DURBAN is a film junkie’s paradise at the moment with the 36th Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) in full swing.
Like the Vodacom Durban July, this is a must-attend annual event on social calendars.
Aside from celebrating world cinema, it’s also become the meeting spot for everyone involved in filmmaking: from the storytellers, producers, production companies, TV channels, government funding organisations... Well, you get the picture.
This year, DIFF is operating under the direction of new manager Pedro Pimenta. And, while it has proven somewhat of a mission to bag an interview with him, he has made his mark with the selections this year. Also, there is an unmistakable political overtone in many of the offerings.
The magnitude of DIFF is manifested in the itinerary, which includes a focus on Brazilian and Tunisian cinema. The movies of this year’s FESPACO winners have also gotten a platform: Fevers, The Eye of the Cyclone and Miners Shot Down, among the six to be shown.
There is also a strong emphasis placed on African cinema – where Africa’s Lost Classics will be screened to cinemagoers wanting to take a trip down memory lane.
In total, this year’s menu comprises: 74 feature films, 50 documentaries, 74 short films and 23 surf films, and are screened at nine venues across the city. That’s not forgetting the community outreach programme, where movies are screened for free to the underprivileged.
DIFF is also populated by a slew of international and local guest speakers, shedding light on the process of filmmaking, from directing to producing to scripting.
South Africa’s expanding film industry is evident in the number of entries this year: 14 feature films and 13 documentaries. That Ayanda opened DIFF is also encouraging. Another movie making noise is Tell Me Sweet Something.
On the subject of local is lekker , other must-sees include: Dis Ek, Anna, which is directed by Sara Blecher (making her creative presence felt at DIFF this year); Necktie Youth and Lady Grey. For those wanting something more educational, there are Blood Lions, Coming of Age and Glory Game: The Joost van der Westhuizen Story.
The bottom line: there is a hype of activity at the cinemas, the master classes and the myriad seminars. Once again, a year of compelling offerings that linger long after the festival closes with The Prophet, an animation adapted from Khalil Gibran’s book of the same title, this Sunday.
FIVE MUST-SEE MOVIES:
CHARLIE COUNTRY: Centres on a warrior past his prime. As the government increases its stranglehold over the community’s traditional way of life, Charlie becomes lost between two cultures.
LADYGREY: Set in SA, 10 years after the end of apartheid. Looks at a South African black and white community located at the foot of the Drakensberg Mountains, living the trauma of unsolved killings. They all remain silent, but none of them have forgotten. But the arrival of a young woman shatters that fragile balance.
SUNRISE: In the sprawling megalopolis of Mumbai, Inspector Joshi searches desperately for his six-year-old daughter, Aruna, who one day, 10 years ago, did not come home after school. By day, Joshi is a cog in the wheel of the apathetic police force. By night, he roams the backstreet dancing bars, endlessly searching for his daughter.
TAXI: An Iranian movie about a film director, disguised as a cab driver, chatting candidly to his passengers, while driving them through the streets of Tehran. It’s a comedic and dramatic journey, beautifully capturing the spirit of Iranian society.
WOMAN IN GOLD: A remarkable story of one woman’s journey to reclaim her heritage and seek justice for what happened to her family. It stars Helen Mirren as Maria Altmann, an elderly Jewish woman who fled Vienna during World War II.