Durban Film Office

VIDEOVISION ENTERTAINMENT UNVEILS PRODUCTION SLATE FOR 2010

Film Producer, Anant Singh announced today an exciting slate of films from the Videovision Entertainment stable for 2010.  Leading the slate is the comedy Jozi which is currently in release, followed by the stand-up film, Outrageous, the documentary feature, People of the Eland and the feature film, The First Grader which was recently shot in Kenya.

 

Jozi, which uses the city of Johannesburg as a backdrop for its narrative, is a fresh, innovative comedy.  Jozi is directed by Craig Freimond and produced by Anant Singh, Helena Spring and Robbie Thorpe.  It stars Carl Beukes, Lionel Newton, Lindiwe Matshikiza, Jena Dover, Moshidi Moshegwa and Nick Boraine with a guest appearance by Tobie Cronje.  The film has been critically acclaimed with  Leon Van Nierop (You / Huisgenoot / Drum) saying, “Finally a South African comedy without clichés and slapstick. Funny, absorbing and clever;” while Debashine Thangevelo  (The Star) said, “A traffic jam of converging witty lines in this slice of life comedy that leaves one veering between lanes that straddle tongue-in-cheek humour and surreal drama about surviving Jozi."

 

Stand up comedy fans will be in for a real treat with Outrageous which sees South Africa’s top stand up comics, John Vlismas, Barry Hilton, Mark Banks, Loyiso Gola, Joey Rasdien, Krijay Govender and Riaad Moosa come together for the first time ever, in a no-holds barred, adults only stand up comedy experience. Outrageous is a stand up feast from the cream of comedy, with the comics been chosen to represent the wide spectrum of comedy styles. The film, produced by Anant Singh and Helena Spring, is directed by Bevan Cullinan and is scheduled for release in April 2010 with the World Premiere scheduled to take place in Johannesburg on 20 March 2010.

 

Just completed with the award-winning documentary filmmaking team of Craig and Damon Foster, is People of the Eland.  The film explores the world’s oldest culture and how it is now at the brink of extinction.  It tracks the Khomani San of the Central Kalahari, the oldest living indigenous tribe in the world, and who are genetically linked to every human being on planet earth.  In modern times, their traditional nomadic way of life has changed and westernisation has severed their link to the land and the animals.  The children feel there is no future and the elders are faced with haunting reminders of their past.  People of the Eland is produced by Anant Singh and Helena Spring, is directed by Craig and Damon Foster and will have its World Premiere in Cannes this year.

 

Currently in post production is The First Grader which is inspired by a true story.  It is directed by Justin Chadwick (The Other Boleyn Girl, Bleak House) and written by South African-born, Emmy winner Ann Peacock (The Chronicles Of Narnia, Nights In Rodanthe, Kit Kittridge), the film stars Naomie Harris (Ninja Assassin, Pirates Of The Caribbean) together with Oliver Letondo. Set in a small, remote mountain top primary school in the Kenyan bush, hundreds of children are jostling for a chance for the newly promised free education by the Kenyan government.  One new applicant causes astonishment when he knocks on the door of the school. He is Maruge (Oliver Litondo), an old Mau Mau veteran in his eighties who is desperate to learn to read at this last stage of his life. He fought for the liberation of his country and now feels he must have the chance of an education so long denied - even if it means sitting in a classroom alongside six year-olds.  The film is a Videovision Entertainment co-production with BBC Films, Sixth Sense Productions and Origin Pictures with support from the UK Film Council’s New Cinema Fund and will have its World Premiere in Cannes this year.

 

Videovision Entertainment’s Mr Bones 2 produced with South Africa’s Number One Box Office Star, Leon Schuster, won three South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs) last month in the categories, Best Editor in a Feature Film (Johan Lategan), Best Costume Designer in a Feature Film (Nerine Pienaar) and Best Make Up & Hair Stylist in a Feature Film (Debra Nicoll).

 

Commenting on the comprehensive production slate, Anant Singh said, “We at Videovision Entertainment pride ourselves in making films that will stand the test of time and also entertain diverse audiences. We thrilled with this exciting line up of upcoming films that have varied themes and tackle different genres.  We reiterate our commitment to making quality films and to providing a platform for emerging talents.  We are also delighted to have won three SAFTAs for Mr Bones 2 and we congratulate the recipients.”

 

Photo attached:  A scene from The First Grader with Jane Obinchu (Naomie Harris) and Maruge (Oliver Litondo).

