SA Film Makers Empower emselves at Cannes

With the 68th Annual Cannes International Film Festival drawing to a close later this week, South African emerging film makers showing their expertise at the festival say they feel the need to empower themselves and learn as much as they can about the film industry.

One of the young film makers is the owner of Luju Pictures and Productions, Lineo Sekeleoane.

The film maker received financial support from the Department of Trade and Industrys Export Marketing and Investment Assistance Scheme (EMIA).

She is one of the 20 emerging film makers showcasing at Cannes with the hope to potentially sell their projects to various buyers attending the festival.

She is a South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTA)-nominated producer with over 20 productions under her belt.

Sekeleoane reckons platforms such as Cannes should be taken advantage of for self-empowerment and creation of as many networks as possible. She added that she is happy that she has been able to meet with several investors from the United States of America and Nigeria during the festival and is positive about the prospective outcomes of the talks.

I will be meeting with different agencies that can assist with packaging and distribution especially in the USA and some parts of Africa. Direct distribution of films is very key in our industry and this is the right platform to engage agencies, she said.

Sekeleoane acknowledges that there are challenges within the film industry, especially for women, but says in most cases challenges outweigh the satisfaction one receives from finishing a production.

Sekeleoane graduated from the South African School of Film, TV and Drama where she trained as a line creative producer and casting director. She produced successful productions such as Entabeni, Redemption and Mtunzi We Ntaba.

The dti has already assisted hundreds of businesses through its EMIA scheme. The scheme develops export markets for South African products and services.

Sekeleoane forms part of the emerging South African film makers that are in Cannes to showcase their expertise and potentially sell their projects to various buyers and also promote the countrys attractiveness as a film destination of international standards.

The group is led by dti Deputy Minister Mzwandile Masina.

The Deputy Minister said the participation of South African film makers at Cannes is part of the departments strategy to create access to local film and video products, promote an increase in the volume of film production among countries, and provide exposure for the emerging film makers to the international film and production market.

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