Wild Talk Africa Showcases Best of Environmental and Wildlife Films at DIFF

Durban, South Africa: For the second year running, Durban Wild Talk Africa will showcase a selection of both local and international natural history films during nine slots at this year’s 35th Durban International Film Festival which runs from 17 – 27 July 2014.

Durban Wild Talk Africa Film Festival now in its 9th year, brings a world-class television market and natural history conference to South Africa every two years.  After the success of last year’s conference at DIFF, Durban Wild Talk Africa will again present a programme of nature films that are fast becoming a firm favourite in the festival’s diverse line up.  This year, the strand once again offers entertaining and enlightening viewing for nature enthusiasts, animal-lovers, adrenalin junkies and environmentalists alike. 

Some not-to-be-missed films include:

 “Unearthed” – a shocking insight into the world of hydraulic fracking through the journey of a young South African journalist who starts asking questions when the fracking industry arrives in her hometown in the Karoo. Her questions take her into the dark underbelly of America’s gas industry. 

“Black Mamba: Kiss of Death” - Spend an hour in the life of the most feared snake in Africa, witnessing the most intimate moments of its life and predatory attacks right here in Kwa-Zulu Natal. 

“Birdman Chronicles” - Launch into the adrenalin-charged world of wingsuit flying; revealing the beautiful freedom found in this sport, as well as the constant presence of potential tragedy. 

“DamNation” - With over 75,000 dams built in America after the Great Depression; this epic documentary odyssey explores the changing opinions towards dams, and witnesses the extent that some will go to answer the question , “Why have we damned up our rivers?’

“Expedition to the End of the World” On a three-mast schooner packed with artists, scientists and ambitions worthy of Noah or Columbus, we set off for the end of the world: the rapidly melting massifs of North-East Greenland.

Other films in this strand include the award-winning Iranian astronaut-inspired “Sepideh”, Liz Marshall’s photographic revelation into the commodification of animals in “The Ghosts in our Machines”, an artistic voyage into water in “Watermark” and the world premier of “Lady Baboon”- chronicling the life of a woman who single handedly started the controversial baboon conservation movement in South Africa and who is often described as “the unknown Jane Goodall.”

The partnership between Durban Wild Talk Africa and Durban International Film Festival is part of the City of Durban’s vision to position the city as Africa’s primary destination for film markets and festivals.

For more information about Wild Talk Africa contact shani@wildtalkafrica.com or call 021 422 0023, or visit www.durbanfilmfest.co.za for screening information and updates.

The 35th Durban International Film Festival is organised by the Centre for Creative Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (a special project of the Deputy Vice Chancellor of Humanities, Cheryl Potgieter) with support from the National Film and Video Foundation, KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development & Tourism, KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission, City of Durban, German Embassy, Goethe Institut, Industrial Development Corporation, KwaZulu-Natal Department of Arts and Culture and a range of other valued partners.

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AFDA Durban to host Open Day

The AFDA Durban Campus will host an Open Day next Saturday, June 7 from 10 to 12noon at the Glen Anil campus, for prospective students and their parents to obtain more information about AFDA’s Undergraduate BA degree in Motion Picture Medium or Live Performance.

This new, state of the art, campus established in 2013 has seen substantial growth and upgrades to accommodate the students’ needs in the first and second year of the Undergraduate degree. The Bachelor of Arts degree is designed as a platform to nurture and develop the necessary skills to enter the industry and to create sustainable, quality and entertainment productions after they graduate. The Open Day will offer the opportunity to view selected AFDA student films, followed by a brief presentation by the Campus Dean about the Undergraduate degree. The open day will then proceed with guided tours around the campus with live demonstrations of disciplines within each of the Film, TV and Performance schools. 

On Friday, June 6, the Durban campus will also host an Interview Day from 1:30pm until 5pm. Prospective students are invited to book a slot to meet with the Campus Dean, a Head of School or a lecturer from the campus within the area they may be interested in. This is an opportunity to ask any questions and seek advice on the course or a career in the Entertainment industry. There are also limited slots available for appointments on Open Day, June 7.

AFDA Durban will host the AFDA Experimental Festival in Film, Television and Performance, which will showcase student films, performances as well as a live television recording on Friday and Saturday, June 13 and 14. Follow the Facebook (AFDA Durban) and Twitter (@AFDADurban) pages to get all the details..

Contact the campus directly for more information on the Open Day or to make an appointment: 0315692252 / milenag@afda.co.za /puritys@afda.co.za. 

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Teachers Sensitised on LGBTI Issues in the Classroom

In 2012 Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Head of the College of Humanities, Professor Cheryl Potgieter and Co-Principal Investigators, Drs. Thabo Msibi and Finn Reygan at the University of KwaZulu-Natal initiated a study to sensitise teachers to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) identities in the curriculum.  The project culminated in 2014 with a hands-on, easy-to-use curriculum resource that was launched today (30 May, 2014).  This initiative was supported by a grant from the U.S. Diplomatic Mission to South Africa and endeavours to be a positive step in ensuring that schools are safe and affirming spaces for all learners, regardless of sexuality. 

 The study included 800 teachers in KwaZulu-Natal who were trained on how to develop competencies in teaching about sexual and gender diversity. It also upskilled participants on how to best challenge homophobia and transphobia in the classroom. While the South African Constitution was the first in Africa to explicitly recognise the rights of gay and lesbian individuals, the study found that many school learners who self-identify as LGBTI or are assumed to be LGBTI, continue to be denied rights through forms of homophobia and hate speech, exclusion, marginalisation and violence. These negative experiences occur despite the protections offered by both the Constitution and the South African Schools Act, both of which are clear in addressing all forms of discrimination in the promotion of a democratic, equal and fair South Africa.

 “While schools are often seen as sites of support, care and assistance, and teachers and school principals are seen as making a difference in young people’s lives, the reality is quite different when it comes to the lives of LGBTI young people and adults, who continue to experience discrimination and violence,” explained Professor Potgieter.

 The study, saw religious groups, non-governmental organisations and teacher organisations discuss the challenges that many in the LGBTI community face today. With the successful conclusion of this study and training, a curriculum resource pack on LGBTI issues will be available for teacher- educators. 

“We have recommended that the training module be provided not just to Life Orientation (LO) trainer teachers but to trainee teachers across all subject areas. Sexual and gender diversity must be included in the National Schools Safety Framework.

“Academic staff in Schools of Education should be adequately trained in advance on the issues contained in the training module so that they are sensitised and conscientised around these issues and therefore prepared to fully engage in an affirming manner with the training content,” concludes Professor Potgieter.

The recommendations will be sent to the Departments of Basic and Higher Education for consideration.

 U.S. Consul General Taylor Ruggles represented the U.S. Diplomatic Mission to South Africa at the launch event and he said, “U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry participated in the first ever United Nation’s LGBT Ministerial Event in September 2013 where he reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to promoting and protecting the human rights of all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.  Secretary Kerry said and I quote, “As Secretary, I join with my colleagues at our embassies, consulates and USAID missions around the world in saying no matter where you are and no matter who you love, we stand with you.”

 U.S. Government Fact Sheet: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Human Rights Issues

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2014/05/226253.htm

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 Caption to photo by Sipho Ngwenya 

 Left to right

Dr Finn Reygan, Project co-principal investigator, Taylor Ruggles, US Consul General , Prof Cheryl Potgieter, DVC and Head of the College of Humanities and Project Principal Investigator and Dr Thabo Msibi, Project co-principal investigator at the project report breakfast on LGBTI issues in the curriculum in Durban.