 

 

For further information:

Nilesh Singh

Tel: 031 204-6050  E-mail: Nilesh@videovision.co.za

Web:  www.videovision.co.za

More Awards for Izulu Lami

Izulu Lami/My Secret Sky, directed by Madoda Ncayiyana, has won three more awards: the top local industry prize, the South African Film and Television Award (SAFTA). Tshepang Mohlomi, who was 14 years old when he played a street urchin named Chili-Bite, won Best Supporting Actor in a Feature Film, competing against adult actors. Durban’s Simon Joyner won Best Production Designer in a Feature Film for his work with an all-Durban Art Department, including Jason Whyte and Morgan Mudhanadzo on Izulu Lami, and Stacey Dunn and Patrick Flynn won Best Costume Design in a Feature Film for Izulu Lami, with original dress designs by Durban designer of “One” Clothing, Michelle Woodruffe.

Izulu Lami/My Secret Sky, co-produced by Durban’s Vuleka Productions with Johannesburg’s Dv8 Films, was nominated for a total of seven SAFTAs, marking the first time that a film from KwaZulu Natal has been honoured with so many SAFTA nominations. These included Best Film, Best Director and Best Cinematography, while Sobahle Mkhabase, who was 10 years old when the film was shot, was nominated for Best Actress in a Feature Film., also with all the other nominees being adults.

Izulu Lami features a cast of mainly young children who had never acted professionally before being discovered by the director in the townships and informal settlements of Durban and rural KwaZulu-Natal. The film was shot entirely in the city and province, with a cast and crew largely from Durban. Two more international awards: the Best Debut Film prize at the 14th International Film Festival of Kerala in India, the Rajatha Chakoram Award, in December 2009, and the Audience Award for Best Film at the Verona International African Film Festival in Italy, also late last year.  

The latest international awards collected by director Ncayiyana in India and Italy bring to a total of six the international awards won by Izulu Lami/My Secret Sky: including the Cannes Pan-African Film Festival’s prestigious Dikalo Award for Best Feature Film, the Audience Award for Best Film and a Best Actress Award for child star Sobahle Mkhabase at the Tarifa International African Film in Spain. Director Madoda Ncayiyana, a resident of KwaMashu township, was recently awarded the Mayor’s Achievement Award by eThekwini Mayor Obed Mlaba for his decades of work not only in film and TV, but in theatre as well, as Ncayiyana has won awards for his productions at the Edinburgh and Grahamstown Arts Festivals.

Izulu Lami/My Secret Sky has received excellent critical reviews, described as an “extraordinary work of great power” by top film critic Barry Ronge and “the kind of family movie that you’ll want your kids to see” by award-winning author Don Mattera. The UK’s Guardian newspaper and the Africa-In-Motion Film Festival in Edinburgh have dubbed Izulu Lami "South Africa's Slumdog Millionaire", with Scottish film festival critic Iman Qureshi stating: “I cannot remember the last time I was so emotionally invested in a film.”

Izulu Lami/My Secret Sky is written by Julie Frederikse and director Ncayiyana, produced by Jeremy Nathan of Dv8 Films, and co-produced by Frederikse of Vuleka Productions. Izulu Lami/My Secret Sky is supported by the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), the SABC, Ster-Kinekor Distribution, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Rebate, and the French film fund, Fonds Images Afrique. The eThekwini Municipality provided crucial support for the shooting of the film in Durban’s KwaMashu and Inanda townships.

During its theatrical release in 2009 Izulu Lami/My Secret Sky was embraced by cinema-goers throughout the country, staying on circuit for three months and exceeding all box office expectations of its distributor, Ster-Kinekor Pictures. Izulu Lami/My Secret Sky is now available on DVD from Ster Kinekor Entertainiment can be purchased in leading retail stores throughout South Africa and online from www.kalahari.net.

