Speaking at the briefing, eThekwini Municipality acting mayor, Fawzia Peer said she was excited that DIFF was taking place. “This a great vehicle to facilitate opportunities for local filmmakers to network with global film role players so I must really applaud the stakeholders who put DIFF and the Durban Film Mart together,” she said.
Peer said the platforms provided had built an indispensable bridge between continental filmmakers and also contributed immensely to exposing hidden talents in the local industry.
She also said that in the current city's budget, they had set aside R15 million which was aimed at supporting developing projects and also promoting the local film industry.
Festival manager Chipo Zhou said, “It has been encouraging to see the increase in the number of the films made for Africans, by Africans and Africans, grace our DIFF screens over the years. Partnering with the DFM has also helped galvanise an industry to develop our own narratives and creativity through the pitching forums each year.”
Sporting events are more than moments of competition, national pride, and entertainment. They are economic activities that can stimulate tourism, create employment, support local businesses, and generate revenue across multiple sectors of the economy.
Umntwana womgquba a term traditionally used in the Nguni language that means “born out of wedlock,” but nowadays it is used to emphasise that one is born kwisintu. As lontwana, I look back on my own adventures: sometimes I pat myself on the back, and sometimes I wish I could redo them.
Each September, South Africa turns its attention to the rich cultural tapestry that defines our nation. Heritage Month is a time to honour the traditions, languages, histories, knowledge systems, customs and creative expressions that have been passed from generation to generation, while recognising that our heritage is not confined to the past.
My first encounter with heritage at the Mandela Bay Development Agency was, appropriately, somewhat uncomfortable. It began with cleaning. The Gale Monument, the Horse Memorial and the Queen Victoria statue became my first practical introduction to the business of preserving history.
