The International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (IDFA), which takes place from 13 to 24 November, will see the largest delegation of South African documentary filmmakers (34) ever to visit an international festival or market. South African delegates will hold meetings with Dutch producers as well as producers from other delegations. They will also host a co-production function including a South African DJ and two of the Pansula dancers from the Durban International Film Festival documentary winner, African Cypher.
Two projects by South Africans – The Devil’s Lair (Riaan Hendricks and Neil Brandt) and The Dream of Shahrazad (Francois Verster and Neil Brandt) – have been selected to pitch at the IDFA Forum, the biggest pitching market for documentaries in the world.
South Africa’s Department of Trade & Industry (the dti) and the Documentary Filmmakers Association (DFA) continue to expose and offer export market opportunities to the film industry in South Africa through the dti’s EMIA (Export Marketing and Investment Assistance) scheme.
The official South African delegation at IDFA, the world’s largest documentary festival, comprises 20 filmmakers from different provinces in South Africa, funded by the dti’s group assistance scheme for emerging exporters. They are joined by members of the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) and other documentary filmmakers who are funded by the dti’s individual schemes or who are self-funded.
Brand SA has partnered with the DFA delegation and contributed towards the market stand with South African flag branded giveaways. The NFVF also contributed with financial support for the delegation catalogue that showcases the projects being presented at the market.
This will be the second delegation of documentary makers representing South Africa at an international film festival this year, following on the successful delegation to Hot Docs in Toronto Canada in April. Both the previous and current delegations were spearheaded by DFA member Pascal Schmitz, who has become an expert in EMIA funded South African delegations to international markets and festivals.
The DTI’s EMIA Schemes fund both emerging exporters, through their group scheme, to break into international markets, as well established exporters through their individual schemes to market and sell their products. According to DFA board member Mayenzeke Baza, such initiatives are necessary for the growth, development and transformation of the documentary film industry in our country, as they help to expose emerging and previously disadvantaged filmmakers to different markets and opportunities to sell their products to international broadcasters and funders.
“The documentary film genre is unique,’ says Baza. “It stimulates public discourse, reflects on social, political, cultural and current events, explores history, commemorates heritage and unearths the mysteries of the universe and the planet.’
Baza points out that documentary is the most accessible genre of filmmaking for young professionals looking to break into the industry and so offers a ripe field for transformation.
For further information please contact: Pascal Schmitz delegation@docfilmsa.com