The Knit Wits of KZN to Knit, en masse at Nelson Mandela Capture Site

The Knit Wits of KZN to Knit, en masse at Nelson Mandela Capture Site 

On 15 June 2014, KZN ‘knit-wits’ from Zululand, Durban, Pietermaritzburg, the Midlands and the Drakensberg, will congregate at the Nelson Mandela Capture Site in Howick for a good cause. 

The cause is 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day – an initiative that aims to collect thousands of handmade blankets which will be distributed to those in need on Nelson Mandela Day (18 July).

According to Carolyn Steyn, Founder of 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day: “This Father’s Day, we’ll be celebrating the father of our nation by hosting a concert organised by actress and our Midlands Ambassador, Annie Robinson, for our loyal ‘knit-wits’ who have been working so hard to create blankets for those less fortunate. Stitch by stitch we will be keeping people around our beautiful country – and around the world – warm this winter.”

The ‘knit-wits’ are in for a special treat with performances by acclaimed South African troubadour, Nibs Van der Spuy; passionate and versatile musician, Kaolin Thomson; one of South Africa's leading concert pianists, Christopher Duigan; Pietermaritzburg based musician and Idols finalist Erin Fourie, and Steyn’s goddaughter, Ella Grealy.  Even if you are not a ‘knit-wit’ – join us for a great day out - dads are invited to join in too ….it is after all Father’s Day!

“Hundreds of the handmade blankets will be on display at the foot of the famous statue of Madiba for an official photograph. This photograph will illustrate the goodwill of South Africans and show the world the impact the father of our nation, Nelson Mandela has had on all of us.  Already, we have collected over 670 blankets – we hope to collect hundreds more from our Kwa-Zulu Natal based ‘knit-wits’,” says Steyn.   

67 BLANKETS FOR NELSON MANDELA DAY CONCERT

DATE:                        15 June 2014

TIME:                          Concert starts at 12:00pm, Blanket handover to take place at 2:30pm

PARKING:                 There will be a designated 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day parking area

SPONSORS:             Sound equipment and stage has been kindly sponsored by Selbys.  The MC for the day will be Brendan Grealy who has been involved with the development of the Mandela Capture Site since its inception.

REFRESHMENTS:   Everyone is encouraged to bring their own picnic baskets and picnic blankets.   Food and drinks can also be purchased at the Capture Site.

NOTE TO EDITORS:

67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day started as a challenge but has quickly grown into what some are calling a movement. It’s captured the attention of thousands of South Africans as well as corporates and hundreds of people in the UK, Australia, New Zealand. Canada, Germany, Cyprus, London, the US and India.

Joining the 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day movement is easy.The only requirement is that the single bed sized blanket or baby blanket has to be handmade – no store bought blankets will be accepted. 

Blankets can be knitted or crocheted and should measure 150 cm x 200 cm.  Most importantly, those who pledge to make a blanket must please keep their promise and complete the blanket or blankets by 1 July 2014. 

Drop off points include Auto & General Insurance offices nationwide, the Auto & General Theatre on the Square, the Saxon Hotel, Villas and Spa, The President's Award office in Grahamstown and Clifton Preparatory School in Nottingham Road in the Midlands Monday -  Friday or contact Annie (abgrealy@iafrica.com)

Charity beneficiaries will be announced closer to the time.

For more information, please visit: www.67blankets.com

Twitter - @67blankets

Facebook - 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day

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ISSUED ON BEHALF OF 67 BLANKETS FOR MADIBA DAY BY BUZ PR

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT

Christabel Zulu/ Bridget van Oerle

BUZ PUBLICITY

011 482 3467 /3489

083 706 2952/ 083 263 6991

christabel@buz.co.za / buz@buz.co.za

skype: buzpr

Vusi Mahlasela for Action in Autism Benefit Concert

Ernie Smith

Action is Autism in partnership with the eThekwini Municipality, will host a Benefit Concert for Autism with Vusi Mahlasela on Saturday, 14 June at the Durban City Hall from 19:00.

Action in Autism is a non-profit organisation established to act as a lobbyist, support and fundraising body for parents of children diagnosed with autism. The central focus of the organisation is to improve the quality of life for people with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and their caregivers. One of Action in Autism’s flagship projects is its Early Learning Intervention and Resource Centre which has been running for the past 5 years and is temporarily based at 74 Keal Road, Sydenham, Durban, 4001. The Early Learning Intervention Centre provides a pivotal space of excellence in early intervention and therapy for infants and children aged between 2 and 6 years old. Each child enrolled at the centre receives daily one on one intervention, weekly speech-language and occupational therapy from a staff of 10 full time and 2 part time professionals in the field of autism.

Born and raised in the Mamelodi Township, just outside Pretoria, self taught guitarist Vusi Mahlasela built his first guitar from fishing line’s and a cooking oil can.  In 1976, Vusi’s political education began as he witnessed the devastating massacre of more than 200 black South Africans in the Soweto Uprising.  Vusi responded through his music, inspiring other musicians and listeners around him. Vusi began to write songs of justice, of freedom, of revolution, of love, of peace and of life.   He joined a poetry group, The Ancestors of Africa, and also joined the Congress of South African Writers, a group of like-minded artists and writers, including Nobel Laureate Nadine Gordimer who paid for Vusi’s first guitar lessons.  At this point, his political activism truly began.

This past year, the SAMA Awards (South African Music Awards) chose to honour Vusi with a Lifetime Achievement award to recognize his accomplishments both at home and abroad.  The honor made the troubadour take a look back and realize that in what felt like a blink of the eye, it had been twenty years since the release of When You Come Back.  In celebration, he got the band together and put on a big show at the Lyric Theatre in Johannesburg—and recorded it.

Opening act is Durban’s music hero Ernie Smith whose mix of Jazz, African and R&B references will no doubt get the crowd revving up for Mahlasela.

“International statistics indicate numbers as high as 1:110 people being diagnosed with Autism. The focus of the benefit concert is to raise public awareness for Autism Spectrum Disorder whilst at the same time raising much needed funds to build an Autism Centre to cater for those most in need” says Director and Founder of Action in Autism, Liza Aziz.

Tickets are R180 to R250 and are available on Computicket. Corporate packages for 10 or more tickets are available. For more information on Action in Autism, the Benefit Concert, to block book a corporate package or how you can get involved in assisting the centre you can contact Kirsten Miller on (031) 2074858 or info@actioninautism.org.za

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35th Durban International Film Festival - Moves to Tsogo Sun

South Africa's largest and longest-running film festival, the Durban International Film Festival, hosted by the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Centre for Creative Arts, (a special project of the Deputy Vice Chancellor, College of Humanities, Prof Cheryl Potgieter) presents its 35th edition from 17 to 27 July 2014. This year, the ten day celebration of world class cinema will see over 200 screenings of new films from South Africa, the continent and the world, with a number of world premiere screenings of local and international films.

Industry initiatives include a programme of seminars and workshops with notable industry figures from across the globe, the 7th Talents Durban, in cooperation with the Berlin Talents (which seeks to incubate African talent through master classes and networking opportunities), and the 5th Durban FilmMart coproduction market in partnership with the Durban Film Office, which is currently open for delegate registration.

Thematically, this edition of DIFF will reflect on South Africa’s twenty years of democracy with a focus on film that explores the many diverse facets of the nation’s history over the past two decades. Other focus areas for this year include African cinema, British cinema, the Wildtalk Wildlife Film Festival, Wavescape Surf Film Festival and a programme of cinema centred on architecture, in acknowledgement of the city of Durban’s hosting of the International Union of Architects Congress 2014. Among this year’s plentiful offerings, viewers will get the chance to watch Khalo Matabane’s Nelson Mandela:  The Myth and Me, Richard Linklater’s Boyhood, Mickey Dube’s One Humanity, Annalet Steenkamp's I, Afrikaner, Carey Mackenzie’s Cold Harbour, Diao Yinan’s Black Coal, Thin Ice and Jane Pollard and Iain Forsyth’s 20 000 Days on Earth, to name just a few. 

