The NFVF CEO Eddie Mbalo will deliver a speech on the opening night, which opens with the NFVF funded The opening night feature film for the 31st Durban International Film Festival the crime thriller, State of Violence, directed by Khalo Matabane, will be preceded by a speech by Nation Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) CEO, Eddie Mbalo. The film received funding from the NFVF.
State of Violence, produced by Jeremy Nathan and Michelle Wheatley, stars Fana Mokoena (Generations, The Lab), Presley Chweneyagae (Tsotsi, More Than Just a Game), Neo Ntlatleng (Soul City), Mary Twala (Ubizo – The Calling) and Vusi Kunene (Soul City).
For the duration of the festival, the NFVF will participate and host various workshops and training programmes that include Talent Campus’ Meet the Experts; pitching sessions; DFM finance forum; strategies for film distribution and bursaries and training opportunities. “We believe, through workshops, seminars and training programmes, DIFF has continued to ensure that NFVF’s strategy of developing the local film industry throughout the country is realized. One of the major events of the festival, the Talent Campus is seen as an opportunity for local filmmakers to share expertise with their counterparts from around the continent,’ says Eddie Mbalo.
On Saturday 24 July, the NFVF will host a conference to create awareness of NFVF programmes and departments and will also detail benefits of the recently signed SA-French co-production treaty. That evening the NFVF will host an industry networking event.
Local films, shorts and documentaries supported by the NFVF will also be screened at the festival. These include The Battle for Johannesburg directed by Rehad Desai; The Cradock Four directed by David Forbes; The Fairway directed by Mzimasi Gova; award-winning Father Christmas Doesn’t Come Here directed by Bheki Sibiya; The Abyss Boys directed by Jan-Hendrick Beetge; The Tunnel directed by Jenna Bass; Surfing Soweto directed by Sara Blecher and Dimakatso Raphoto, and My Hunter’s Heart directed by Craig Foster.
The winners of the NFVF supported Durban Short Film Challenge will get an opportunity to attend the scriptwriting Sediba/ Spark programme.
The Durban International Film Festival is organised by the Centre For Creative Arts (University of KwaZulu-Natal) with support by the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund, National Film and Video Foundation, KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development and Tourism, HIVOS, City Of Durban, German Embassy, Goethe Institut, Industrial Development Corporation, Commonwealth Foundation, KwaZulu-Natal Department of Arts and Culture, and a range of other valued partners.
