Durban International Film Festival 18-28 July 2013, Call for Entries, Deadline 15 March 2013 for shorts and documentaries, 5 April 2013 for Feature Films

Media Release

Durban International Film Festival Call for Entries for 34th edition

The Durban International Film Festival (DIFF), invites filmmakers to submit their entries for its 34^th edition which takes place from 18^th to 28^th July 2013. DIFF, the largest film festival in Southern Africa, features over 250 screenings of cutting-edge cinema from around the world with a special focus on films from South Africa and Africa. The festival hosts a film competition component and also presents screenings in township areas where cinemas are non-existent.

The festival considers films completed in 2012 and 2013, and there is no charge for entry. All submissions must be entered via the Eventival online system at http://vp.eventival.eu/cca/diff2013. Please create a visitor account to submit. The deadline for all entries, including receipt of samples, is 15^th March 2013 for short films and documentaries; and 5^th April 2013 for feature fiction films.

The extensive seminar and workshop programme featuring local and international filmmakers and industry professionals includes the 6^th Talent Campus Durban (19^th to 23^rd July) in cooperation with Berlinale Talent Campus, and the 4^th Durban FilmMart (19^th to 22^nd July) in partnership with Durban Film Office.

 

cross-posted from H-AFRLITCINE

DURBAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2013
DIFF 2013 – CALL FOR ENTRIES
The Durban International Film Festival (DIFF), invites filmmakers to submit their entries for its 34th edition which takes place from 18th to 28th July 2013

SUBMIT NOW!

DIFF, the largest film festival in Southern Africa, features over 250 screenings of cutting-edge cinema from around the world with a special focus on films from South Africa and Africa. The festival hosts a film competition component and also presents screenings in township areas where cinemas are non-existent.

The festival considers films completed in 2012 and 2013, and there is no charge for entry. All submissions must be entered via the Eventival online system at http://vp.eventival.eu/cca/diff2013. Please create a visitor account to submit.

The deadline for all entries, including receipt of samples, is:

Short Films and Documentaries – 15th March 2013

Feature Fiction Films – 5th April 2013

The extensive seminar and workshop programme featuring local and international filmmakers and industry professionals includes the 6th Talent Campus Durban (19th to 23rd July) in cooperation with Berlinale Talent Campus, and the 4th Durban FilmMart (19th to 22nd July) in partnership with Durban Film Office.

visit our website<http://www.durbanfilmfest.co.za/> | follow on Twitter<https://twitter.com/DIFFest> | like on Facebook<http://www.facebook.com/DurbanInternationalFilmFestival>

FESTIVAL ENQUIRIES:
Phone: +27 (0)31 260 2506/1816
Fax: +27 (0)31 260 3074
Email: diff@ukzn.ac.za<mailto:diff@ukzn.ac.za>

The festival is supported by the National Film and Video Foundation, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development and Tourism, the City of Durban and other valued funders and partners.

Hausa hiphop artist Nazir Hausawa (Ziriums) featured in Recording a Revolution: Hiphop and Social Change in Africa, Alachua County Library Headquarters, Gainsville, Florida, USA, 23 February 2013

Hausa hiphop artist Ziriums (Nazir Hausawa) will take part in an African Hip Hop event at the Alachua County Library Headquarters, in Gainesville, Florida, USA, on Saturday 23 February 2013. Ziriums was featured in the documentary Recording a Revolution, by Alex Johnson and Saman Piracha, which will screen 10am-11am. Ziriums will host a Q&A from 11am-12pm The event also features discussions with founding member of Dead Prez M1, Kamau Ngigi, founding member of Kalamashaka, a Kenyan Hip Hop group, and Michael Wanguhu, the director of the award winning documentary Ni Wakati (It’s Time), which will screen from 1-2pm.

The event is sponsored by the Center for African Studies at the University of Florida and the Alachua County Library District.

For more information, see the poster and the press release below.