While DIFF will returns once more to light up screens in numerous venues across the city with a programme of fresh and exciting global cinema, the festival is delighted to announce that the festival hub, which houses both screenings and industry events, will now be located at the new, lavishly renovated Tsogo Sun hotel on Durban beachfront’s Golden Mile. 

Mike Jackson, Director of Operations for Tsogo Sun KZN said, “Tsogo Sun, the leading hotels, gaming and entertainment company in South Africa, is proud to be associated with the forthcoming Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) and the Durban Film Mart (DFM). This is the first time that Tsogo Sun has been appointed the official event and accommodation partner for this prestigious event and we are proud that our mega-complex – Southern Sun Elangeni & Maharani – is the chosen venue. We see this as a fantastic opportunity to showcase Durban to national and international film producers, buyers, sales agents, broadcasters and film financiers, with great networking opportunities for local talent. We look forward to welcoming both national and international visitors to our Province to enjoy the warm hospitality at our hotels.”
Festival manager, Peter Machen, is looking forward to the move, which is, according to him, “both strategic and practical. Both the festival and market have grown tremendously over the years and we needed to consider a venue that could accommodate the size of our current set of programmes, as well as allow for growth in line with future plans".

The festival is a key event for the African film industry and is an unmissable date on any film lover’s calendar. Keep an eye on durbanfilmfest.co.za for details and screening schedules. Follow on Twitter @DIFFest or Facebook on DurbanInternationalFilmFestival.

The 35th Durban International Film Festival is organised by the Centre for Creative Arts (University of KwaZulu-Natal) with support by the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (principal funder), National Film and Video Foundation, KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development and Tourism, City of Durban, German Embassy, Goethe Institut, Industrial Development Corporation, KwaZulu-Natal Department of Arts and Culture, the KZN Film Commission and a range of other valued partners. 

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5th Durban FilmMart Project Selection Announcement

5th Durban FilmMart Project Selection Announcement

It’s that exciting time of the year again when the Durban FilmMart proudly reveal the names of the African filmmakers whose film and documentary projects have been officially selected to participate in the continent’s leading finance and coproduction film market.  The Durban FilmMart was pleased to receive applications from filmmakers from around the African continent intent on participating in the biggest edition of Durban FilmMart thus far.

Set to take place in Durban at the new venue of Tsogo Sun, Elangeni Hotel from 18-21 July 2014, during the 35th edition of the Durban International Film Festival (17-27 July 2014), the Durban FilmMart – a joint initiative between the Durban Film Office and the Durban International Film Festival - will serve as a meeting place for African filmmakers, financiers, broadcasters and top film experts.

“We are very pleased to note that the number, quality and geographical spread of project submissions are growing every year. Our evaluation committee had a tough job selecting the top twenty projects most suited to the Durban FilmMart programme and we thank everybody who submitted projects for their interest in Durban FilmMart.” said Durban Film Office Head Toni Monty.

The project selection process was undertaken by a Reader Panel consisting of African and international film professionals who were given the daunting task of moderating and scoring the 164 submissions, which consisted of 85 feature and 79 documentary projects.

Following the outcome, 10 fiction projects and 10 documentary projects have been selected for one-on-one meetings with potential investors and co-producers in the Finance Forum. This year’s programme will also include a full day pitch forum in which both documentary and fiction projects will be pitched to a panel of commissioning editors, funders and financiers.  Durban FilmMart participants will also have the opportunity to liaise with industry professionals during several scheduled networking sessions.

Many of the Durban FilmMart alumni have gone on to compete and premiere at festivals across the globe, including the Durban International Film festival, said festival manager Peter Machen.  “From Durban to Cannes, Toronto and Berlin, talented African filmmakers, including those selected to participate in DFM 2014, are making their mark in the global arena.  African filmmaking is on the rise.”

The following fiction film projects have been selected for DFM 2014:

 All Time Idlers (Egypt) - Directed by Khaled Hafez and produced by Hossam Elouan

The Boy in the Mask (South Africa) - Directed by Jan Lampen and produced by Jennifer Mostert              

Cold Stone Jug (South Africa) - Directed by William Collinson and Ashleigh Nash

Dances of Red (Namibia) - Directed by Oshosheni Hiveluah and produced by Tapiwa Mahaka     

Hawa Hawaii (Kenya) - Directed by Amirah Mohamed Tajdin and produced by Wafa Mohamed Tajdin

Nyanga Sky (South Africa) - Directed by Matthew Griffiths and produced by Rafeeqah Galant   

The Story Of A Kiss (Egypt) - Directed by Ahmed Amer and produced by Wael Sayed El Ahl          

The Train of Salt and Sugar (Portugal/Mozambique) - Directed by Licinio De Azevedo and produced by Pandora Cunha Telles   

Tree of Crows (South Africa) - Directed by Stephen Abbott and produced by Eduan van Jaarsveldt

The Wound (South Africa) - Directed by John Trengove and produced by Elias Ribeiro    

The following documentary film projects have been selected:

Afterglow (South Africa) - Directed and produced by Amber (Arya) Lalloo

Alex On Seventh (South Africa) - Directed by Engelbert Phiri and produced by Guy Bragge

Alison (South Africa) - Directed by Uga Carlini and produced by Amy Nelson       

Beyond the Barricades (South Africa) Directed by Zanele Muholi and produced by Joost Verheij               

The Colonel’s Stray Dogs (South Africa) - Directed by Khalid Shamis and produced by Steven Markovitz

Egyptian Jeanne d'Arc (Egypt) Directed by Iman Kamel and produced by Talal Al-Muhanna         

Home Expulsion (Rwanda) - Directed and produced by Kayambi Musafiri

In search of African Duende: The Uganda Flamenco Project (Uganda) - Directed by Caroline Kamya and produced by Keren Cogan

Kula: A Memory in Three Acts (Mozambique) - Directed and produced by Inadelso cossa

The Sound of Masks (South Africa) - Directed by Kofi  Zwana and produced by Sara Gouveia

The 5th Durban FilmMart takes place in Durban from 18-21 July 2014, during the 35th edition of the Durban International Film Festival (17-27 July 2014). Filmmakers who do not have projects as part of the official selection can still register as delegates for the event, and will have the opportunity to attend numerous cutting-edge masterclasses throughout the four-day event.  Registration is now open and early bird rates apply until 27 June.

For more information on the Durban FilmMart and how to register as a delegate please visit www.durbanfilmmart.com

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AFDA Johannesburg launches new 75-seater theatre

AFDA Johannesburg launches new 75-seater theatre 

The AFDA School of Live Performance opened its new 75-seater Red Roof Theatre @AFDA on Friday, May 9 with a festival of four award-winning professional theatre productions.

The impressive set of plays that have been presented over the 10 day festival include the internationally acclaimed cult production THE EPICENE BUTCHER AND OTHER STORIES FOR CONSENTING ADULTS; Gina Shmukler's docu-drama THE LINE with Khutjo Green (Naledi Award Winner for Best Actress) and Gabi Harris; Amanda Strydom's multilingual cabaret, STATE OF THE HEART, that pokes fun at the Afrikaner soul and gives a glimpse of the history of South Africa from the twenties to the late seventies; and Phillip M Dikotla's Fleur du Cap winning performance in SKIERLIK.

