V. Weller (SuperSport), Mark Boyle (SuperSport) and Richard Fulton (Tru-Fi)

The Brand Connection 4-ball: Ernest van Niekerk, Simon Milne, Bevan Milne and Gary Laidler

Brinley Pritchard (SABC), Sharm Gounden (SuperSport), Divesh Maharaj (Telemedia) and Barry Hamman (Eurocam)

Lester Reetley (SABC), Yousuf Mohamed (Concilium), Claude Stephan (Concilium) and Mlamli Booi (Concilium)

Barry Hamman (Jumping Dust Producrtions); Telemedia 4-ball: Kevin Keating, Tyrone Hughes, Divesh Maharaj and Arnold Groenewald

Dimension 4-ball: Stanley Mynhardt, Pieter Nieuwoudt, Coetzee and Cobus Burger

Grant Weimers (Tolcon), Ebrahim Boomgaard (Cathsseta), Riyad Karriem (Ncedanai Office Solutions) and Eugene Weimers (Dell)

Nick Lyons (TMW), Chris van Tonder (Mcula Productions) and Deon Vermeulen (Misty Moon)

Dave Livesey (Case Connection), Nigel Booyse (Tadco), Andre Nel (C-Group) and Johnny Scholtz (DWR Distribution)

Coleske 4-ball: Waldick Herbst, Carmen Hogroves, Brendan Hogroves and Rod van der Weken

Patrick Sutcliffe, Rob McLardy, Steve Moss and Andy Grealy

Paul Divall (Jasco), Jaycee Milner (Sony) and Lannon Bussi (Multichoice)

Lasernet 4-ball: Grant Randall, Neel White, Alan Otto and Steve Harris

SABC 4-ball: Francisco Milho, Archie Sethaelo, Denis Harold and Ronald Salis

Nic Bonthuys (SABC), Wikus Venter (SABC), Noel Sanders (Questek) and Roedean Kok (SABC)

Hole S ponsors

Kevin Keating (Phumelela), Arnold Groenewald (Zenox), Tyrone Hughes (THD) and Donovan Goosen (Profine Systems)

Local presence Global coverage

Protea Electronics (Pty) Ltd

B ROA D C A S T SOLUTIONS

12 th

P ri z e W inners

1st Prize: Karl Burgess (left) and Kyle Suttie (right) won two-day getaways sponsored by Protea Hotels, Tempest Car Hire and Mango

Golf Day 15 MAY 2014 CMR Golf Club, Maraisburg

2nd Prize: Denzel Burgess (right)

Closest to the pin – prize sponsored by Atlas Studios: Karl Burgess – a bottle of Groote Post wine presented to him by Jonathan Gimpel (left) and Doris Mthombeni of Atlas Studios

Shortest Drive – prize sponsored by Panavision: Ken Herold

3rd Prize: Pieter Putter and Willie Francis

4th Prize: Riyad Karriem and Ebrahim Boomgaard

5th Prize: Rob McLardy and Steve Moss

Closest to the pin – prize sponsored by Protea Electronics: Rob Cowling awarded a Pro Shop gift voucher

‘Marshmallow Competition’ at Hole 17 – Prize sponsored by Rave Casting: Gavin Carter receives a bottle of whiskey

Lucky Draw SuperSport hamper: Brendan Hogroves of Coleske Artists (left) – hamper presented to him by Lannon Bussi of Multichoice

S ponsors

Hole 2: Chef Newman at the SuperSport hole

Hole 3: Questek’s Hazel Gibson, George van Gils, Alan Worsley, ????????, Darren Cox, Jacques Welthagen

Hole 4, sponsored by SABC RBF: Obakeng Phiri, Jacqueline Wilson, Peter Jaquire, Ntombi Msimango

Hole 5 – sponsored by Jasco: Jan Myburgh, Rupert Dalton, Liza Cornelissen, Chris Goulden, Colin Stoltz, Jonathan Smith

Hole 6 – sponsored by Globecast: Martin Brasg, Asma Hassan, Yasmin Patel, Melanie Gibb, Princess Mthunzi