Recording a Revolution: Hip Hop and Social Change in Africa

Event Time: Saturday February 23, 2013: 10 am-5 pm

Event Location: Alachua County Library Headquarters, 4^th floor

Recording a Revolution is an event that brings together artists, scholars and documentary filmmakers to discuss hip hop, the visual arts, and political activism in Africa. Two new documentaries will be presented along with a panel including the films’ directors/producers and featured hip hop artists, including American hip hop artist M1, founding member of dead prez. This panel will discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with the representation of and by artists/activists of Africa and the African diaspora, and open up a public dialogue about social and political concerns in Africa. As it coincides with Black History Month, this event will also encourage a discussion between the historical linkages between Africa and its diaspora.

The two African hip hop artists – Nazir Hausawa (aka ‘Ziriums’) of Nigeria and Kamau Ngigi of Kenya – will arrive several days before the event. If anyone is interested in meeting with them on Thursday or Friday (February 21-22), or would like more information about the featured movies or artists, please contact Sue O’Brien (smobrien@ufl.edu).

This event is sponsored by the Alachua County Public Library, as well as the Center for African Studies and the Samuel Proctor Oral History Program at the University of Florida.

iRep Documentary Film Festival, March 22-25, Terra Kulture, VI, Lagos

Following on yesterday’s post, from iRep:

iREP DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL (MARCH 22-25) BEGINS 9AM TODAY AT TERRA KULTURE, VI LAGOS: AN INVITE

The second edition of the iREPRESENT Documentary International Film Festival (iREP DOCU-FEST) opens at 9am TODAY (Thursday March 22) at Terra Kulture, Tiamiyu Savage Street, VI, Lagos.

Running for four days – March 22-25 – at both the Terra Kulture, and Freedom Park, Broad Street, Lagos, the festival is attracting about 20 international filmmakers from Europe and parts of Africa, and about 50 Nigerian filmmakers and cine enthusiasts.

The yearly IREP Docu-fest is conceptualised on the thematic framework: AFRiCA IN SELF CONVERSATION. This second edition would explore the theme: DEMOCRACY AND CULTURE: THE DOCUMENTARY FILM INTERVENTION.

A sub-theme of the film fest is tagged, IS NOLLYWOOD DOCUMENTARY? Aand it is designed to open new vistas of production opportunities and possibilities to the Nigerian film maker.

The formal opening this morning will feature a keynote entitled ‘AFRICAN CINEMA AND THE FRONTIERS OF DOCUMENTARY’, and will be presented by renowned anthropologist, and filmmaker, Prof Jean Paul Collyen, Director of the institute of African Arts, Paris.

The keynote will be followed by a panel discussion on the state of African cinema today.

The opening will feature the iREP HALL OF FAME Award to four eminent Nigerians, who have contributed to the discipline of documentary filmmaking in the country: FRANCIS OLADELE, SANDRA OBIAGO, CYRIL OKONKWO AND YUSSUF MAMMAN.

The festival’s official film: AN AFRiCAN ELECTION by Nigerian/Swiss director, Jarreth Merz, will be screened at 11am today at the Terra Kulture, VI; while the Star Film, THE EDUCATION OF AOMA OBAMA, directed by Germany-based Nigerian/Welsh Branwen Okpako will be screened at 8pm at the Freedom Park, Broad Street, Lagos.

In its four-day duration, iREP 2012 will feature screenings and discussions at Terra Kulture each day from 10am-5pm (Thursday to Saturday) and screenings from 7pm-11pm (Thursday to Saturday); and from 10am-10pm on Sunday at Freedom Park’s outdoor theatre only.

The festival will screen about 30 films in its four-day duration and stage workshops and training in Production, camera works, scriptwriting among others. (Please see attached Programme schedule).

This year’s festival is in partnership with Goethe Institut and AG DokumentarFilm (German Association of Independent Producers), both of which are facilitating the participation of a host of international filmmakers who would be presenting films, conducting training workshops and participating in a PRODUCERS FORUM of producer at 3pm at the Terra Kulture.

Please join us at this feast of Documentaries.

