-- DIFF announces its 2016 programme --
Fri, 27 May 2016 10:48
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The 37th Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) has announced its official programme. The festival will take place at 15 venues across the city of Durban and its outlying areas from 16 to 26 June.
In an exciting new move, the festival has added a number of new venues to further increase the footprint of the festival into areas that don t usually have access to formal cinemas. The festival has also increased its presence on the commercial circuit, with Nu Metro Pavilion being added to its roster of venues.
The festival will kick off on the 40th anniversary of 16 June 1976 with the world premiere of the South African documentary, The Journeymen, directed by Sean Metelerkamp and produced by Jolynn Minnaar.
Filmed in 2014, the year in which South Africa celebrated 20 years of democracy and mourned Nelson Mandela s death, The Journeymen chronicles the experiences of three young South African photographers as they travel 24 000km in a motorhome through South Africa, with GoPro cameras strapped to their chests. From urban sprawls to dusty rural roads, the trio was driven by the question, Has Mandela s vision of equality in a rainbow nation been achieved? The film answers this with a kaleidoscopic set of responses that are disturbing, beautiful, thought-provoking and, more than anything, movingly surreal.
With just under half of all the films originating from Africa and South Africa, this year s festival once again celebrates and honours the rich, ever-evolving language of African cinema. Of the 101 feature-length films to be shown at the festival, 50 are African films, including 17 fiction films and nine documentaries, while there are 24 South African films, including ten fiction films and 14 documentaries. Additionally, the festival s programme will include more than 90 short films, the majority of which are African and South African.
Key titles from the continent s ever-expanding film industry reflect the growing call for real freedom and authentic engagement with power and political narratives. The Revolution Wont Be Televised, from Rama Thiaw, is a smart and insightful documentary that sheds light on political resistance in Senegal; Naked Reality, the latest film from provocative filmmaker Jean-Pierre Bekolo challenges the status quo and critical questions those in power; while Nakom is a haunting film about the conflict between tradition, modernity and love; Ghostland chronicles the loss of language and identity of indigenous Nambian people; and Nawara from Egypt s Hala Khalil, is a biting social commentary on Egypt s classist society. Then there is I Shot Bi Kidude, the long awaited feature film about African musical legend Bi Kidude by British filmmaker Andy Jones, and Independence from M rio Bastos chronicles the Angolan liberation struggle.
South African features films include Shepherds and Butchers from master filmmaker Oliver Schmitz, based on the book written by Durban advocate Chris Marnewick, and produced by Videovision Entertainment. The film which won the audience award at Berlin will have a special gala screening on Friday, 17 June. We are very proud of our film, Shepherds and Butchers which won the Berlin Panorama Audience Award. Whilst there has been controversy and disappointment around the selection process at DIFF, we are pleased to share our film with this audience. says Anant Singh producer of the film.
Other SA Films include Endless River, the latest film from South African auteur Oliver Hermanus; Kalushi, which chronicles the story of Solomon Mahlangu; the mockumentary Wonderboy for President starring Kagiso Lediga and directed by John Barker; and Tess from previous DIFF winner Meg Rickards, which follows the story of a sassy twenty year-old prostitute on the streets of Cape Town.
South African documentaries include Alison, a deeply personal account of a woman who endures unimaginable suffering but refuses to become a victim; Action Commandant, which tells the untold story of slain South African liberation fighter, Ashley Kriel; Lost Tongue, which introduces us to Helena Steenkamp, a San woman from the Kalahari who embarks on a mission to revive the endangered language of her people; and Nobody Died Laughing, a documentary about Pieter-Dirk Uys, one of South Africa s most prolific writers, satirists and activists.
As well as the strong African Focus, other key areas include a focus on issues around indigenous rights and colonialism, a small programme of films that deal with HIV (given the fact that the World Aids Conference will be taking place in Durban two weeks after the festival ends), and a rich programme of films about dance and music.
This year s edition also includes a country focus on Dutch cinema offering a cross-section of contemporary cinema curated by Gertan Zuilhof of the Rotterdam Film Festival, in recognition of the Dutch-South African co-production treaty. DIFF 2016 also includes a retrospective look at Portuguese-language African film in partnership with Tri Continental Film Festival.
As has been the case for 37 years the festival will also present an eclectic selection of film from around the world.
DIFF partners for the 11th year with Wavescape to present a feast of surfing cinema from around the world. Wavescape opens with a free outdoor screening at the Bay of Plenty Lawns on Sunday, 19 June, before locating to the new venue at Rivertown Beerhall from 20 to 26 June.
The 9th Talents Durban in co-operation with Berlinale Talents, brings together the creativity of 20 selected filmmakers from Africa, who will take part in a series of master classes, workshops and industry networking opportunities during the festival. Supported by German Embassy and Goethe-Institut, Talents Durban creates a space for filmmakers to hone their skills, develop collaborations and