In 2012 AFDA reintroduced its theatre-training programme that had been dormant since 2006. It also added a programme in Music Performance that trains singer / songrwriters. Greg Homann joined AFDA at the beginning of last year and under his headship the Live Performance School has rapidly grown in numbers. Joining the staff of Justin Strydom, Drikus Volschenk and Coenraad Rall, the school employed new staff members Camilla Waldman and Heidi Edeling, along with an impressive list of professional practitioners who serve the school as part-time teachers. These include Daniel Buckland, Ameera Patel, Prince Lamla, Gina Shmukler, and Robert Coleman.

At the beginning of this year the AFDA School of Live Performance in Johannesburg confirmed three Chairs in its discipline training of Screen Acting, Stage Acting and Music Performance. These chairs are Linda Sokhulu, David Dennis and Judith Sephuma respectively.

The festival ends this weekend with SKIERLIK being performed on Friday 16 and Saturday 17 May at 7.30pm. SKIERLIK, written and performed by Phillip Dikotla, was the winner of best production at the Zabalaza Theatre Festival 2013, and a Standard Bank Ovation Award at the 2013 National Arts Festival in Grahamstown. 

Tickets are R80 (R50 for students). To book call  011 482 8345 or at the theatre box-office.

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For further media info and enquiries email Greg Homann (gregh@afda.co.za)

Flatfoot Dance Company presents Isiphethu at the Stable Theatre

FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY is proud to continue its three year partnership with Durban’s Stable Theatre to present a very special season of new African contemporary dance works which will have special appeal for both a younger dance audiences and the more seasoned dance aficionado.

“ISIPHETHU” is an isiZulu word which means “The Well” and this season of three new dance work dives into considering the power of the image and symbol of “The Well” to nurture and support the heart and spirit of the individual and the community. Timeously created with the ideas of a 20 year democracy resonating in us, “ISIPHETHU” is a personal journey into understanding the collective spirit of South Africa. Featuring 3 new choreographic works by senior company members:  Sifiso Majola, Jabu Siphika and Sifiso ‘Kitsona’ Khumalo under the direction of FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY Artistic Director, Lliane Loots.

The season features the choreography of Sifiso Majola, Jabu Siphika and Sifiso ‘Kitsona’ Khumalo, three of FLATFOOT’s most senior and awarded dancers as they turn their talents to creating dance that will delight, amaze and entertain you! Each of them have worked with the idea of “The Well” and what this means to them so feast of contemporary dance will offer you a chance to see how 3 different choreographer work around one theme or idea. This season will feature all 6 of the much loved resident FLATFOOT dancers performing the works.

“ISIPHETHU”  begins with Sifiso Majola’s “GUGULAMI/MY PRIDE” and delves into the idea of what it means to look into “The Well” and see your reflection and, through this mirror image, how we learn to see our real selves; selves that have ancestors who have guided us and nurtured us. Jabu Siphika’s very personal solo dance work follows. Entitled “experience is a good teacher”, it draws on the idea that our daily trips to “The Well” are sometimes filled with trials and tribulations but at the end as we draw from “the Well” (our inner strengths), we are nurtured and refreshed as we step closer to becoming who we are meant to be. The season ends with the African contemporary master work by Sifiso Khumalo entitled “UGUBHU” which roughly translates to reference the deep sound that comes from the African drum. This work journey’s to “the Well” to find the echo of what our lives should be like – the joy and the triumphs that echo in the sounds of nature.

FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY, now in its 11th year, is KZN’s premier African contemporary dance company and with numerous awards for their dance work and recent international tours under their belts, this is your opportunity to come and watch them at Durban’s Stable Theatre and watch the magic of 3 new Durban choreographic voices unfold. 

“ISIPHETHU” has special morning performances that encourage schools to take advantage of this season of dance theatre. For pre-bookings for any of the shows call 082 – 875 6065 or e-mail Craighead@ukzn.ac.za Show times; 22 May (Thursday) at 11am, 23 May (Friday) at 11am and 6.30pm, and 25 May (Sunday) at 3pm.

Performance Dates and Times:

22 May (Thurs): 11am

23 May (Fri): 11am and 6.30pm

25 May (Sunday): 3pm

TICKETS:
R50.00 (adults)

R25.00 (Students, scholars and pensioners)

PRE-BOOKING: Clare on 082 – 875 6065 or craigehead@ukzn.ac.za

For more information about the Flatfoot Dance Company you can contact Lliane Loots on (031) 260-1142 or e-mail her on lootsl@ukzn.ac.za.

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AFDA Durban appoints Laszlo Bene As Head of Television School

AFDA (The South African School of Motion Picture Medium and Live Performance) has appointed versatile producer Laszlo Bene as the Head of the Television School at the Durban Campus.

Laszlo Bene, a producer and director has worked on a number of national and international productions. Having received his education and work experience in the trenches of the Hollywood film community, Laszlo has produced over a dozen motion pictures. In 2006, Bene swapped Hollywood for Johannesburg where he entered the realms of television. He has worked on a number of productions, including the popular children’s series, Takalani Sesame and created/produced a number of projects, such as the Afrikaans family game show, "Dis Rugby!” which was based on one of South Africa’s favourite past-times, rugby, the show was kykNET's biggest hit in 2007. While working in the industry, Laszlo has been also involved in academics.

Since 2010 Laszlo has been working at AFDA as a guest lecturer, teaching production related subjects at the Johannesburg and Cape Town campuses. Recently Laszlo has moved from producing to directing when he started working on Nigeria's top television show, Gulder Ultimate Search. Taking the show to new nights and even higher ratings, Laszlo has directed season 9 and 10 of this epic series. "I am excited to head up the television school in AFDA Durban. I believe this newest AFDA campus has the potential to not only produce future television professionals in the KZN area but through this has a chance to grow the local industry as well. I am looking forward to following the AFDA tradition of nurturing highly creative and talented individuals who upon graduation will become the future of South Africa's and KZN's television industry” says Bene.

Dean of AFDA Durban Campus, Franco Human said “We are excited to have Laszlo head up the Television School here at the Durban Campus, a person of his calibre and experience is very much appreciated and he surely will add to the high level education that we give to our students”.

For more information about AFDA you can contact Milena Gevers on (031) 569-2252 or e-mail her on milenag@afda.co.za.

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AFDA Durban Campus Launch Assist Programmes for their Students

The AFDA Durban Campus have launched a series of Assist Programmes for their first and second year students in the various schools of Live Performance, Film and Television Production with partners such as iKind Media and the iconic Catalina Theatre.

Students in the School of Live Performance which is headed by AFDA Lecturer Lloyd O’Connor have been working at the Catalina Theatre getting a firsthand experience on how to run a theatre from General Manager of the Catalina Theatre, Francis Bigara. Through her guidance the students have been put through administrative paper work, ticket sales, equipment maintenance, ushering, networking and so much more.  “The aim is to help bridge the gap, step by step over the years, between 'student', 'amateur', 'semi-professional' and 'professional', to equip the students with the current active skills and knowledge required to realistically make a living in their chosen careers” says Donna Steel, a Discipline Champion for First Year Stage Acting.

AFDA students in the School of Film will be working in collaboration with iKind Media, a Durban based Broadcasting and Media Production Agency, on a thriller feature film trailer called ‘Intruders’.  “We have already began constructing the set for the shooting of the next scene within the trailer of the film on campus, students have been able to gain firsthand experience in building a professional set and from next week we will start shooting” says head of the School of Film and Filmmaker, Richard Green. 

