The 44th Durban International Film Festival has kicked off in KwaZulu-Natal with hundreds of filmmakers, directors, actors, producers and movie buffs showing up for the experience.
Dubbed one of the biggest film events on the continent, it opened on July 20 and runs until July 30.
As always, the festival is accompanied by the Durban FilmMart (DFM), an institution that highlights the pillars of Africa’s film industry, bringing African talent to the fore in one film landscape.
The DFM 2023 celebrates the work of African film professionals and industry initiatives, contemplating a vision of a future-forward African star system for current and future stars.
DFM has collaborated with NEFTI, which is a collaboration between Vodka and the International Emerging Film Talent Association (IEFTA), as well as African Bank, to celebrate and recognise young African filmmakers.
Currently in its fourth year, the NEFTI competition aims to challenge aspiring filmmakers across the continent to showcase their innovative and creative skills while embracing their uniqueness and love for Africa.
Ten emerging filmmakers were selected to present a zoom pitch of the concept for their film to a panel of judges consisting of leading film industry professionals, award-winning actress Vivica A Fox, Academy award-winning producer Bruce Cohen, President of Post-Production 21st Century Fox/Disney Ted Gagliano and Nahom Abraham, NEFTI Berlinale 2023 winner.
Botswana-born star Moreetsi Gabang was crowned NEFT Africa 2023, at the Maharani Hotel, Durban, on Saturday, July 22,
Gabang, the two-time recipient of the Bessie Head Literature Award was up against two South African filmmakers Lwazi Duma and Emma Tollman.
He walked away with $5,000 (approximately R89 000) for his film titled “Zombie Date Night in Tlokweng.”
Speaking to IOL Lifestyle after his big win, the young creatives says winning this award grants him an opportunity to represent Botswana on the international stage and tell his unique stories of Africa.
“Winning this award means the world to me and the incredible team behind the project,” said Gabang.
“This proves that stories from Botswana can compete on the world stage and demonstrate that the true diamonds in Botswana are its people and their stories.”
“Zombie Date Night in Tlokweng,” is an intriguing horror-comedy with a fascinating premise.
“Zombie Date In Tlokweng” revolves around a young couple whose date night takes an unexpected turn when a roommate returns home possessed by a demonic spirit after attending a religious event.
“The story is about being courageous in spite of our fears in order to protect the people we care about from danger,” offered Gabang.
“The inspiration for the story is twofold; “I love ‘fire churches’ led by prophets famed for exorcisms and raising people from the dead.
“And Batlokwa, a tribe of people who bury their loved ones within their residential plots, which is foolish, because imagine what would happen in the case of a zombie apocalypse.
“It’s a perfect storm of carnage and revealing the very best and worst in human nature. I’d save myself and leave everyone I love behind to be eaten, but that’s just me. What would other people do?
“I believe it was the story’s fun and compelling premise that stood out for the judges, as not many horror-comedies films come from this part of the world. This definitely ties into my approach to storytelling, don’t be boring”.
Kudos to Lwazi Duma and Emma Tollman, the two finalists who chatted to us about their exciting projects.
On why did you choose to participate in NEFTI Africa competition, Duma elaborated: “I wanted to show that I am the best filmmaker of my generation, and believe that NEFTI is a good platform to showcase my skills and compete with other great filmmakers from the continent.”
His film “Forbidden Tastes” shines the spotlight on the history of apartheid South Africa, where interracial relations are forbidden.
“The film explores the themes of forbidden love, and other forms of restrictions on choices as to how to live their lives,” said Duma.
“I wanted to tell a story that was true to our cultural and historical experience in this country while offering a commentary on how people overcame the oppressive structures that they were forced to contend with.”
Speaking of his approach Duma said: I like to use high-concept storytelling, that will demonstrate a unique African and South African touch.
“I’m influenced by stories that have well-developed internal story arcs. I spend a lot of time cooking at the internal journey of characters and so I am naturally drawn to stories that have a well-crafted internal logic,” concluded Duma.
Tollman also shared her vision of her project “Rage,” which was shortlisted in the NEFT Africa competition.
“Rage is not a documentary, but a documenting of our lives,” explained Tollman.
The film is set to challenge societal norms and expectations imposed on women, encouraging them to break free from conditioned behaviours that limit their potential and individuality.
It advocates for embracing emotions, passion, drive, and creativity without fear of judgment or criticism. The idea of rebelling against social intolerance towards women who dare to be themselves resonates with themes of empowerment and self-liberation.
“Rage” is an exploration of feminine friendship. A celebration of our wildest expression. Our cry of pure indignation at an injustice done to our sister. A howl in the night sky. The balm of our collective love to cradle our sister’s deeply broken heart. A lens into resilience, strength and solidarity.
“This film is a love letter to my friends that delves into the transformative depths of our bonds, and the ability for community to hold space for loss and change.
“To explore the specific grief, fear, and pain held in the bodies of so many women and what lies on the other side. To explore authentically femininity and disrupt what society constitutes as palatable expressions of women’s lived heartaches and joys.”
The duo expressed their gratitude to NEFTI Africa and DFM for providing an excellent platform for aspiring filmmakers like themselves to demonstrate their skills and make their mark in the industry.