Cape Town - “What is meant for you will always reach you” – a well-known adage of comfort repeated by her mother – rung true for local film-maker Weaam Williams on her recent appointment as creative director of the Hollywood African Film Festival.
The international award-winning screenwriter, director, actor and producer was recently appointed as the creative director for the inaugural festival themed, “Imagine Africa”, by the Pan African Chamber of Commerce.
The festival is to take place on October 6 and 7 at the UCLA campus auditorium in Los Angeles.
“It is the first time I’m doing something like this and it’s amazing because I always find the representation of African films at these big festivals quite problematic, and the way African films are portrayed.
“There’s always a particular gaze and particular group of people involved. And so our quest at this festival is to create representation for the work of African film-makers in a global space, especially in a place like America where, whether we like it or not, it’s the heart of the industry.
“Los Angeles and Hollywood are literally the heart of the film industry,” Williams said.
While responsibilities include which films will be selected to be showcased, Williams has placed a call for submissions from film-makers across the country, the continent, and diaspora.
“It’s all about showcasing different narratives from the continent, different voices, and giving a space to under-represented voices, but also voices from diaspora,” Williams said.
“Being on the other side of a festival is great because I think I understand the frustrations of film-makers. Being a film-maker myself, I have a lot of empathy for film-makers because it’s not an easy path.
“If you choose this path as your calling, I know that if you don’t come from old money, it takes a lot of tenacity, hard work and grit to get out there,” she said.
The festival will screen feature films, documentaries, and short films.
Williams said although there were no rigid submission criteria for the festival, preference would be given to world, international and US premieres.
“When we say, ‘Imagine Africa’, we want Africa imagined through our own eyes, not tainted with the gaze of Europe or the gaze of a producer wanting to make money, but Africa through the eyes of creators, visionaries, and film-makers.”
With nearly 20 years in the industry, Williams’s work has received international acclaim from countries such as France, Italy, the US, UK, Germany, Romania and Belgium. In the US, Williams received an award from American filmmaker Spike Lee.
Those interested can submit their film via FilmFreeway, at no cost, by August 25. Films released from 2021 will be accepted.