Where is the Market for Documentary Films, Terra Kulture, Lagos, 25 March, 12 noon

Press Release:

Where Is The Market For Documentary Films

The Committee For Relevant Art (CORA) is presenting the 90^th Art Stampede on Sunday, March 25, with the theme: Where Is the Market For Documentary Films?  It will hold from 12.noon, at Terra Kulture, the Nigerian Cultural Centre, on Victoria Island.

The art stampede is a quarterly, discursive forum around the arts and culture production. This edition is being held, in collaboration with iREP, under the aegis of the iREP Documentary Film Festival. It will feature a keynote address by Sandra Obiago, Founder/Director of Communicating For Change and a panel of discussants including the filmmakers Mahmoud Ali-Balogun and Charles Novia.

The “creative treatment of actuality” has been commercially successful at the box office, elsewhere in the world. Works like Fahrenheit 9/11, Super Size Me, Food, Inc., Earth, March of the Penguins, and An Inconvenient Truth have put good money in their producers’ pockets. Can this happen here? What is the mindset of the broadcast houses? Even if they are interested, does this necessarily translate to living wages for the producer? This edition of the art stampede will look at the economics of documentary film making and ask a key question: can this vocation be a career pursuit? Can documentary filmmaking pay its way in Nigeria? What are the possible distribution outlets? What is the role of broadcasting?

There will be, as always, an interactive conversation with the audience that’s expected to include film and communications students, filmmakers, professional broadcasters; TV’s programme managers, cultural affairs officers in government, writers, dancers, visual artists as well as the general public.

Beautiful Africa short film script competition. Deadline: 31 January 2012

An opportunity for scriptwriters who are interested in directing here:

Beautiful Africa Call for Entries

FilmContact.com, The Africa Movie Academy Awards and Beautiful Africa are giving 20 scriptwriters the opportunity to direct their own 3 – 5 minute scripts for a documentary series promoting Africa in a positive and entertaining light.

The best scripts will receive full production support to produce, shoot and edit their films anywhere in Africa.

Enter your Film Script into the Beautiful Africa Competition herehttp://www.ufilm.tv/enter

NOTE: If you are already registered on FilmContact.com, you can login with your same username and password at http://www.ufilm.tv

The short films will also compete at film festivals around the world, be entered into The Africa Movie Academy Awards, and be offered to international broadcasters as fillers.

Possible topics include:

• Arts • Economy • Environment • People • Technology • Traditions • Wisdom

The aim is to change perceptions of Africa, repositioning the continent as a place of beauty and opportunity.

There are prizes for the top three completed films.

First prize: $5 000 Second prize: $2 500 Third prize: $1 000

Deadline: 31 January 2012. Finalists to be announced during The Africa Movie Academy Awards in March 2012.

http://www.ufilm.tv/enter

Duniya Juyi-Juyi (That’s how life goes), a docudrama made by Kano almajirai about their lives, screening at Goethe Insitut, Kano, Thursday, 27 October 2011, 7pm

“DUNIYA JUYI-JUYI” Film Screening at Goethe-Institut Nigeria, Kano Liaison Office

 Goethe-Institut Kano, the German Cultural Centre, cordially invites you to the public film screening of the docudrama “Duniya Juyi-Juyi” (“That’s how life goes”) at

Goethe-Institut Kano (cibiyar yaa al’adun Jamus)

Gidan Bi Minista (Culture House)

21, Sokoto Road, Nassarawa, G.R.A., Kano

On Thursday (ranar Alhamis), 27th October, 2011 at 7 p.m. (karfe 7)

While many people hold strong views about the almajiri-system, sadly, the almajirai themselves are rarely listened to. This film hopes to offer an insight into their perspectives and concerns. Nine young people from three different Qur’anic schools in Kano State have been trained to write the script for this film, to do most of the acting, to handle the camera, and to give the stage directions.
This film shows their views and experiences they made while living as almajirai in Kano.

This film project is a cooperation of Goethe-Institut Kano with the Child Almajiri Empowerment and Support Initiative (CAESI) and the Department of Mass Communication, Bayero University Kano.

