South African family film a festival hit internationally

Felix is in demand on the international film festival circuit, where Roberta Durrant's feel-good South African family film has already won three international festival awards; received a standing ovation at its sold-out BFI London Film Festival screening; and had two extra screenings added due to popular demand at Vancouver International Film Festival.

Felix has been selected for another five international film festivals, including the TIFF Kids International Film Festival in Toronto, Canada in April 2014, one of the leading children's festivals in the world.

Felix is in competition at The Africa International Film Festival in Nigeria from 10-17 November 2013, where lead actress Linda Sokhulu will be in attendance, and at The International Young Audience Film Festival Ale Kino! in Poland from 1-8 December 2013.

Felix has also been chosen to screen at KidCinemaFest - The Washington Heights Children and Young People's Film Festival in America from 7-14 November 2013 and at Reel 2 Real International Film Festival For Youth in Canada from 4-11 April 2014.

After starting its festival run by winning the Audience Award at Durban International Film Festival in South Africa, Felix went on to win two awards in Germany: Best Children's Film at the Lucas International Children's Film Festival and the Michel Award for Best Film at The Filmfest Hamburg Michel Children and Youth Film Festival.

Roberta says, At the London screening, Keith Shiri, the BFI programmer for Africa, spoke of Felix as a story of hope coming out of South Africa, which was a refreshing change away from films reflecting the past. It's been a recurrent response internationally, where audiences have really responded to the film's positivity.

In Felix, 14-year-old Felix Xaba (Hlayani Junior Mabasa) dreams of becoming a saxophonist like his late father, but his mother Lindiwe (Linda Sokhulu) thinks jazz is the devil's music.

When Felix leaves his township friends to take up a scholarship for grade eight at an elitist private school, he defies his mother and turns to two aging members of his father's old band (Royston Stoffels and Thapelo Mofokeng) to help him prepare for the school jazz concert.

Felix is a Penguin Films production for Sabido Productions, distributed by Crystal Brook Distribution.

Felix will screen at The Labia in Cape Town in December 2013. The DVD will be available in South African rental stores from 6 January 2014 and retail stores from 20 January 2014.

For more information, visit www.felixthemovie.com.

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