Durban FilmMart builds bridges between Africa, Int & # 39; l. Markets – Variety



[ad_1]

When the 9 Durban Annual FilmMart (19459004) will begin on July 20, with a busy four-day schedule parallel to Durban Int & # 39; l. Film Festival (DIFF), organizers will seek to build on nearly a decade of sustained growth on the continent's first financial forum and on the first springboard for African filmmakers embarking on the international market.

Durban FilmMart was to create a platform for African filmmakers to connect to global markets, "said Toni Monty, director of the Durban Film Office, which jointly organizes the DFM with the DIFF and the municipality of Durban. 39; eThekwini. "Durban FilmMart, however, can only take them so far.We work with partner markets to identify projects ready to be exposed to international markets.In this sense, DFM acts in many ways as an introduction and an entry point for these filmmakers. "

16 African projects, divided equally between fiction and documentary, will be presented at this year's DFM, presented to an audience of broadcasters, financiers, funding organizations and other potential investors . The eclectic mix includes not only filmmakers from the host country, but also from Cape Verde, Libya, Niger and five other countries.

"We are very excited about this year's selection, and we have a number of untapped land projects," said Monty, announcing what she describes as "very personal stories that bring a deeper understanding of life in Africa, but have She added," The selection also describes the diversity of culture in Africa, with its beauty and challenges and, hopefully, through the test of time, will bring understanding to a global audience that Africa is not a country. "

Among former DFM alumni include the Un Certain Regard selection of Un Certain Regard from Kenya's Wanuri Kahiu, and the Toronto audience, inspired by the West, advocates "Five Fingers for Marseilles" by Sean Drummond and Michael Matthews, and South Africa and "The Wound", the LGBT drama of the Oscars South-East John Trengove's

While the DFM is approaching its 10th anniversary Monty reflects on the evolution not only of the FilmMart but "

" I remember that At the beginning, many filmmakers submitting projects under development had obviously not been engaged in international markets before. Submissions were generally poorly structured and projects were underdeveloped, "she said. "One of the major changes in the evolution I have noticed over the years is that filmmakers better understand what is expected of them on the international stage, and the kind of stories that the international audience is warming up. "

At the same time, filmmakers are determined to retain the African way of telling stories, but they have grown immensely in terms of the cinematographic diffusion of these stories. "

The four-day market is full of billboards, workshops and master classes on everything from the aesthetics of African film production to the most complicated aspects of work within funding structures.

Dayo Ogunyemi, a Lagos-based entrepreneur and creative investor, is one of the key speakers this year, will discuss the lucrative benefits of African film and television markets, Stephen Follows, a UK-based trainer, and Data researcher in the film industry, who will present the main changes and trends shaping the international film market; Peter Russell, screenwriter and columnist based in LA, will share tips on how to adapt the methods of TV narrative and Richard Ray Perez, director of creative partnerships at Sundanc's documentary program The Institute presents a session titled "Stories of Change: A Collaborative Model for Impact Storytelling".

Emphasizing how the #MeToo movement sparked an ongoing conversation about the issues of sexual harassment and gender inequality in South Africa. SWIFT (Sisters working in film and television) will lead two panels as part of the Durban FilmMart: "Sexual Harassment and Race in Industry", which will examine the structural challenges and the abuse of power affecting women working in the field. local film and television industries; and "Pioneer of Diversity in the Industry", in which eminent and emerging personalities from the South African sector will share their personal stories about the rise of women in the film world.

Also, as delegations from Brazil, Russia, India and China arrive in South Africa this week for the annual BRICS summit in Johannesburg, the third BRICS Int. # L. The film festival will take place in Durban from July 22 to 27, alongside DIFF and DFM. On July 23, a full day of FilmMart sessions will be dedicated to opportunities for filmmakers in these fast-growing markets to strengthen their links, access funding, and work toward the establishment of formal co-production treaties. .

"We hope to build strong relationships that we can develop in the years to come".

The Durban FilmMart will take place from July 20th to 23rd.

[ad_2]
Source link