The AFDA TV Department is working on a SABC 1 program called Hosanna with AFDA Lecturer and Executive Producer at Dynamic Vision Productions, Ailsa Kaminski. Hosanna reflects the different textures and forms of Christianity in communities around the country. The format includes music, prayer, ministry, personal testimony and insight into the impact of faith on people’s lives. “For the purpose of providing assist training for the first year AFDA students certain elements were designed to be filmed in the AFDA studio, namely interviews, presenter links to camera, inspirational messages by ministers and music items shot on green screen….the students were great, it was a pleasure working with them, wonderful to see their enthusiasm and energy, and their eagerness to learn” says Ailsa Kaminski.

AFDA Durban Campus will be hosting an Open Day on Saturday, 03 May from 09:00 to 13:00, for more information on the event or about AFDA you can contact Milena Gevers on (031) 569-2252 or e-mail her on milenag@afda.co.za.

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Durban Activist wins Major International Environmental Prize

Durban Activist wins International Environmental Prize
Desmond D’Sa wins Goldman Environmental Prize

Durban’s tireless campaigner, Desmond D’Sa, is one of six grassroots environmental activists from around the world who has been chosen by the US based Goldman Environmental Foundation to be awarded the prestigious 2014 Goldman Environmental Prize.

Currently celebrating its 25th anniversary year, the Goldman Prize is awarded annually to environmental heroes from each of the world’s six inhabited continental regions. Two other South African environmental activists have previously won the Prize: Bobby Peek, who won in 1998, and Jonathan Deal, who won the Prize last year. D’Sa joins five other fearless leaders from around the world who are working against all odds to protect the environment and their communities. The 2014 recipients come from India, Indonesia, Peru, Russia, South Africa and USA.  
 
“For the past 25 years, the Goldman Environmental Prize has honoured heroic grassroots environmentalists for their achievements around the world and this year is no exception,” said David Gordon, executive director, Goldman Environmental Prize. “From fracking to palm oil development, the 2014 Goldman Prize recipients are not only tackling some of the world’s most pressing environmental problems; they are also achieving impressive environmental victories and inspiring others to do the same.”

D’Sa has been awarded for rallying South Durban’s diverse and disenfranchised communities to successfully shut down the Bulbul Drive landfill - a toxic waste dump that exposed nearby residents to dangerous chemicals and violated their constitutionally-protected right to a safe and clean environment.

“Desmond carries an enormous amount of respect in the south Durban community. He has a natural ability to inspire and energize residents, uniting them as one in the fight to protect the environment—an incredible feat given the racially divided communities in the region.” continues Gordon.

“As activists we all work tirelessly, against extreme odds and in frustrating circumstances to achieve our goals, and we don’t expect accolades for this work.” said D’Sa, “So I am really honoured by the acknowledgement this award provides not only for me but for the people I work with and the communities who have benefitted from the closure of the Bulbul landfill site. As an international award it reminds us of the global fight we have against exploitation of the poor and the duty we have to the environment.”

Paying tribute to South Durban residents D’Sa said: “The closing of the Bulbul Drive landfill is a remarkable triumph and a deserving victory for the hundreds of tenacious and brave residents who campaigned tirelessly for years to close down the landfill.”

“Almost 70 percent of Durban’s industry is in south Durban, home to more than 300 industrial-scale facilities such as crude oil refineries, paper mills, and agrochemical plants. It is also home to 300,000 residents, who were forcibly relocated here by the apartheid regime to create a cheap labour pool for the emerging industrial economy. They bear the brunt of industry’s toxic chemicals, leading to the basin’s infamous label of “cancer valley”—a reference to the area’s high rates of cancer, along with unusually prevalent cases of asthma and bronchitis,” explained D’Sa who in 1996, co-founded the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA), where he started as an unpaid volunteer. 

D’Sa has now turned his sights on fighting the expansion of Durban’s port,  "a R250 billion project that stands to displace thousands of people without compensation and exacerbate problems such as waste management, pollution, and traffic."

The winners will be awarded the Prize at an invitation-only ceremony on Monday, April 28 at 5:30 pm at the San Francisco Opera House. The event will be streamed live online (www.youtube.com/goldmanprize). A ceremony at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C. will follow on Wednesday, April 30 at 7:30 pm.

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ATTENTION  EDITORS: 
Detailed biographical information, photographs, and broadcast-quality video of all the winners in their home countries are available by request or online at
www.goldmanprize.org/pressroom/2014

About the Goldman Environmental Prize
The Goldman Environmental Prize was established in 1989 by late San Francisco civic leaders and philanthropists Richard and Rhoda Goldman. Prize winners are selected by an international jury from confidential nominations submitted by a worldwide network of environmental organizations and individuals. For additional information about the Prize and previous winners visit www.goldmanprize.org.

D’Sa joins this year’s winners: Ramesh Agrawal from India who organized villagers to shut down one of the largest proposed coal mines in Chhattisgarh; Ruth Buendia Mestoquiari from Peru united the Asháninka people in a powerful campaign against large-scale dams that would have uprooted indigenous communities still recovering from Peru’s civil war; Suren Gazaryan from Russia led multiple campaigns exposing government corruption and illegal use of federally protected forestland along Russia’s Black Sea coast near the site of the 2014 Winter Olympics; Rudi Putra from Indonesia dismantled illegal palm oil plantations that are causing massive deforestation in northern Sumatra’s Leuser Ecosystem, protecting the habitat of the critically endangered Sumatran rhino. Finally Helen Holden Slottje from USA helped towns across New York defend themselves from oil and gas companies by passing local bans on fracking.

Background on the journey to the Bulbul Drive Landfill Closure
In 1990, Wasteman, a large waste management company, opened a landfill—without consultation or input from local communities—to accommodate hazardous waste from nearby plants. By 2009, the Bulbul Drive landfill was approaching maximum capacity and Wasteman submitted an application to expand the lease on the landfill to 2021. When Wasteman’s lease came up for renewal, local groups tapped D’Sa and SDCEA to reinvigorate a long-standing campaign to shut down the toxic waste dump for good. D’Sa began organizing the south Durban community to unite in opposition of the landfill. A vigorous, participative, public, multi-pronged campaign followed.  This is one of many campaigns and issues that D’Sa, the SDCEA and local community groups have and continue to tackle to reduce the burden of pollution in south Durban

Facing growing community opposition, Wasteman announced in August 2010 that it was withdrawing its application to expand the toxic waste dump. In November 2011, the landfill officially closed and ceased all operations.

Media queries in South Africa:
Sharlene Versfeld
Versfeld & Associates
mobile: +27 (0) 83 326 3235
tel: +27 (0) 31 811 5628
Email: sharlene@versfeld.co.za
Twitter: sharlvers
Website: www.versfeld.co.za
&
Illa Thompson 
Publicity Matters
tel / fax 031 201 1638 
mobile 083 326 3234 
illa@pubmat.co.za 
www.pubmat.co.za 
twitter @pubmat

Contact – Goldman Awards:
Erin Smith-Cheng:
goldmanprize@allisonpr.com
415-875-3056 (office) / 650-224-2462 (cell)
&
Jenny Park:
jenny@goldmanprize.org
415-249-5800 (office) / (415) 867-1166 (cell)

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AFDA Open Day May 3

AFDA Durban (The South African School of Motion Picture Medium and live Performance) to host Open Day May 3

AFDA (The South African School of Motion Picture Medium and Live Performance) Durban is hosting an Open Day for prospective students on Saturday, 3 May from 10am to 12noon at the Campus in Glen Anil, Durban North
The new campus, which opened in 2013 year, has also recently invested over R 1, 2 million in additional technical equipment and campus facilities. This includes a new Surround Sound Suite has been kitted with the latest sound equipment which enables filmmakers to reproduce everyday sound effects which are added to film, video and other mediums in post-production to enhance audio quality.

