Durban International Film Festival

Complex doccie, Buddha in Africa, has been a labour of love for its creator

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Set against China’s expanding influence on the continent, Buddha in Africa provides a unique insight into the forces of cultural soft power on the identity and imagination of an African boy and his school friends growing up between two cultures.

GETTING her award-winning documentary, Buddha in Africa, to the big screen has been a labour of love for KZN Midlands filmmaker Nicole Schafer, writes ESTELLE SINKINS.

The powerful documentary, which follows the intimate story of a Malawian teenager growing up in a Chinese Buddhist orphanage in Africa, won the best South African documentary prize at the Durban International Film Festival in July, an accolade which means that the film is being considered for the documentary feature qualifying festival hosted by the Academy of Motion Picture, Arts and Sciences.

Schafer is trying to play down the news, but the truth is her documentary could automatically qualify for consideration for an Oscar nomination in 2020. Continue reading →

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Critically acclaimed ‘Inxeba – The Wound’ adds to its awards haul at DIFF

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Nakhane Touré (front left) was named best actor for his work in ‘Inxeba – The Wound’, which also won the prize for best SA director for John Trengrove. Photo: File

INXEBA (known internationally as The Wound) won the prizes for best director for John Trengrove and best actor for Nakhane Touré at the Durban International Film Festival on Saturday, July 22, writes ESTELLE SINKINS.

This is the latest in a string of awards for the film, which has been lauded at film festivals around the world. Continue reading →

Award-winning SA film ‘Inexba’ (‘The Wound’) premieres at DIFF

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Nakhane Touré (seated) in a scene from Inexba’, which is having its South African premiere at the Durban International Film Festival. Photo: Supplied

THE South African film Inxeba (known internationally as The Wound) has won the best film award in the International New Talent Competition, at the Taipei Film Festival, ahead of its African premiere at the Durban International Film Festival at The Playhouse on Friday, July 14.

This is a latest in a string of awards for the film, which explores tradition and masculinity, and the clash between age-old rituals and modernity. Continue reading →

Realness African scriptwriter residents head to Durban for DIFF

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This year’s Realness participants are (from left) Mario Fradique Bastos, Lemohang Mosese, Gloria Huwiler, Rama Thiaw and Samantha Nell. Photo: Samantha Nell

THE 2017 Realness Residency programme is now in its final stage with the second cohort of participants heading to Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) to present their projects at the Durban FilmMart to the industry, under the mentorship of script consultant Selina Ukwuoma.   Continue reading →

Delegate registration opens for 8th Durban FilmMart

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Delegate registration for Africa’s premier film finance and co-production market, the Durban FilmMart (DFM), is open.

Celebrating its 8th edition, this year’s DFM, a joint programme of the Durban Film Office (DFO), the eThekwini Municipality’s industry development unit, and the Durban International Film Festival – hosted by the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Centre for Creative Arts – takes place from 14 to 17 July. It will host around 500 delegates from Africa and the world. Continue reading →

Applications are now open for the Realness Pan African Scriptwriting Residency 2017

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Following the success of the inaugural scriptwriting residency, Realness is calling for submissions for the 2017 edition.

This pioneering residency provides filmmakers with the opportunity to hone and develop their creative scriptwriting skills. It also serves to address the need for promising African film projects to be supported in their development phase to be able to realistically compete in global film markets. Continue reading →