Kallon Fim a Goethe-Institut Nigeria

“Duniya Juyi-Juyi” (“That’s how life goes”)

Goethe-Institut Kano (cibiyar yaa al’adun Jamus) na farin cikin gayyatarka zuwa kallon wani fim mai suna “Duniya Juyi-Juyi” a

(ranar Alhamis), 27th October, 2011 at 7 p.m. (karfe 7)

Wasu mutane, suna aukar almajirai ba su da muhimminci ko gata a cikin al’ummar. Mafi yawancin mutane ba sa duba matsalolinsu da abin da ya damesu. A wannan fim ana so a nuna wa mutane tunanin almajirai da matsalolinsu. Daga cikin almajirai aka za[1]i mutum 3-3 a makaranta 3, aka ba su horo yadda ake rubuta labarin fim, da kuma tsarawa. Waannan almajiran guda 9, su ne suka rubuta labarinsu, kuma suka yi aukar hoto, daga cikinsu ‘yan wasa suke, kuma wasu suka ba da umarni. Wannan fim yana nuna rayuwarsu da tunaninsu, da irin abubuwan da suke fuskanta na matsala a rayuwarsu.

Wannan fim Goethe-Institut ce ta shiriya shi tare da haddun gwiwar Child Almajiri Empowerment and Support Initiative (CAESI) da kuma Department of Mass Communication, Bayero University Kano.

Ford Foundation Grants for Documentary Projects

The “Just Films” Initiative of the Ford Foundation is offering grants for documentary projects. According to their site:

 

Beginning in 2011, we are investing $10 million a year over five years in documentary projects that address urgent social issues and help us understand our past, explore our present and build our future. Our goal is to expand the community of emerging and established filmmakers who often lack funding to realize their visions and reach audiences.

What We Fund

JustFilms focuses on film, video and digital works that show courageous people confronting difficult issues and actively pursuing a more just, secure and sustainable world. Initiative funds will be distributed through three distinct paths:

• Partnerships with major organizations such as theSundance Institute, the Independent Television Service and the Tribeca Film Institute
• Collaboration with other Ford Foundation grant-making programs where the introduction of documentary film could help draw attention to an issue or advance a movement, and
• An ongoing open-application process that will help JustFilms stay attuned to fresh ideas and stories wherever they may emerge. (Details to come.)

Approximately one-third of JustFilms support is dedicated to finding projects through our open-application process. If you would like to seek a grant for your documentary project, you may do so through our Grant Inquiry process by following the instructions below.

At the end of the online application process, you are given the option to attach a document to the form. For documentary film and media support we request that a letter be attached that includes a brief description of your project and creative approach, the primary purpose of the film, the current stage of the project and whether any other funds have been raised for the film.

 

For more information about the grant funding, click here. 

For more information about the “Just Films Initiative” of the Ford Foundation, click here.

US Embassy Documentary Film Festival in Lagos, Abuja, and Kano

I am still trying to find the exact details of time and place, but the U.S. Embassy is bringing an American documentary film festival to Lagos, Abuja, and Kano from August 2-5. According to Adelani Adepegba at Nigeria Best Forum:

Addressing a media conference on the festival in Abuja on Tuesday, the US Embassy Cultural Affairs Officer, Victoria Sloan stated that selections made from 30 thought-provoking, award- winning documentaries by American film-makers would be shown at different times on August 4 in the screening room of the Abuja Film Village International and the auditorium of the Cyprian Ekwensi Centre for Arts and Culture.

Sloan added that the screening at the AFVI would feature master classes that would be conducted for Nigerian movie professionals by an American film expert while the screening at the other venue would be open to the general public.

The Cultural Attaché explained that the films would showcase facts about American life and culture, describing such documentaries as King Kong, Flow for love of water, and Big River as classics that should not be missed by the discerning person.

For more information, see also the Leadership article: “Nation, U.S. Partner on Cultural Relations” I will post the details when I find them.