An Editing & Visual Effects Suite has been installed, which has the latest equipment for the integration of live-action footage and generated imagery to create environments that look realistic, but would be dangerous, expensive, impractical, or simply impossible to capture on film. The Actor’s Studio that has also seen an extension with a new fully equipped stage and additional equipment.

Plus the cinematography department has acquired the latest camera equipment - some of the exciting gadgets include pocket sized cinema cameras, a steadicam and a helicam for overhead filming.  

Exciting times for prospective students as this Open Day will provide them, (and their parents) and guests insights into the AFDA programme, a tour around the facilities, meetings with current students and introductions to the courses given by various AFDA staff. 

AFDA has a heavy-weight academic staff complement who have worked in the film and live performance industries. Franco Human, an experienced producer and film maker, is Dean, with film-maker Richard Green Head of the Film School, director and academic Lloyd O’Connor, Head of the Live Performance School, scriptwriter and film-maker Janet van Eeden (whose short film A Shot at the Big Time has just been selected for the Cannes Film Festival), as production course administrator and script writing lecturer and Laszlo Bene, a producer and director who has worked on a number of national and international productions as Head of Television.
 
Prospective students can contact Durban-based Marketing Officer, Milena Gevers for more information or to book an interview for on the day: milenag@afda.co.za or call 031 569 2252. For more info about the school go to www.afda.co.za or on twitter @AFDADurban.

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Durban Film Selected for Cannes

Media Release
Durban Film Selected for Cannes

A film produced and written by Durban filmmaker and AFDA Durban Scriptwriting Lecturer, Janet van Eeden, A Shot at the Big Time, the short, has been selected for the Cannes Court Metrage, the short film corner of the official Cannes Festival 2014. It was chosen out of over a million entries. 

“This honour is something my co-producer, Magda M. Olchawska, and I have dreamed of since we joined forces to make A Shot at the Big Time, the short,” says Van Eeden. “We met online when I ran the Indiegogo.com crowd-funding campaign in 2011. I’d given up on the dream recently and am working hard at present raising funds to make the feature film by the end of the year, so when Magda let me know late on Thursday night that we’d been accepted I was over the moon.”

Van Eeden launched the crowd-funding campaign for Shot on 11th of the 11th 2011, on Remembrance Day, in remembrance of her brother, Jimmy, who was killed on the border in mysterious circumstances after being there for only three days in 1979. 
“I’d never been able to forget Jimmy’s tragic life, and after being challenged by film and theatre critic, Robert Greig, to write about my own life instead of writing plays about literary greats, I finally had the courage to put pen to paper and tackle one of the saddest experiences of my life,” she explains.

“Jimmy was my idol in the small town of Odendaalsrus. He was a rock star in the eyes of all the youngsters as he was the lead singer in a band which dreamed of making the big time. When he received his call-up papers when he was only seventeen, his dream was put on hold. Especially after he had a traumatic incident in basics which made him go AWOL, steal a rifle and fire rounds of bullets into the rubbish dump with the members of his band. A terrible accident happened and Jimmy had a breakdown and was classified as mentally unfit for military service. He tried to put his life back together again but he was broken by the events,” says Van Eeden. “Three years later the army forgot about the fact that they’d classified him as unfit and called him up to do Border duty. He was part of the infantry but he did not want to kill anyone. There are conflicting stories of what happened to him on the border on that fateful day, but all we know for sure is that three days after arriving on the border, my parents received a phone call telling them that Jimmy had been killed by a ricochet bullet.” 

The feature film script of A Shot at the Big Time is based on the the story of the tragic loss of Van Eeden’s brother which she says is Oedipal in its intensity. When she couldn’t get funding for the feature without giving away the rights to the film completely, and thereby compromising on the integrity of the story, she decided to do a crowd-funding campaign after listening to US expert Peter Broderick at the Durban Film Mart in 2011. She decided to produce the film herself. She didn’t raise enough money for the feature on Indiegogo.com but received so much support, including finding gifted young director from Australia, Stephen de Villiers and London producer Magda M. Olchawska, that they decided to shoot the short film instead. The lead actors auditioned online as part of the crowd-funding campaign and “the best actors I could’ve dreamt of” were found in Brad Backhouse as Jimmy and Sean C. Michael as the antagonist Van Staden. De Villiers flew out in July 2012 to film Shot the Short. Even an executive Producer, Athol Williams, was found through the campaign and he gave whatever he could to make the short film happen.

A Shot at the Big Time was one of the projects selected for the Durban Film Mart in 2012 and the short film premiered at the Durban International Film Festival in July 2013. It was awarded an eThekwini Film Award in November 2013. 

Producer, Magda M. Olchawska will represent A Shot at the Big Time at Cannes, as there has not been enough time to raise sponsorship for Van Eeden’s visit. However, she hopes the whole team  will represent Shot next year when they enter the feature into the festival.

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NOTE:

“At Cannes, short films are represented at the Competition, at the end of which the short films Jury awards a Palme d’or, and at the Short Film Corner, a professional area for meeting people, exchanging ideas and promoting films. Cannes Court Métrage brings these two entities together in a complementary dynamic in an attempt to offer an all-encompassing panorama of the young production worldwide, as well as to stimulate the creativity of short film professionals by bringing them together at workshops and conferences in an area set aside for this purpose at the Palais des Festivals.”  http://www.festival-cannes.fr/en/festival/CannesShorts.html

“Dialogues Africa” JOMBA! 2014 Dance and Choreography Residency

The University of KwaZulu-Natal, College of Humanities and the Centre for Creative Arts announces the invitation to apply to participate in …

“DIALOGUES AFRICA”
The JOMBA! 2014 Dance and Choreography Residency
Facilitated by Boyzie Cekwana (and various guests)

Invitation to apply for participation

The Centre for Creative Arts issues a call to Durban’s emerging choreographers to take part in an exciting three  week residency as part of the 16th Jomba! Contemporary Dance Experience.  This is part of the festival’s special ‘Mzansi’ focus, highlighting the strides made in South Africa’s contemporary dance arena in the 20 year’s of democracy and celebrating, particularly the sustained growth of Jomba! as a formidable platform for dance in the country.

“JOMBA! 2014 is a very special edition for the organising team in that we have decided to make a commitment to feature the very best of South African contemporary dance”.  Says Lliane Loots, Artistic Director of the festival  “The 2 week festival will offer a platform to local and national award winning South African artists in a deeply political move to support and nurture our home grown choreographers and dancers. This is also a huge gift to local audiences who would otherwise never get an opportunity to see some of these companies and artists; many of whom now lack any kind of funding to tour their work”.

Staying true to one of the founding principles of JOMBA!, this 16th edition of the festival presents its “DIALOGUES AFRICA” dance residency for eight choreographers from Durban. This residency is central to this years “Mzansi” JOMBA! focus and will contribute to the growth and support of choreographers working in the City. 

The residency is facilitated by Durban based, and internationally acclaimed teacher and choreographer, Boyzie Cekwana. Cekwana, whose international reputation as a dance maker who breaks boundaries and who challenges audiences, is delighted to be back in his home city of Durban to feed in and support the growth of the art form of contemporary dance which he has been very passionate about supporting on this continent. His recent and longstanding dance collaborations in Mozambique and the Congo have him bringing a unique perspective to his art and will richly feed into the “DIALOGUES AFRICA” JOMBA! 2014 residency. 

The “DIALOGUES AFRICA” JOMBA! 2014 residency is aimed at offering a nurturing and supporting engagement with artists working in dance and physical theatre who wish to deepen and grow their artistic practice through a series of “dialogues”. These “dialogues” will offer opportunities for creative exchange that will stimulate and offer support for the growth of the residency participants own choreographic voice and style.  

