Carly Barnes

The Durban FilmMart (DFM), a film co-production and funding market created by the Durban Film Office (DFO) and the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) and funded by the city, is seeking film project submissions from African filmmakers for the 2015 edition. DFM 2015 will select 10 fiction feature and 10 documentary feature projects in development to participate in the 6th Durban FilmMart which is set to take place from 17 to 20 July 2015. The deadline for entries is 15 February 2015.

Many DFM alumni’s have gone on to secure further funding grants and have screened at international film festivals, earning DFM a reputation as a key platform for driving African filmmakers’ careers.

Durban Film Office’s Toni Monty says, “DFM 2014 has been an exceptionally successful one; with amazing talent coming through, innovative workshops taking place and exciting opportunities presented. We look forward to the submissions for next year’s DFM and encourage African filmmakers to take a chance and put themselves out there – you never know where this first step can take you.’

Film idea’s which encompass dynamic African stories or films in development which need further funding to be completed may be entered for consideration. All projects must have a producer attached.

To find out more about project submission criteria and how to submit a project, visit the DFM website or contact DFM at info@durbanfilmmart.com or +27 31 311 4243.

Cote Ouest, a distributor of content for and from Africa, will take a collection of more than 1000 hours of exciting new programs to DISCOP Africa 2014. The Cote Ouest senior team will also be participating in five panel sessions and workshops discussing current trends and developments impacting on the continent’s media industry during the market.

Bernard Azria, chairman and CEO, Cote Ouest Audiovisuel, says: “The switchover to digital will be the most significant revolution in broadcasting Africa has ever experienced. It is estimated that 80% of Francophone population will live in Africa by 2050, therefore how can the industry prepare for a greater demand for content? During our French Speaking Africa Rising session we will address this question and aim to discuss how the industry can ensure a seamless transition to digital and generate quality content. We are also proud to present a dynamic catalogue of programming at DISCOP that we believe showcases the best of African content.’

Headlining Cote Ouest’s slate of programming at DISCOP Africa is Adam’s Apples (series 1, 10×90′ and series 2, 6×45′) a Ghanaian TV series produced by the multiple award-winning Sparrow Productions. Set in the hustle and bustle of the city of Accra, the series follow four dynamic twenty-first century Ghanaian women as they work through various personal trials and tribulations and discover that life is far from easy. Season 1 has been recently dubbed in French by Cote Ouest, and is now available in English and French. Following the success of the first season, the producer has produced an exciting Season 2, following the new adventure of the Adams family.

Acclaimed by critics, Rush (Series 1 and Series 2 13×25′) tells the engaging and inspiring story of Nana, and her magazine, Rush. Inspired by Oprah Winfrey, Nana wants to empower other Africans to lead successful lives. Will she be able to become Kenya’s answer to the American media mogul? Rush is centred on female empowerment and gender equality of African women. Rush has been dubbed by Cote Ouest in French and is now available for French speaking channels.

Njinga Rainha De Angola (1×109′) is a unique and original feature film about Njinga, a 17th century Queen and warrior, who fights for the independence of Angola. After witnessing the murder of her son and watching her community be humiliated by Portuguese colonisers, Njinga strives to become a Queen and liberate her people. Njinga Rainha De Angola is a moving story that takes us into the history of Angola, as it has never been told before.

Kiara (12×26′) tells the story of a 22-year-old orphan who lives with her aunty Babette, the sister of her dead mother. The pair live in disharmony and ultimately; Kiara is forced to run away from home. But Kiara, as she confronts the harsh reality of living on the street, will keep on cultivating determination and perseverance.

Cote Ouest Ouest Audiovisuel general manager, French Speaking Africa, Leticia N’cho Traore , will host the French Speaking Africa Rising panel which will see a host of French-speaking African industry players, ranging from the producer to distributor, express their views on a growing number of opportunities arising from the switchover to digital and coproduction predominately in French-speaking African countries.

Panellists for this session are:
– François Deplanck, head of content and channel, CANAL+ OVERSEAS
– Christoph Limmer, director commercial development broadcasting and video, Eutelsat
– Ahmadou Bakayoko, general manager, RTI
– Sebastien Crozier, general manager Orange Horizons
– Takis Candilis, director of programming, Lagardere Entertainment
– Alain Modot, CEO, DIFFA
– Ismaela Sidibe, CEO, AFRICABLE

Kenyan journalist Joseph Mathenge has been awarded the overall CNN MultiChoice African Journalist of the Year Award at the 2014 ceremony held at the Mlimani City Conference Centre in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on 18 October 2014. His winning work “Images of Terror’ documents the experience by Westgate Mall shoppers in Kenya, when the mall was attacked by gunmen in September 2013. “Images of Terror’ appeared in The Standard, a daily Kenyan newspaper, and was selected out of entries from 38 African countries.

Mathenge said: “It’s a great honour, and I’m humbled to receive this award. All finalists who are here deserve this award. I hope it will motivate men, women and children of goodwill all over the world to fight terrorism. Memories fade with time, but pictures don’t. We felt it necessary to capture each and every moment so that generations to come may see the horror.’

As the top winner, Mathenge receives a cash prize and a three-week visit to CNN Centre in Atlanta to participate in the CNN Journalism Fellowship. All finalists receive a cash prize and an iPad Air, with runner-ups receiving an iPad mini.