The Character Course

Sometimes it takes a shrink to work out what really makes a person tick – even if that person is a fictional character in the mind of a writer.. Psychologist Pierre Brouard thinks he is probably the first of his profession to be involved in running a writing course. He is co-convenor of a regular one-day course in character development with novelist Jo-Anne Richards and script writer, Richard Beynon, of allaboutwriting. The next Character Course, will be held in Parkview, Johannesburg on February 27 from 9am to 5pm. Cost: R1500. The first Cape Town Character Course will be held on 27 August 2010. Brouard thinks that psychologists and writers are similar in one important respect: “We are fascinated by human nature, and the attempt to understand what makes us who we are.” As a psychologist in his middle years, he has worked with people across the spectrum. “I have also lived a varied life, all of which has exposed me to human frailty. That, and my AIDS work, has left me with an empathy and a deep interest in what is essential about us; in our essence. “These are the same questions that plague writers.” Beynon thinks that characters are “the key to all fiction”. We remember books by their characters, he says, even when we praise their plots. “There is no formula for creating a good character. The most important thing a writer can do is to begin to develop a sense of the forces that make us the people we are.” Richards agrees. “As a writer, I’ve always been fascinated by the different ways people respond to the influences in their lives. In what ways are we all similar, and how is each of us unique?” The Character Course blends psychology and writing to create a one-day immersion in the process of creating memorable and larger-than-life characters. It looks at the skills needed to make these characters leap off the page. “Our aim is to help writers and would-be writers to create characters who will become as real – and in some cases perhaps more real – than our next-door neighbours,” says Richards. www.allaboutwritingcourses.com For more information please contact Trish on 0826524643 or trishurquhart@gmail.com

source Screen Africa

Announcing Imbongi Awards 2010

Announcing Imbongi Awards 2010 The Imbongi Awards' capitalises on Cape Towns strong reputation for production craft by recognising, rewarding and honouring individuals and companies for outstanding achievement in pre-production, production and post-production. With a high-profile independent judging panel and a stringent judging process audited by Galbraith/ Rushby Accounts the integrity of the awards, and therefore its winners, is paramount. CALL FOR NOMINATIONS Do you think you or someone within your industry deserves recognition for dedication, professionalism and being a master of their craft? If so the nomination process for Imbongi 2010 is officially open! Visit www.imbongiawards.co.za for the full category listing and nomination forms Nominations close at 16h00 on the 5th February 2010. All successful nominees will be notified on the 9th February 2010 and the finalists for each of the categories will be announced on the 22nd February 2010. Winners will be announced at the Gala awards ceremony on the 6th March 2010. THE EVENT Date: 6th March 2010 Time: 19:00 for 19:30 Venue: Cape Town International Convention Centre Dress: Black Tie MC: Nik Rabinowitz is back! Visit www.imbongiawards.co.za for full information and to book your table.

THERE’S A NEW ‘JOZI’ IN SOUTH AFRICA….AND IT’S NOT A CITY BE THE FIRST TO SEE IT

Jozi, the new age South African comedy from Videovision Entertainment and T.O.M. Pictures will be released at more than 40 cinemas across South Africa on 26 February 2010.  Audiences will also have the opportunity to watch the film prior to its release at sneak previews at 5.30 and 8.00pm on Saturday, 20 February 2010.  Jozi is written and directed by Craig Freimond and produced by Anant Singh with Helena Spring and Robbie Thorpe co-producing.
It stars Carl Beukes, Lionel Newton, Lindiwe Matshikiza, Jena Dover, Moshidi Moshegwa and Nick Boraine with a guest appearance by Tobie Cronje.

Critics have already lauded the film ahead of its release:  Leon Van Nierop (You / Huisgenoot / Drum) said, “Finally a South African comedy without clichés and slapstick. Funny, absorbing and clever;” while Debashine Thangevelo  (The Star) said, “A traffic jam of converging witty lines in this slice of life comedy that leaves one veering between lanes that straddle tongue-in-cheek humour and surreal drama about surviving Jozi”; Doreen Premdev (TV Plus) saying, “It was one of the best local films I have watched in a long time. I was especially impressed with the actors and the story line was unique and truly South African;” Paul Boekooi
(Rapport)
declaring, “The way in which an audience can relate to any film, is essential for its success. It is on this level that Jozi scores high.

Anyone
living in Joh’burg can fully associate themselves with what happens to the main characters - whether you like them or not….This is especially reflected in the wacky humour;” and Khetha Mkhize (Yeahbo.net) saying, Jozi paints a dappled picture of the pains and, thankfully, joys of our beloved city, in a hilarious manner."

Jozi follows James, a successful comedy writer who feels overwhelmed by crime, politics, pessimism and a feather duster salesman. When his girlfriend leaves him for a guy who he thinks is the most boring man in the world, he loses the very spark of humour which enables him to earn his living.  In a madcap journey, James travels through the highways and byways of South Africa from Daspoort Rehab to Johannesburg to try and recover his elusive sense of humour as well as his ability to love and laugh again.