The residency will take the format of three week-long  sessions, understanding that the successful applicants will use time in between the contact weeks to continue to roll out their process and work on tasks set. JOMBA! also understands the need to support the growth of artists in South Africa (and Durban in particular) and so the final outcome of this residency will be hosted on the final night of the festival (Sunday 7 September 2014) where all the facilitators and residency participants will discuss about the process of the residency and will also show the first draft of their creations; the emphasis remains on process! The JOMBA! 2014 “DIALOGUES AFRICA” will also be documented and a short film of the process will be screened.

The 3 contact weeks are: 
WEEK ONE: 17 – 22 June (Tuesday to Sunday) 
WEEK TWO: 29 July – 3 August (Tuesday to Sunday)
WEEK THREE: 2 – 7 September (Tuesday to Sunday)
Note: the residency participants will be resident for the whole of the JOMBA! Festival (27 August to 7 September 2014) and will also participate in all workshops and master classes. 

The JOMBA! 2014 “DIALOGUES AFRICA” residency is offered FREE OF CHARGE to successful applicants 

Applications for the residency are now open! Please read the following information very carefully to assist you application (and to see if you meet the criteria for application!):

Applicants must be living and working in Durban , over 20 years old, must have choreographed a minimum of two contemporary dance works that have been shown on a public platform and must be free (9am to 4pm) on ALL three weeks listed above.

HOW TO APPLY: 
Applicants must send an e-mail application to Clare Craighead on Craighead@ukzn.ac.za

This electronic application is to contain the following documentation: A short CV (no more than 2 pages) - with a cell phone number and e-mail address; a small black and white head photograph (an ID photo is fine);; List of works already choreographed (to include title, place/platform performed etc.), a 500 word (only no more) motivation of why the applicant should be considered for this residency; the names and contact details (e-mail address is essential) of two people who will stand as referees– these should be people working in the performing arts industry, mentors, teachers or choreographers/dancers that the applicant has worked with. 

The deadline for email applications is Friday, May 2 by 4pm, with final outcome announced on 16 May, 2014. All applicants (whether successful or not) will receive an e-mail notifying them of the outcome.

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For media enquiries only, please contact:
Sharlene Versfeld
Versfeld and Associates
Mobile: +27 (0) 83 326 3235
Tel: +27 (0) 31 811 5628
Email: sharlene@versfeld.co.za
Website: www.versfeld.co.za

MUVO Bus Driver Winner

Durban bus driver Deena Dayalan Naidoo was awarded as Durban’s best bus driver for the month of April as part of the Move to Muvo Campaign.

Deena Naidoo was previously employed by the Airports Company of South Africa as a courier of flight documentation and through sterling work was promoted to shuttle driver, transporting passengers from platforms to their destined flights. A resident from Hilary in Durban, Mr Deena Naidoo has been driving one of the  People Mover Buses in the city for over 5 years. Often found doing his daily commuter route passing the famous Indian Spice Market, Warwick Junction, the Botanical Garden, West Street and South Beach, Naidoo says that he really enjoys his job. “I love my job, interacting with the different people of our beautiful, sunny city brings great joy to me. I believe that as a driver to respect and help all of my passengers at all the time is part of my job and I always look forward to that”

He was awarded the Best Bus Driver of the month award voted for by the commuters for being a good ambassador and assisting commuters with their Muvo cards.

From April 1, bus coupons have been discontinued, and replaced with the new MUVO Smartcard, which will provide a safer, more efficient way of paying for public transport. The card is part of GO!Durban, the massive Integrated Rapid Public Transport Network, that will eventually be used on all the public transport within the network which sees the integration of  public transport with dedicated lanes for busses and upgraded transport corridors for rail.

The card is being issued free of charge until further notice.

“Muvo has been running a competition for Best Bus Driver for this Move to Muvo campaign. The objective of the competition was to help improve the service provided to the commuters and encourage bus drivers to become ambassadors of the Muvo brand. Commuters had to vote for their favourite bus driver in order for their favourite driver to win the competition” says MUVO Project Manager Michelle Pearton.

For enquiries about the MUVO Card call 080 000 6886 or visit the website on www.muvo.co.za

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7th Talents Durban extends deadline for application by one week!

Talents Durban will be extending the closing date of applications for 2014 by a week, making the new closing date 8 April 2014.

The 35th Durban International Film Festival (DIFF), hosted by the Centre for Creative Arts, University of KwaZulu-Natal, with support from Berlinale Talents, would like to announce the extension of applications for 7th Talents Durban taking place 18-22 July. Applicants can apply online at www.durbanfilmfest.co.za before the closing date of 10 April 2014.

What we’re looking for:

{C}·         Filmmakers from Africa.

{C}·         Filmmakers with at least one film that has been screened at a recognised film festival or has been broadcast.

{C}·         Final year/postgraduate students of film.

{C}·         Film critics from Africa.

More information/ participation conditions are available on the online application tool.

This year’s Talents Durban’ theme, Continent of Contrast/de Contrastes, is an ode to the godfather of African cinema, Djibril Diop Mambéty’s, first film Contras'city (City of Contrast). Celebrating the 45th anniversary of the film, the 7th Talents Durban will bring film makers from across the continent that will draw inspiration from Africa’s long tradition of story-telling. Breaking away from the stereotypical and homogenous narrative Africa, this year’s edition of Talents Durban aims to highlight the fact that the continent is home to a diversity of cultures, colours and stories. The 7th Talents Durban will not only highlight the stories of Africa, but will help to advance a culture of Africans telling their own stories.

Now in its 7th edition, Talent’s Durban looks to continue its proud history of acting as a launch pad for filmmakers from Africa. Understanding the unique needs and challenges facing film makers on the continent, Talent’s Durban will provide filmmakers with the tools to enable their careers to thrive in the international film industry.

The programme provides the selected participants with a unique opportunity to meet with international industry professionals, experts and mentors in various aspects of the filmmaking business through participation in a 5-day programme of master classes, workshops and industry networking events. Running in parallel to the 35th Durban International Festival programme, this year’s Talent Campus Durban will offer three hands-on training programmes: Doc Station which will focus on documentary-making, Talent Press which is dedicated to film criticism, and Script Station which will support story development.

Doc Station will offer three selected Talents the opportunity to refine and polish documentary projects for pitching at the 5th Durban FilmMart’s DOC Circle. Meanwhile, Talent Press will mentor four African journalists in the art of film criticism with access to all the screenings of the 35th Durban International Film Festival, creating reviews that will be published on numerous platforms. Script Station will offer the opportunity to writers to develop their stories while pitching their ideas to a panel of industry experts. Talents will also have access to the networking events available during the film festival.

Applications for the 7th Talents Durban are completed through an online application process. Applicants must meet the criteria found on website. The new application deadline is midnight (CAT) on 8 April 2014. Applications and materials which arrive after 8 April will not be considered. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Successful applicants will be informed via email and the website by 21 April 2014.

Talent’s Durban is presented in partnership with Berlinale Talents, with support from the German Embassy of South Africa, the Goethe-Institute of South Africa, and the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development and Tourism. Through the international programme, with a networks that extends to Talents International events in Berlin, Buenos Aires, Guadalajara, Sarajevo and Tokyo, as well as Durban, participants are initiated into a global community of filmmakers and connected via a wide social network platform operated through the Berlin Film Festival.

