The Gauteng Film Commission has joined the Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation to host film screenings and information sharing sessions to commemorate two struggle heroes, Albertina Sisulu and Nelson Mandela.
The events will take place at the Sandton Convention Centre from the 18th to 20th of May, from 10.00 am to 6.00pm.
The film screenings will be followed by Q & A sessions with the directors of the films, sharing their experiences in the audio-visual sector. The participants will also be offered opportunities to acquire knowledge and professional skills so that they can understand the audio-visual industry.
The engagements will create an alternative forum for networking, information sharing and dialogue; allow participants to develop appreciation of local content through screenings of films supported or funded by the GFC; and strengthen, promote and increase the participation of the youth in film and television.
This centenary year celebrates lives of Albertina Sisulu and Nelson Mandela, and their commitment to the anti-apartheid struggle and its values. Our priority is to create a story-telling culture in communities, especially among the youth, and to feed that with a passion and energy that encourages in the youth a desire for change. They will be encouraged to go beyond discontent, and focus on imagining and creating the best opportunities from the fruits of democracy, through story telling.
The films include:
The Womb Dance by Rratsheko Nthite, 24 minutes
An engaging multimedia project using intimate and impactful stories, encouraging support and action around people born with disabilities. The director says: “In essence, you are born with your hands folded, and in my view, each finger represents a gift in a different form.”
Sport Content by Sabatha Maphiri, 24 minutes
ISpy2 searches for and discovers young skilled football players in underprivileged areas in South Africa through specified selection criteria, to enable the selected players’ access to football structures that help in their overall development. Each episode will have a theme and showcase a full day’s experience in a developing player’s life, building up to enrolment in a professional established football academy.
The family that lost its dignity by Vincent Mashinini, 45 minutes
A young man comes from a respected family. His father is a principal and his mother is a medical doctor. The status their family had in the community ends when his father, Mr Dlamini, impregnates the young man’s friend, Dineo. After hearing the news, the young man becomes stressed and begins to depend on substance abuse of alcohol and nyaope.
Parole Camp by Maanda Ntsandeni, 45 minutes
Each year in the South African Cape Flats region, thousands of young people are released from prison on parole, back into their communities. Many of these parolees are likely to find themselves back in jail within a matter of weeks, unable to re-integrate or avoid being caught in the vicious circle of gangs, drugs and crime.
- For more information contact Desmond Mthembu desmondm@gautengfilm.org.za 011 833 0409 – Nthabeleng Phora nthabeleng@gautengfilm.org.za 011 833 0409