Anant Singh commented, “Jozi is a funny, bittersweet comedy and we are delighted that the audience reactions to date have been exceptionally positive and we are very excited about this. It is a very original story and we look forward to the audience embracing the film and more positive reactions when the film opens nationally.”

“AN EDUCATION” ACQUIRED BY VIDEOVISION ENTERTAINMENT RECEIVES THREE OSCAR NOMINATIONS

Sanjeev Singh, Director of Acquisition and Distribution for Videovision Entertainment announced today that An Education, which was acquired for distribution in South Africa received three Academy Award Nominations in the categories: Best Picture, Best Actress in a Leading Role (Carey Mulligan) and Best Adapted Screenplay (by Nick Hornby). The film was released in South Africa last Friday, 29 January 2010 and has opened extremely well at the boxoffice.

Set in London in the early 60s, An Education charts the journey of the bright and ambitious, Jenny who is on her way to Oxford, but feels stifled by her conservative parents and strict school, and yearns for a life of culture and sophistication. When she meets the smart and funny David, who is considerably older than her, those passions are engaged – along with several others – but her grades soon start to slip.

Commenting on the nominations, Sanjeev Singh said, “We are delighted with the three Oscar Nominations received by An Education. This is further affirmation of the film which received eight BAFTA nominations in the United Kingdom last month. Whilst we premiered An Education at the Durban International Film Festival last year, we held the release of the film as we were confident that it would receive Oscar and BAFTA nominations.”

An Education is Videovision Entertainment releases through United International Pictures (South Africa).

VIDEOVISION ENTERTAINMENT MAKES EARLY SUNDANCE ACQUISITIONS

Sanjeev Singh, Videovision Entertainment's Director of Acquisition and Distribution, announced on the opening day of Sundance Film Festival, the acquisition of The Killer Inside Me and The Extra Man prior to their premiere screenings at the Festival. The Sundance Film Festival opened yesterday, 21 January and ends on Sunday 31 January 2010.
The Killer Inside Me which premieres on Sunday, 24 January at Sundance is based on the novel by legendary pulp writer Jim Thompson and is directed by acclaimed filmmaker, Michael Winterbottom and stars Casey Affleck, Kate Hudson and Jessica Alba. The Killer Inside Me tells the story of the handsome, charming and unassuming small town sheriff's deputy Lou Ford. Lou has a bunch of problems. Woman problems. Law enforcement problems. An ever-growing pile of murder victims in his West Texas jurisdiction, and the fact that he is a sadist, a psychopath and a killer. Suspicion begins to fall on Lou, and it is only a matter of time before he runs out of alibis. But in Thompson's savage, bleak, blacker than noir universe nothing is ever what it seems, and it turns out that the investigators pursuing him might have a secret of their own.
Premiering on Monday, 25 January, The Extra Man is written and directed by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini and stars Kevin Kline, Paul Dano, John C. Reilly and Katie Holmes. A sophisticated and moving comedy, The Extra Man follows Louis Ives, a lonely dreamer who fancies himself the hero of an F. Scott Fitzgerald novel. When a deeply embarrassing incident forces him to leave his job at an exclusive Princeton prep school, Louis heads to New York City to make a fresh start. Louis quickly finds a nine-to-five job at an environmental magazine, where he encounters an entrancing, green obsessed co-worker Mary. But it's Louis' new home life that really sparks his imagination. He rents a room in the ramshackle apartment of Henry Harrison (Kevin Kline), a penniless, wildly eccentric but brilliant playwright. When Henry's not dancing alone to obscure music or singing operettas, he's performing - with great panache - the duties of an "extra man" a social escort for the wealthy widows of Manhattan high society. These two men, separated in age by more than forty years, develop a volatile mentor / apprentice relationship. Through a series of urban adventures where they encounter everything from a leaping lion to a wildly jealous hirsute neighbour, from drunken nonagenarians to a shady Swiss hunchback, Louis and Henry form a memorable bond that bridges their differences.
Sanjeev Singh commented, "We are delighted to have scooped the much sought after South African distribution rights to The Killer Inside Me and The Extra Man prior to their premieres at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival. We intend premiering these films at the Durban International Film Festival in July and thereafter we will release these films in South Africa."
The Killer Inside Me and The Extra Man will be released in South Africa by Videovision Entertainment through United International Pictures (South Africa).

