SA celebrates 11 years at Cannes
16 May 2008
To mark the country's 11th year at Cannes, South Africa will host a special pavilion at the prestigious film festival, as well as a networking event for industry professionals across the globe and a conference dubbed "South Africa, your co-production partner of choice".
A delegation from the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), Cape Film Commission, Gauteng Film Commission, Departments of Arts and Culture and Trade and Industry, as well as some prominent South African producers, left for Cannes earlier this week.
The highlight of South Africa's representation at the 61st Cannes Film Festival, which opened on Wednesday and runs until 24 May, will be the conference, hosted by the NFVF at the Hotel Martinez in Cannes on 21 May.
Among the topics at the conference will be South Africa's current co-production treaties, illustrated by case studies of successful film and television co-productions, including World Unseen by Shamim Sarif, Goodbye Bafana by David Wicht, Jozi H by Alfons Adetuyi and Thabang Meleya, and Molo Fish by Clarence Hamilton.Speaking at a briefing in Cape Town earlier this month, NFVF marketing head Jackie Motsepe said that, by the end of 2008, South Africa would have four more co-production treaties in place: with Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and France.
Prior to the conference, on 17 May, the NFVF and its partners will host a networking event where industry professionals from across the globe can meet with their South African counterparts.
The NFVF and its partners will also host the South African Pavilion at Cannes' International Village, to promote South Africa as a film making destination and co-production partner and to introduce local producers to the international industry.
South Africa will be represented at the Producers' Network, a programme co-founded by the NFVF in 2004 to bringing producers together in Cannes to encourage opportunities for international co-production.
The Department of Trade and Industry will unveil the government's film and television production incentive scheme at the Producers' Network round table discussions, while the NFVF will brief delegates on co-productions.
SAinfo reporter
Would you like to use this article in your publication
or on your website?
See: Using SAinfo material
