Hard to Get to open Durban Film Fest

South African movie Hard to Get, a love story set in Johannesburgs crime underworld, has been chosen to open the 35th Durban International Film Festival on 17 July, the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) announced last week.

Directed by first-time feature director Zee Ntuli and produced by Junaid Ahmed and Helena Spring, the film tells the story of TK, a handsome young womaniser from a small community who falls for a sexy, reckless thief nicknamed Skiets. Thrust into the big citys underworld, TK decides his best bet is to trust Skiets - and hang on for dear life.

The criminal gauntlet parallels the emotional journey of TK and Skiets, providing a metaphor for how scary falling in love can be, Ntuli told the NFVF. Ultimately it is a hopeful story, one which carries the message that love is worth fighting for.

Co-producer Spring said she and Ahmed were thrilled to be launching major new talent with Hard to Get. We are incredibly proud of the work that director Zee Ntuli, his team and cast, have delivered. There is already a great deal of buzz around the film, and we have no doubt that a bright future awaits them.

According to the NFVF, Hard To Get is the first of a slate of films that Ahmed and Spring are producing to showcase the talent of previously marginalised black filmmakers in South Africa.

Ahmed praised the work of Ntuli and co-writer TT Sibisi, saying Hard To Get heralds the arrival of exciting new voices in South African cinema.

Durban International Film Festival manager Peter Machen described Hard To Get as a beautifully made film that works on every level and will satisfy commercial and art-house audiences alike.

I also think that its going to make instant stars of its two leads, Thishiwe Ziqubu and Pallance Dladla, who are both electrifying, as well as director Zee Ntuli, who is virtually guaranteed a bright future on the global filmmaking stage on the basis of this first feature.

With the production team of Helena Spring and Junaid Ahmed behind the film, I have a strong suspicion that this is going to be the one that cracks open local audiences desire to watch strong local film products, Machen said.

The festival, which runs from 17 to 27 July, includes more than 200 theatrical screenings and a full seminar and workshop programme, as well as the Wavescape Film Festival, the Wild Talk Africa Film Festival, and various industry initiatives, including the 7th Talent Campus Durban and the 5th Durban FilmMart co-production market.

The festival is organised by the Centre for Creative Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, with support from partners including the National Film and Video Foundation, KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission, Industrial Development Corporation, City of Durban, and KwaZulu-Natal provincial government.

Read more: http://www.southafrica.info

LINK:	http://www.filmcontact.com/africa/south-africa/hard-get-open-durban-fi...
	See more stories from filmcontact

Most recent headlines