FILM lovers and filmmakers across the globe will visit Durban’s International Film Festival from 19 to 29 July this year for a feast of the latest and best that cinema has to offer.
In 2018, ahead of a 40th bumper anniversary next year, the festival offers a focused fare of 180 features films, documentaries, and shorts, along with an insightful industry programme that includes Isisphethu for emerging and micro-budget filmmakers, the 11th Talents Durban, in partnership with Berlinale Talents, for pre-selected, semi-established filmmakers as well as the co-production and finance forum the 9th Durban FilmMart, the festival’s partner programme with the Durban Film Office.
Opening the festival is the first feature film from South African director Jerome Pikwane, the horror flick The Tokoloshe. The LGTBI love-story Rafiki, directed by Kenyan Wanuri Kahiu, will close the festival.
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Manager of DIFF Chipo Zhou, explains the choice of these two diverse films that have women as their focus.
“We wanted to book-end DIFF with films that tell stories about women, their strength and their resilience. We also want to showcase the fact that there are many ways to tell these stories from a cinematic point of view. We are in a time of diversity, where women, racial minorities and LGBTI communities who have traditionally been underrepresented in film are having their voices brought to the fore,” says Zhou. “Referencing this global narrative, the films in this year’s festival will reflect these new voices as much as possible,” said Zhou.
Competition titles in the documentary section include the South African film Silas, a global tale directed by Anjali Nayar and Hawa Essuman, and Whispering Truth to Power, directed by human rights lawyer Shameela Seedat.
Fee community-based screenings will take place at Solomon Mahlangu Hall (New Germany/Clermont), KwaMashu Fan Park, Umlazi W Section Library and The Workshop Amphitheatre. Other screenings take place at Community ZA (formerly Artspace Gallery in Umgeni) and KZNSA Gallery, Musgrave Ster Kinekor, Suncoast Cine Centre and Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre, as well as uShaka Marine World, where the popular free ocean-focused film festival Wavescapes will take place in the public area.
DIFF opens at The Playhouse on 19 July. The closing film will be screened on 28 July after the competition awards. Visit www.durbanfilmfest.co.za. for a full programme of screenings.
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