To add to its list of award winners, two of AFDA Film School’s Honours students, Sebastien Lallemand and Jacqueline Viviers, recently scooped the awards for Best Newcomer Cinematographer and Best Newcomer Editor at the MultiChoice VUKA! Awards for the PSA titled “Perceptions’.
The PSA, directed by Honours student Rio Allen, was also nominated in the Best Direction, Best Script and Best Overall categories, proving that judges were moved by this touching advert for the Saartjie Baartman Centre for Women and Children.
“Mayday’, a simple yet effective commercial for the National Sea Rescue Institute, also shot by AFDA fourth year students, was nominated for Best Script, Best Newcomer Cinematography and Best Overall at the prestigious award ceremony which took place in Johannesburg on 21 November.
“Sindiswa’, a short film created by AFDA third year students, received the award for the Best Student Film at the recent SAFTAS (South African Film and Television Awards). The makers of “Sindiswa’ were also honoured to receive a nomination for the 34th Student Academy Awards in the category of Honorary Foreign Film.
Another AFDA production, “Ongeriewe’, was nominated for Best Student Film at the SAFTAS and was listed in the top ten films at the Cannes Film Festival.
AFDA graduate Kelly Parkhurst beat out 300 contestants country-wide to win the coveted job of presenter on the popular SABC3 magazine show, “Top Billing’. AFDA firmly believes in building a local celebrity culture and Parkhurst is the epitome of what the school is trying to create: motivated, passionate, talented individuals who make for inspiring and engaging viewing.
The 2007 academic year ended successfully for AFDA as scores of eager members of the public helped the school celebrate its annual film festival on 30 November. Movies produced by nervous first year students to documentaries shot by seasoned Honours students made their first public viewing to appreciative audiences.
Students are currently anticipating the AFDA Awards Ceremony on 6 December at Cape Town’s Artscape. The ceremony will also host AFDA’s first multi-camera production utilising its recently constructed in-house OB (outside broadcast) unit, via a live camera feed so that the guests can follow the on-stage action.
AFDA is one of the leading outcomes-based degree institutions of its kind in the world and is listed by the Council of Higher Education as one of the top six private tertiary institutions in South Africa. Over the past 10 years AFDA has become a South African Institution of international reputation and excellence.