Method Fest 2010

You are invited to the 12th annual "Method Fest", Independent Film Festival running from March 25-April 1, 2010 in Calabasas, CA. The 12th annual The Method Fest independent film festival is looking for character and story-driven films featuring strong acting performances. The Method Fest features American and foreign feature films and short films and is named after "The Method" school of acting, which revolutionized the approach in acting, particularly in film. Deadlines for submission for the 12th annual The Method Fest is on February 1. For film submission information call (310) 535-9230 or visit the festival web site at www.methodfest.com You can also register through www.withoutabox.com.

Izulu Lami/My Secret Sky Wins Yet Another International Award

Izulu Lami My Secret Sky, directed by Madoda Ncayiyana, has won yet another international award: the Best Debut Film prize at the 14th International Film Festival of Kerala in India, the Rajatha Chakoram Award. This follows the award it won late last year at the Verona International African Film Festival in Italy: the Audience Award for Best Film. This brings to a total of six international awards won by this proudly South African and proudly Durban feature film: including the Cannes Pan-African Film Festival’s prestigious Dikalo Award for Best Feature Film, the Audience Award for Best Film and a Best Actress Award for child star Sobahle Mkhabase at the Tarifa International African Film in Spain. Izulu Lami My Secret Sky features a cast of mainly young children who had never acted professionally before being discovered by the director in the townships and informal settlements of Durban and rural KwaZulu-Natal. The film was shot entirely in the city and province, with a cast and crew largely from Durban. Izulu Lami My Secret Sky has been nominated for seven South African Film & Television Awards (SAFTA) for Best Film, Best Director, Best Actress for Mkhabase, who was 10 years old when the film was shot, Best Supporting Actor for Tshepang Mohlomi, who was 14 years old at the time, as well as for DOP, Production Design and Costumes.

Durban FilmMart

The announcement, at this years Durban International Film Festival, by the DFO and the Durban International Film Festival
of the intention to jointly host an international Film Finance Forum in 2010, sparked enormous interest in the industry.
The Durban FilmMart, it is anticipated, will act as a key driver in raising the visibility of film content from the African
continent and to provide African film-makers with the opportunity to pitch film projects to leading financiers and world sales
agents and obtain feedback from internationally reputed directors and producers in order to form alliances for future collaborations.
Projects with an African citizen attached to one of the three creative roles of writer, director or producer are eligible to participate in the FilmMart.

MULTI AWARD-WINNING IZULU LAMI GARNERS YET ANOTHER AWARD

It also won the prestigious Dikalo Award for Best Film at the Cannes Pan-African Film Festival earlier this year. The film won another Audience Award for Best Film at the Verona International African Film Festival in Italy in November and has been nominated for seven South African Film & TV Awards (SAFTA) / Golden Horn awards. The cherry on the top was a Mayoral Award for Excellency, presented to Ncayiyana by Durban mayor, Obed Mlaba in November 2009. It also won the prestigious Dikalo Award for Best Film at the Cannes Pan-African Film Festival earlier this year. The film won another Audience Award for Best Film at the Verona International African Film Festival in Italy in November and has been nominated for seven South African Film & TV Awards (SAFTA) / Golden Horn awards. The cherry on the top was a Mayoral Award for Excellency, presented to Ncayiyana by Durban mayor, Obed Mlaba in November 2009.

LOCAL HEROES

Every day we are overwhelmed by the amount of talent in Durban. From film-makers, to directors, producers and actors, the city is brimming with new and up-coming talent, as well as the experienced stalwarts who have paved the way and continue to set an example for the emerging talent. The Durban Film Office offers infrastructural and networking support to the industry at all levels. Philani Sithebe – Director & Film-maker "My love for film started when I was nine years old. Film-making as a subject was not offered in the township schools during my time, so I got involved with many other things that would bring me closer to the medium". As an electronics technician by profession, Philani worked for Sony South Africa as a video camera technician and acquired all the necessary skills of how to use a video camera professionally.

INCREASED VISITOR NUMBERS AT 30TH DURBAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Despitethere being 26 less screenings this year, attendance increased
significantly at the 30th edition of the Durban International Film
Festival (DIFF) with over 22 471 people at the 280 festival film
screenings, representing almost 5500 more than in 2008. Workshop and
seminar attendances were also up with 1650 film enthusiasts attending
38 seminars and workshops, indicating a great level of interest in the
creative and technical processes of filmmaking.