South Africa is taking 22 local documentary projects to the 25th International Documentary Film Festival (IDFA), 13 of which have been supported by the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF). IDFA runs from 14 to 24 November.
In addition two NFVF supported projects, Devil’s Lair and The Dream of Shahrazad, have been invited to pitch at the IDFA Forum.
The NFVF together with the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) and the South African Documentary Filmmakers Association (DFA) will form part of the South African delegation that will represent the country at IDFA.
“We are very grateful to once again be part of this amazing platform. IDFA provides us with yet another opportunity to take local projects to the world which is one of our key objectives,’ says NFVF CEO Zama Mkosi.
IDFA, the world’s largest documentary film festival, is an annual documentary festival that selects documentaries from around the world for screening. The selection is made on the basis of, among other things, the documentary’s particular innovation, relevance to social issues and the extent to which documentaries communicate with their audiences.
Francois Verster’s film, The Dream of Shahrazad, which is a co-production with his company Undercurrent Film and Television, takes a fresh look at the Arab Spring through the lens of the famous story collection The 1001 (or Arabian) Nights.
Riaan Hendrick’s film, The Devil’s Lair, examines the nature of free choice through the eyes of a hardened Cape Flats gangster struggling to protect his family in the middle of a violent drug-turf war. Both films have completed principal photography and are currently being edited.
“Fireworx Media is excited to have not one but two projects at IDFA’s co-production Forum. This is a global platform, and for high quality creative documentary, there is no better place to position your films if you are seeking international finance and broadcast partners. Both films are the result of much hard work and investment with our producing partners and the directors. Our mission at IDFA is to attract broadcast partners that value the depth of South Africa’s filmmaking talent and unique point of view that we believe are evident in both films. Being part of the South African delegation is also going to be a lot of fun and will make sure South Africa is noticed,” says Neil Brandt co-producer for both The Devel’s Lair and the Dream of Shahrazad.
