Six “must see” films at DIFF 2015

JUNAID Ahmed an internationally recognised Glenmore filmmaker, who is currently filming his latest feature, Happiness is a Four-Letter Word in Johannesburg, returned to Durban for the anticipated Durban International Film Festival this week.

Ahmed plans to enjoy the vast selection of local and international films. Last year, his film with Helena Spring, Hard to Get opened DIFF. This year, the duo team up with first time feature film producer Bongiwe Selane on the new project. Based on Cynthia Nozizwe Jele’s award winning novel which tells the story of three friends trying to find happiness while maintaining images of success and acceptability. Junaid Ahmed and Helena Spring have a project in this year’s Durban FilmMart at the DIFF, Selma and Charlize (South Africa), which will be directed by Robyn Aronstam.

Junaid Ahmed’s listed his six must-see films for DIFF 2015:

Junaid said he was definitely seeing, The Boda Boda Thieves, which explores a few days in the life of a poor 15-year-old boy in East Africa. “I am a great supporter of African film and especially films from young first time feature directors- in this case Ugandan Donald Mugisha,” he said.

The film by South African Shongwe-La Mer, Necktie Youth is also generating great buzz at screenings at some of the major film festivals in the world, including Tribeca and Berlin and is being lauded for its bold and confrontational look. “I am excited about seeing the work of this new and powerful voice from our country who is already making his mark on the international stage.”

Mommy is another film making waves on the international circuit. At just 26-years-old, Canadian Xavier Dolan has already released his fifth film Mommy, which was Canada’s entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the 87th Academy Awards. “I’m seeing it because this movie has been hailed as outrageous and brilliant and regarded as Dolan’s best work to date.”

Then there’s Jean-Jacques Annaud’s Wolf Totem, a massive Chinese-French co-production about a student seduced by the complex and almost mystical bond between these sacred creatures and the shepherds he was meant to study, he captures a wolf cub in order to tame it.

Festival audiences are waxing lyrical about it being one of the most powerful dramas seen on the big screen. “Annaud invested seven years of his life in bringing the film to the big screen. That kind of passion, dedication and energy warrants audiences seeing Wolf Totem at DIFF.”

1000 Rupee Note from India, tells the tale of a poor old widow and mother from a rural Indian village, who receives a gift of several 1 000 Rupee notes from a politician at a political rally. “It has done very well at film festivals around the world and I’m always interested to view films made outside the Bollywood formula.”

And lastly one has to see Ayanda, a coming-of age story of a twenty-one year-old Afro-hipster, who embarks on a journey of self-discovery when she’s thrown into a world of greasy overalls, gender stereotypes and abandoned vintage cars. “It is a South African film that opens DIFF 2015, which will no doubt attest to the powerful cinematic works emerging from South Africa.”