The Africa Month Program is one of the African Union's (AU) Agenda 2063 implementation plans and the Charter for the African Cultural Renaissance.
As part of these celebrations, the KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission (KZNFC) will host a round table discussion on the state of film in Africa, post Covid-19.
The engagement will be part of a broader contribution to the discussions about a borderless Africa to promote cultural exchange and strengthen dynamics and collaboration networks and partnerships within the sector. It is part of a series of ongoing engagements.
"The KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission has always had an Africa-first model, developing the continent and taking African film to the world.
“This initiative is building on this, further strengthening the collaborations we have grown over the years.
“This discussion should spark a continued intra-Africa countries film conversation with the possibility of establishing more innovative programmes for African member countries, eg a United Africa Film Festival, which would be owned by the continent's member states and held every year during Africa Month, using the BRICS film festival as a model." said KZNFC CEO Carol Coetzee.
“We will be drawing insights from industry stalwarts from the different regions across Africa who have a vested interest in the sustainability and continued development of Intra-Africa collaborations.
“The industry practitioners on the continent have shown a commitment to seeing this idea through, and we are excited to be a part of its birthing,” added curator Chipo Zhou.
The panellists will include film director and culture activist Azza Elhosseiny from Egypt, Beverly Mitchell who is head of scripted content at Okuhle Media in South Africa, Caillin Basson, chairperson of the Filmmakers Association of Namibian, Chioma Ude (Nigeria), an avid film watcher and commentator and the founder and executive director of the Africa International Film Festival.
Jackie Motsepe, film marketing and branding executive and COO of the KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission in South Africa, Keith Shiri, international film curator and programme advisor from Zimbabwe, award-winning Nigerian filmmaker and cultural worker Mahmood Ali Balogun, Mariam Ait Belhoucine, film producer and director from Morocco, Mykel Parish, Nigerian filmmaker and cultural activist, Prince Waa Musi, a senior audio-visual consultant, film-maker/critic from Cameroon and Wangeci Murage, a content media executive from Kenya. Cultural consultant Russel Hlongwane will moderate the sessions.
The virtual event will take place on Monday the 31st of May 2021 in two sessions, one from 2pm-4pm and the other from 6pm-8pm SAST.
It will be broadcast live from the KZNFC YouTube page.
Participants looking to register and engage in the Zoom Room can find KZNFC on Facebook, where the registration link will be posted on the morning of the event.