22 July 2021 Volume :9 Issue :32

Film Festival to Screen Durban FilmMart Alumni Projects

Five films from the Durban FilmMart (DFM) will be screened at this year’s Durban International Film Festival (DIFF).

Five films from the Durban FilmMart (DFM) will be screened at this year’s Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) - 22 July to 1 August - hosted by the College of Humanities.

The films from the DFM include four new documentaries. Murder in Paris, a political crime-thriller, directed by Enver Samuels, traces the motives for the assassination of anti-Apartheid activist Dulcie September, while As I Want is directed by emerging voice in Arabic documentary film making Samaher Alqadi, who uses her camera as a form of protection and begins documenting the growing women’s rebellion, not knowing where the story will lead her.

The Colonel’s Stray Dogs profiles political activist Ashur Shamis, who lives with a million-dollar bounty on his head after a lifetime in Muammar Gadaffi’s crosshairs. The film is directed by Ashur’s son, Khalid Shamis.

Zinder, directed by Aicha Macky, is the name of a town in the impoverished lepers’ area of Kara-Kara, Niger, where a culture of gang violence reigns.

The fifth feature, Five Tiger, is a short film made in South Africa. It is directed by Nomawonga Khumalo and features a god-fearing woman who finds herself in a transactional relationship as she tries to support her sick husband and daughter.

‘At the heart of the Durban International Film Festival is a mission to enable partnerships to strengthen the film industry and create opportunities for African and newer voices,’ said Festival Manager and curator of DIFF 2021, Ms Chipo Zhou. ‘Therefore, the festival is delighted to host some of the alumni DFM projects as it shows that the industry chain functions as intended. The DIFF has always been primarily a place for fresh voices to be discovered. We are pleased that initiatives have come full circle from the DFM to the film festival. We enjoy our collaboration with DFM and look forward to reaping the benefits of the current projects in the future.’

Acting General Manager of the Durban FilmMart Institute Ms Magdalene Reddy said: ‘It is very heartening to witness more and more film projects that have participated in Durban FilmMart processes being showcased at festivals and cinema circuits across the world, thus fulfilling the central purpose of DFM, which is to facilitate getting films made, African films in particular.

‘Congratulations to the five DFM alumni projects selected for the 42^nd Durban International Film Festival,’ added Reddy.

Words: Melissa Mungroo

Image: Supplied

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