Hole 7 – sponsored by Concilium: Steve Schafer, Rick Graves, Desiree Hefer, Sarel Hlungwani

Hole 8 – sponsored by Atlas Studios: Doris Mthombeni with Screen Africa’s Simon Robinson

Hole 10 – The Protea Electronics 4-ball – Robert Oosthuizen, Freddie Bredenkamp, Wessie van der Westhuizen, Rynau van der Westhuizen – on Hole 10, sponsored by PNA

Hole 13 – sponsored by SACIA: SACIA’s Tim Jones with golfers Willie Francis, Pieter Putter, Peter Corben and Chris Lindgren

Hole 14 – sponsored by Protea Technology: Robert Ridder with SABC golders Francisco Milho, Ronald Salis, Archie Sethaelo, Dennis Herald

Hole 17 – sponsored by Rave Casting: Cindy, Cindy, Andrea, Roche, Kayla

Hole 18 – sponsored by Telemedia: Quintin Barkhuizen, Cherise, Ryan Bretherik, James Garden, Julia and Tom Salmon

Hole 11 – sponsored by Orion Hotels: Orion’s Gary Bramwell (second from right) with the Atlas Studios team – Jonathan Gimpel, Joey Rasdien, Andrew Lester and Stanley Tlhoaele

Hole 15 – sponsored by Panavision: Louis Steyn, Walter Sonck, Karla Sonck

Hole 12 – sponsored by Tempest Car Hire: Corinne Grobler and Brett Myberg

Hole 16 – sponsored by DWR Distribution: Angela Botha, Nicolet Britz, Amanda Bell, JC du Plessis

S cree n Afr i c a Golf D a y P hoto g r a phs brou g ht to you by Radio and Television Broadcasting Solutions PO Box 1853, Rivonia, 2128, South Africa Tel: +27 (0)11 803-3353/4 Fax: +27 (0)11 803-2534 E-mail: sales@telemedia.co.za www.telemedia.co.za With three decades of experience in the radio and television broadcasting industry

Social

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Photos by Carolina Bedoya / We are two

European Film Festival (EUFF) Opening

Fiaz Mahomed (CEO, Ster-Kinekor Theatres), Roeland van de Geer (Delegation of the European Union to South Africa), H.E. Antonio Freire (Ambassador of Portugal), H.E. Anna RaduchowskaBrochwi (Ambassador of Poland), H.E. Elisabeth Barbier (Ambassador of France), H.E. Johan Maricou (Ambassador of Belgium), H.E. Katya Deleva (Ambassador of Bulgaria), Martin Gaertner (Deputy Head of Mission, Austrian Embassy) and Doug Place (Marketing Executive, Ster-Kinekor Theatres)

Alejandra Martínez (Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Mexico in South Africa) and Dr Lyal White (Director, Centre for Dynamic Markets at the Gordon Institute of Business Science)

Roeland van de Geer (Head of Delegation of the European Union to South Africa)

Andrew Jed, Suzy Jed, Katrine Joensen (Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Denmark) and Thomas Winther

Rui Afonso (Camões Institute), Ana Brito (Political counsellor, Embassy of Portugal), Rui Vicente de Azevedo (Head of Education Department, Camões Institute, Embassy of Portugal)

Annabelle Mei (ETI, Embassy of France), Morgane Guérot (VIA, French Consulate in Johannesburg), Karen Lévy (Researcher, AFD/French Institute of South Africa)

Cloud 9 premiere

Khanya, Winnie Ntshaba (Generations) and Phenyo

Malik and Slindile Nodongala (Generations)

Monica, Nambitha and Vongile Mphumlwana (Generations)

Rienette Lebowitz (kykNET) Jordan and Unathi Msengana (Idols)

48 | SCREENAFRICA | June 2014

imaginecommunications.com

HARRIS BROADCAST

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DELIVERED THIS MOMENT On March 17, Harris Broadcast became Imagine Communications and GatesAir

One market leader is now two Discover Imagine Communications’ software-defined vision for the industry and the new generation of over-the-air innovation from GatesAir

35

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www.pansolutions.co.za Contact: Sean Loeve Cell: 083 677 4917 Tel: 011 313 1622