Winners in the individual competition categories are:

Culture Award: Obinna Emelike, Business Day, Nigeria
Title: “The roads between us…..a journey across Nigeria’

Coca-Cola Economics and Business Award: Sean Christie, Freelance for Landbouweekblad and The Mail & Guardian, South Africa
Title: “Zimbabwe’s Forests Go Up in Smoke’

Environment Award: Patrick Mayoyo, Daily Nation, Kenya
Title: “Ice on the Equator’

Francophone General News Award for Print Media: Safia Berkouk, El Watan, Algeria
Title: “Pourquoi l’impot rebute les Algeriens’

Francophone General News Award for Electronic Media: Daniel Biaou Adje, ORTB Benin
Title: “Et pourtant, c’est lui qui avait raison’

Press Freedom Award: Bheki Makhubu, Swaziland

Mohamed Amin Photographic Award: Joseph Mathenge, Freelance for the Saturday Nation, Kenya
Title: “Images of Terror’

MSD Health and Medical Award: Olatunji Olalade, The Nation Newspaper, Nigeria
Title: “This marriage will kill me – Tragedy of Nigeria’s child brides’

Portuguese Language General News Award for Print: Bento Venancio, Jornal Domingo, Mozambique
Title: “Corrupçao no Patrimonio do Estado (serie de cinco reportagens de investigaçao, publicada em diferentes datas)’

Portuguese Language General News Award for TV / Radio: Brito Simango, Televisao de Moçambique, Mozambique
Title: “Xibejani’ (Rinoceronte), Caça furtiva do elefante arruina o Parque’ Transfronteriço do Grande Limpopo.

Sport Reporting Award: Evelyn Watta, sportsnewsarena.com, Kenya
Title: “Inside Senegal’s mythical Wrestling heritage’

GE Energy and Infrastructure Award: Joy Summers and Susan Comrie, M-Net Carte Blanche, South Africa
Title: “Game of Geysers part 1 and 2′

News Impact Award: Anne Mawathe and Rashid Ibrahim, Citizen TV, Kenya
Title: “Veiled Injustice’

Nico Meyer, CEO MultiChoice Africa, said: “Congratulations to all the 2014 winners, we are proud to recognise your excellence in journalism and to reward you for your courage in telling stories that would have otherwise remained untold. We believe the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist Awards has had a profound effect on the African media landscape and as MultiChoice Africa we remain committed to recognising excellence in journalism throughout Africa. We applaud all the nominees and winners for contributing to Africa’s growth and success.’

Imtiaz Patel, Group CEO of MultiChoice South Africa added: “I would like to thank all of the journalists who have entered this competition and in doing so have helped further develop this award as a platform for excellence in journalism. Your dedication and commitment to tell stories that reflect the reality of our world is very encouraging. A special congratulation to the winners announced tonight. Your work echoes a great future for the role of the journalists and serves to further strengthen the role of the media in Africa. You are indeed all winners and an inspiration to us all – you have made us very proud.’

The Royal African Society’s annual Film Africa festival will screen 85 films, including 24 premiers from across 23 different African countries, from 31 October to 9 November in London. The Royal African Society is an organisation which fosters a better understanding of Africa in the UK and throughout the world.

Tala Hadid’s The Narrow Frame of Midnight will open the festival while Abderrahmane Sissako’s Timbuktu has been selected as the closing film. Other noteworthy films featuring at Film Africa are: Olivier Delahaye and Dani Kouyate’s Soleils, Sana Na N’Hada’s Kadjike, Noaz Deshe’s White Shadow (executive produced by Ryan Gosling), Hicham Lasri’s They Are the Dogs, and Dieudo Hamadi’s National Diploma.

Sheila Ruiz, manager of Film Africa, says: “The films in this year’s festival continue to reveal new images and nuanced narratives of Africa, which we know London audiences are eager to see and engage with. There is really something for everyone and we look forward to yet another successful festival!’

The year 2014 has been a benchmark for a number of African countries, which will be reflected in the film programme.

The festival will host a nation-wide slate of iconic South African films titled “South Africa at 20: The Freedom Tour’. The line-up includes Lionel Rogosin’s 1959 classic Come Back, Africa, the award-winning Four Corners directed by Ian Gabriel, and Rehad Desai’s controversial documentary Miners Shot Down about the 2012 Marikana massacre.

In celebration of 60 years of independence in Algeria, Film Africa 2014 will present a programme of Algerian films which highlight the creative work of a new generation of courageous filmmakers. Titled “Algerian Cinema: Towards a New Wave’ the programme is testament to the country’s shifting filmmaking landscape.

A number of documentary filmmakers will portray their interpretation of African literary and music scenes in this year’s film programme, which includes UK and London premiers of Silvia Voser’s Ken Bugul – Nobody Wants Her, Rachel Samuel’s Asni: Courage, Passion & Glamour in Ethiopia, Lebogang Rasethaba’s Future Sound of Mzansi, and Mario Patrocinio’s I Love Kuduro.

Zeinab Badawi, chair of the Royal African Society, says: “Film Africa 2014 is presenting a variety of powerful and compelling narratives from the continent on film. I think Film Africa is doing a marvellous job in bringing untold stories to the fore.’

Other Film Africa 2014 programme highlights include:

• The Industry Forum at the BFI: a free event which informs on the business of African cinema
• The Baobab Award for Best Short Film
• Film Africa LIVE! music nights featuring the best African music in London
• A schools screening programme
• A spotlight on Lusophone (Portuguese-speaking) African cinema
• Female filmmakers and women-centred stories
• Over 20 filmmakers and guests in attendance

Film Africa 2014 will take place across 11 venues, including the Hackney Picturehouse, Ritzy Brixton, BFI Southbank, Cine Lumiere, Rich Mix and the South London Gallery.

Visit the Film Africa website for more information.