Application forms and full regulations are available at www.durbanfilmfest.co.za

Launch of the Awesome iLembe Arts Festival

In celebration of 20 years of freedom and democracy, the first Awesome iLembe Arts Festival will take place across the iLembe region on the North Coast of KwaZulu-Natal from 8 to 10 August 2014. An innovative and far sighted initiative by the Department of Arts and Culture in partnership with producers Awesome Africa Festival Productions, this multi-cultural event will take the music to the people – and directly into the communities themselves at venues in Mandeni, Ndwedwe, Maphumulo and KwaDukuza.

The Festival will feature around 40 local, national and international artists in the disciplines of music, theatre, dance, poetry, storytelling and arts and crafts, with the main focus falling on music this year. Audiences will be enthralled by contributions from various music genres and themes including jazz, gospel, pop, rock, pan-african, maskandi, isicathamiya, hip hop, Indian traditional, Bollywood, and various “world music” styles. The Festival will also include the “Funk it Up” DJ Experience, as well as a focus on South African legends and a Songwriters’ Hall of Fame.

As the Festival falls over the “Women’s Day” weekend, there will be a strong focus on women artists, and in the special concert commemorating legends, the first artist to be featured will be the incomparable Ray Phiri with his “The Man, The Music, The Friendships” concept. 

In keeping with the Festival’s aim of showcasing local talent, it is envisaged that up to 50% of all talent will be drawn from the iLembe region. The international artists will be chosen for their passion and dedication in collaborating and transferring skills to local artists, and renowned KZN based mentors will work alongside local talent and local event managers to prepare them for the festival.

Says MEC for Arts & Culture Mrs Ntombikayise Sibhidla-Sapetha, “We are very proud and excited to associate ourselves with this unique brand and concept, that goes far beyond providing great entertainment. Besides many pro-active socio- economic elements, the Festival also addresses the vital aspects of social cohesion and nation building in our country. No longer will iconic events and artists be the domain only of the big cities. We pride ourselves in taking the music and the arts back to the people – in essence straight into the communities who have supported our fight for freedom and democracy. We have recently had big names such as Carlos Santana, Bruce Springsteen, Eminem and other international stars only performing in the big cities, and even Durban has been excluded. Many people are asking us why we are bringing a legend like Kirk Whalum deep into the rural areas – and our answer is that we believe that we need to “give back” to our people in the communities, who have never had the opportunity to see these kinds of stars right in front of their eyes, despite relating and supporting their music for a long time – and in this instance especially Kirk Whalum, whose brand of gospel and jazz speaks directly to the soul of our people and our sense of Ubuntu.

So what better time to launch this than in 2014, the year of our celebration of twenty years of freedom and democracy. In years to come, it is envisaged that the number of venues included in the Festival will increase to include historical sites along the King Shaka Heritage route and the Luthuli Museum (which was a home for the first South African Nobel Peace Prize winner Chief Albert Luthuli), Ndondakusuka Hills and the Nhlangakazi mountains. We see this Festival growing organically in the future, and enticing tourists not only from South Africa, but also the world to come and share our community spirit and talent”.

Festival Director Princess Nandi Zulu says, “The Festival aims to be an iconic event that will last into posterity, and the added components of a local talent search and a capacity building programme will address inherent societal issues such as economic development, job creation, skills transfer and talent identification, making it a truly unique event. The festival, is expected to attract an audience of around 20,000 people over the three days, and will provide between 400 direct and 1,000 indirect jobs. The festival will actively target an eighty percent share of festival staff and festival related spend to flow into the iLembe region thus stimulating economic development. In time, we aim to stimulate tourism along the ILembe Region which boasts majestic hills, warm beaches and a rich cultural mix of Zulu, European and Indian people and historic heritage sites”.

The Festival will be launched in style on the 27th March at the Sibusisiwe Community Centre in Mandeni, with the example of “taking the music to the people in the communities”, being taken quite literally with a unique “concert of a lifetime” by US Jazz legend Kirk Whalum, who will bring his much celebrated series “The Gospel According to Jazz” to Africa for the very first time. The tenor saxophonist has collaborated with industry greats such as Al Jarreau, Quincy Jones and Barbara Streisand and it is his passionate sax solo that is heard on Whitney Houston’s mega-hit, “I Will Always Love You”. Kirk considers himself as a “man of the people”, and is the recipient of numerous awards and acknowledgements for his musical excellence, and won his first Grammy award for Best Gospel Song “It’s What I Do”, featuring Lalah Hathaway. He recently recorded the next chapter in his series (Chapter IV) in New York to be released worldwide in September. He will preview some of those new songs as well as perform his anthems from the past.

For further information on the Festival, or for anyone in the ILembe region who would like to be involved, please visit the web site www.awesomefestivals.com or call Gabi Nkabinde on 084-3578860.

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AFDA Dean, Franco Human introduces Four Corners Film

Franco Human, AFDA Durban Campus Dean and Chief Operating Officer introduced the preview screening of South Africa’s latest highly anticipated film, Four Corners at the Spiga D’oro restaurant on Florida Road on Saturday evening.

Based and fully shot in Cape Town, Four Corners (Die Vier Hoeke) tells the story of a young chess prodigy who must defy the odds and stay one move ahead of the gangs—in a game where winning or losing can mean the difference between life and death. The film plays out aspects of the war fought and reported daily on the streets of the Cape Flats, home to the Number Gang factions of the Western Cape.

The film which was directed by Ian Gabriel, and produced by Cindy Gabriel and Genevieve Hofmeyer had the involvement of a number of AFDA alumni including, Karien Murray (Sound Editor, Tattoo Artist and general behind the scenes work), Jaco Loots (Set Director), Bianca Prinsloo (Props Assistant) and current student at AFDA Cape Town Campus, Aldine Bronkhorst (2nd Assistant to the editor).

“A few AFDA Alumni and a student were involved in the production of the film and we are very proud of the sterling work that they have achieved with this film.” said Franco Human at the preview ‘Four Corners is a welcome addition to our South African production slate of films. Its raw essence of township life with a number of stories makes for an engaging watch.  It has been beautifully shot with great styling and phenomenal tattoos! I would encourage as many as possible to go watch the film in cinemas from the 28th March 2014. I would like to congratulate the crew and cast…what a great job’

FOUR CORNERS launches in cinemas nationally on Friday 28 March. The film was South Africa's Official Selection for Best Foreign Language Film at the 86th Academy Awards © and International Press Academy 2014 Satellite Award © Nominee for Best International Film.

For more information on the event or about AFDA you can contact Milena Gevers on (031) 569-2252 or e-mail her on milenag@afda.co.za.

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AFDA (The South African School of Motion Picture Medium and Live Performance) hosts Holiday Workshop on March 29

Following numerous requests by prospective students, AFDA (The South African School of Motion Picture Medium and Live Performance) Durban will host another Holiday Workshop, on March 29 from 08:30 to 16:30. Prospective students who are in Grade 11 or 12 or have already matriculated and are keen to experience a day in the life of a career in entertainment, whether in film, television or acting, are encouraged to attend.

The Holiday Workshop will provide prospective students with a taste to key information and skills that are important in creating a good entertainment product, whether this is about performance or making films or TV productions.  A series of masterclasses will be given and  participants will be have an opportunity to experience how to conceptualise a scene from a movie or TV show, and then go about shooting it in the afternoon.

The AFDA Campus is situated in Glen Anil, Durban North and boasts a strong line up academic staff drawn from the film and live performance industries who will host the workshop.

The workshop costs R60 per person and includes a light lunch. Space is limited and attendance is on a first come first served basis – so booking is essential. 

Prospective students can contact Milena or Purity at the Durban campus for more information and making a booking. (dbncampus@afda.co.za / 031 569 2252). For more info about the school go to www.afda.co.za

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