The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Arts and Culture, will once again host and facilitate the South African film industry presence at the Cannes International Film Festival. This year’s festival has been scheduled to run from 11 to 22 May 2016.
The NFVF is putting together a festival catalogue of projects from the 2015/16 period, seeking either completion, finance or sales agents for publication. Along with other activities, the NFVF will also host a sales event aimed at presenting projects to international buyers and agents.
Through the catalogue, sales event and screenings to industry experts, some of the South African films showcased at last year’s festival have travelled around the globe, signed with international distributors and won various awards. These films include: Ayanda, produced by Terry Pheto’s Leading Lady Productions and Real Eyes Films, which was picked up for distribution in the US by American director, screenwriter, film marketer and film distributor Ava DuVernay; Sibs Shongwe-La Mer’s Necktie Youth which premiered at festivals including Berlinale, Tribeca and Sydney, and won Best Director and Best Feature at the Durban International Film Festival; and Bordering on Bad Behaviour by Zenhq Films which also received various international awards.
Guidelines
Independent filmmakers which have fully developed projects (final scripts) or completed projects that are ready for sale are invited to submit project synopses for the NFVF to consider for inclusion in the catalogue and/or pitch at the sales event. Filmmakers must email the following information (application form is not required):
• Full synopsis of the project
• Tagline
• Two high resolution digital film posters (2000mmx2000mm and 610mmx 910mm)
• Trailer/promo (where available)
• High resolution production stills (where available)
• Requirements (funding/sales agent/distribution)
Failure to submit all of the above will result in the application not being considered.
The NFVF reserves the right to select qualifying films for the sales event or catalogue.
Deadline for submissions is 26 February 2016. For project submissions email Thandeka Zwana thandekaz@nfvf.co.za.
