The 28th Annual Durban International Film Festival opened on 20 June at the
Suncoast Casino with Meisie, the latest frilm from Darrell James Roodt,
the South African director of the Oscar-nominated Yesterday
An independent, low budget film produced by Roodt and Diony Kempen, Meisie is set in the rural community of Riemvaasmaak in the Kalahari and tells the story of a young girl with a remarkable gift for maths who is kept away fromschool by her father in the belief that she should tend goats.
Characterised by simplicity and purity, the film stars just one professional
actor – Renate Stuurman, as the teacher on a personal mission to recruit the
girl for school. Meisie is played by the compelling youngster Abrina Bosman.
Roodt himself described the film as “humble, experimental and a work in
progress”. Videovision Entertainment, producer and distributor of i>Yesterday, has acquired the worldwide distribution rights for Meisie.
The DIFF opening was attended by dignitaries from the Netherlands Embassy,
the Iranian Embassy and the Indian and Swiss Consulates. Organised by the Centre for Creative Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, the DIFF offers a vast programme of features, documentaries and short films from around the world, as well as related activities such as seminars and workshops.
Said Festival Director Peter Rorvik: “DIFF is not just about film screenings, we highlight the possibility of industry growth in the region. We beleive there should be more awareness of the industry and of its benefits and
opportunities for the peripheral services.
“In the last 12 months we have seen a decline in South African features
which is of concern to us. We trust that this is just a temporary hiaturs. We are
happy, however, to have a very strong selection of films from the rest of
Africa. The DIFF is a celebration of cinema.”
Some of the highlights of this year’s Festival include the entire series of
films from New Crowned Hope which celebrate the 250th anniversary of
Mozart’s birth and a focus on films from the Middle East, Denmark, Italy and the
Indian Ocean Islands, among many other countries.
For more information visit www.cca.ukzn.ac.za.
