Technology Business

A Nigerian film maker Mr Victor Okhai has been appointed the president of the jury of the international digital competition for long feature films of the Cairo International Film Festival.

The Regional Court of Berlin issued a restrictive injunction against the South African picture agency Africa Media Online (AMO) on 28 August. The commercial picture agency AMO allegedly published the photographs of photographer and documentary filmmaker Jurgen Schadeberg on the Internet in July 2009 without having obtained copyright.

The South African Screen Federation (SASFED) has submitted the following letter to the Minister of Arts & Culture, the Honourable Lulu Xingwana MP, outlining the issues challenging the film and TV industry.

The 2010 edition of what is considered the Holy Grail of independent film festivals, Sundance, will host screenings in eight cities across the USA on 28 January, during the actual Sundance event which takes place in Park City, Utah.

The importance of developing international partners in Africa’s broadcast sector was emphasised at the Africa Media & Broadcasting Congress in Johannesburg on 3 November, in a panel featuring representatives from A24 Media in Kenya, MTV Netowrks Africa and MultiChoice.

Rooftop Films based in New York is accepting entries for the 2010 Rooftop Films Summer Series. Rooftop is dedicated to showcase new, independent films and emerging bands in unique outdoor locations.

In its opening weekend on the South African box office, Michael Jackson This Is It generated a hefty R3.6m in revenue, mirroring its impressive overseas takings.

A ground-breaking new documentary, Courting Condi, about Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will screen at the International Film Festival South Africa to be held at the Everglades Hotel in Dargle, KwaZulu Natal, on 7 November. The documentary reveals Rice in various guises - concert pianist, figure skater, orphan, football fan, virgin, oil-woman, liar, incompetent, war profiteer, and torturer

Qatari media group Alnoor Holdings has launched the $200 million Alnoor fund to finance and produce up to 15 features for the international market in the next five years. The announcement was made last week during the four-day inaugural Doha Tribeca Film Festival.

While the South African Minister of Communications plans to load the taxpayer with an additional 1% tax to support the SABC, the BBC which is also under financial pressure has made a decision to cut salary costs to meet its future commitments.