Donkeyhead (Best Director Agam Darshi) (left) and scene from No U-Turn (Nigeria).UKZN’s Durban International Film Festival Announces Award Winners
The Durban International Film Festival, organised by UKZN’s Centre for Creative Arts (CCA) within the College of Humanities, recently announced its award winners during an event streamed live on Facebook and YouTube.
The 43rd edition, an annual calendar highlight, saw audiences attending en masse to enjoy the best of local and international film creation and talent.
CCA Director, Dr Ismail Mahomed said: ‘It was inspiring to be back in cinema but also to see our online audiences tuning in. It shows us that there is still huge enthusiasm from our South African audiences for the festival - both audiences who have been attending for years and new audiences. It encourages us to continue to develop and look forward to DIFF2023,’ he said.
This year’s festival saw the inaugural edition of the Isiphethu Student Film Festival and its first awards for student films. Festival organisers said that festival ‘aims to create a platform and gateway for students to the big festival by exposing them to the role players in the film industry and showcasing their work on the big cinema screen.’
The award for Best South African Student Film went to Where is Mr. Adams? directed by AFDA alumni, Cameron Murray who created the film as part of his honours studies. Best International Student Film went to Mona & Parviz directed by Kevin Biele from Germany.
Synopses and details of the films are available at www.durbanfilmfest.com
Go to https://web.facebook.com/DurbanInternationalFilmFestival?_rdc=1&_rdr to watch the awards.
The 43rd edition of the festival was produced by the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Centre for Creative Arts in partnership and with the support of the KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission, the National Film and Video Foundation, KwaZulu-Natal Department of Arts and Culture, Avalon Group, and other valued funders and partners.
The full list of the Durban International Film Festival award winners is as follows:
Documentaries
• Best South African Documentary: Girl, Taken - Simon Wood and Francois Verster
• Best International Documentary: Wind Blows the Border - Laura Faerman and Marina Weis
• Special mentions: Music is my Life, No U-Turn and Batata
Features
• Best South African Feature Film: 1960 - King Shaft and Michael Mutombo
• Best African Feature Film: Bangarang - Robin Odongo
• Best International Feature Film: Bantú Mama - Ivan Herrera
• Best Performer: Clarisse Albrecht for Bantú Mama
• Best Supporting Performer: Babetida Sadjo for Juwaa
• Best Cameo Performers: Ricky Kofi Adelayitar and Brimah Watara for Public Toilet Africa
• Best Screenplay: Ring Wandering - Masakazu Kaneko
• Best Supporting Performer: Babetida Sadjo for Juwaa
Isiphethu Student Film Festival Awards
• Best International Student Film: Mona and Parviz - Kevin Biele
• Best South African Student Film: Where is Mr Adams? - Cameron Andrew Murray
• Special Mentions: Hourglass House and Woman of No Importance
Shorts
• Best South African Short: Prayers for Sweet Waters - Elijah Ndoumbe
• Best African Short: Sixteen Rounds - Loukman Ali
• Best International Short: Miette - Maude Bouchard, Camille Trudel
• Special Mentions: Dream Writer, Little Sky
Overall
• Amnesty Durban Human Rights Award: Batata, Noura Kevorkian
• Artistic and Bravery: No U-Turn - Ike Nnaebue
• Best Cinematography: Bantú Mama
• Best Direction: Agam Darshi for Donkeyhead
• Audience Choice Award: Amagama ka Nokutela - Zimisele Ngubane and Asanda Sizani
Words: Sinoyolo Mahlasela
Photographs: Supplied