First SA film for LBGT film fest

THE 6th annual Durban Gay and Lesbian Film Festival opens on Friday 19 August at the KZNSA and runs until Sunday 28 August.

This year the festival includes 10 features films, 17 documentaries and 38 shorts packaged into eight screenings.

Festival director Jason Fiddler notes: “More than a dozen countries are represented at #DGLFF2016 and I'm proud that we have our first South African LGBT feature, The Rose Ministry, from Johannesburg-based Mmlungisi Msomi and his partner Sekara Mafisa. The film tackles the difficult subject of sexuality and religion and tells it from a very contemporary African perspective.”

The festival opens on Friday 19 August at 8pm with American director Matt Riddlehoover's latest romantic comedy, What's The Matter With Gerald? He's been called the gay Woody Allen, and this film is imbued with quirky, dry humour and great heart.

“There will be at least eight international and two local filmmakers joining us this year as guests and we have three guests from India and Pakistan. I hope that Durban's Indian and Pakistani community will join us in welcoming them and come to hear their remarkable, inspiring and sometimes funny stories in both public workshops and at screenings,” said Jason.

Denmark, a solid festival supporter, is sending four Danish LGBT filmmakers to attend this year as guests and serve on the International Jury. Director Peter Larvsen is bringing his potent short film Perpetual, an intense look at young awakening sexuality where lust is often confused for love, and his talented lead Nicolas Wollesen also joins the screening – it should be noted that this film is very much for an adult audience. There will be Q&A after the film, as with many screenings this year.

More information is available from the festival schedule available from the website: www.dglff.org.za or by emailing info@dglff.org.za