Tebogo Moche and Tshidiso Setshongwe from Meadowlands have been selected along with 29 other filmmakers as participants for the first ever Red Bull Amaphiko Film Festival.
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Moche prides himself in his ability to easily and rapidly acquire new skills and to never let the prohibitive costs of higher learning in the film sector put him off his ambitions.
“Growing up I loved watching documentary films and in my mind, I would edit or compose the scene I saw the way I re-visualised it.
“My dream is to make society changing documentaries and short films in order to give back what I have learned to those in need of inspiration and wisdom,” he said.
Setshongwe said that he started out volunteering on set for Lehlohonolo ‘King Shaft’ Moropane and was inspired by Dumisani Phakati who had an academy for kids in his area, “Television and film can change the youth’s view of themselves and also play a big role in who they become.”
Setshongwe said that he noticed the beginning of a live music scene in Soweto and decided he would be the one to document it.
“Live music is so much more than just people standing there with guitars, it has a story behind it, a culture and that’s what I want to tell the world,” he said.
The Red Bull Amaphiko Film Festival aims to celebrate the power of film as a driver for social change whilst creating a platform for collaboration between aspiring filmmakers and industry professionals.
The aspiring filmmakers will be mentored by the industry’s best which include; Teddy Matera, Ernest Nkosi, Vincent Moloi, Lebogang
Moche is currently working on a film called ‘Bo Phelo Ba Naledi’ which looks at a character’s life through the lens of his birthday parties and Setshongwe is working on a documentary about Urban Village which are bands from Soweto making music at an international standard.
“They’re the kind of stories you can show any black child from Soweto and one can conclude that: if you believe in yourself, it can happen,” said Moche.
The film festival will take place on October 28th till the 30th at the Eyethu Lifestyle Centre and Cinema in Soweto and the aspiring filmmakers will be immersed in all aspects film related – from scriptwriting, pitching, business and more.
Moche said that being part of the film festival is a great opportunity.
“Being part of the workshop will open my mind to how I should be documenting and I’m hoping it will help me focus more on how to narrate visually and I want my work to be seen by people from all walks of life,” he said.