By Andile Mbesa A major highlight of the Eastern Cape Film Expo was the 48-hour film challenge, which featured a lineup of screenings at the Olive Schreiner Auditorium. The challenge required teams to write, shoot, and edit a short film over a single weekend, incorporating a specific genre, character, prop, and line of dialogue provided to them. The short film SA Confidential, made by Sihle Dlova & Quan Matzke, Elona Mginqi, and Babini Ntloko. From the Eastern Cape Film Institute (ECIF). Productions based in East London emerged as the standout success of the event. His team not only won the…
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By Andile Mbesa The Joza Youth Hub buzzed with aspiring filmmakers on Wednesday for the opening of the third annual Eastern Cape Film Expo. The event, running from 2 to 4 July offers a vital platform for local talent to connect with industry leaders and funding opportunities. Entrance to the three-day expo is free, a result of a major collaboration between the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC), the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), Multichoice, the Eastern Cape Provincial Arts and Culture Council (ECPAC), the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), and the National Arts Festival. A key focus of the…
Digital Shaman, Film Venue: VFringe, NAF Website Next screening: 24/7 During the festival Review By Andile Mbesa Digital Shaman explores the place of the ‘African’ in a world slowly eroded by Western technology. The film’s creator, Thato Nkwe, shoulders multiple roles. This responsibility of the multi-faceted shaper – documenting, writing, directing, choreographing, composing, performing, and editing – will be relatable to many and at the same time tells a deeply personal story. The one-person performance contrasts and combines traditional African and modern elements, chronicling a society in transition. In this 13-minute, one-performer Afro-contemporary dance film, Nkwe juxtaposes and mixes traditional…
Burrow, Film VFringe Screendance Venue: Virtual National Arts Festival website Next screening: 24/7 during the Festival Review By Andile Mbesa Burrow, a 13-minute screendance, is a highly engaging and challenging piece, screening virtually as part of the National Arts Festival’s VFringe. Choreographed and performed by Alan Parker and videographed by Sonja Smit, the work seamlessly integrates dance, film art, and performance in an exploration of the complex intertwinement of the human body and animalistic processes, founded on Deleuze and Guattari’s concept of “becoming animal”. Alan Parker is a seasoned thespian with numerous awards under his belt, like the Standard Bank…
Thembitshe, Film Venue: Olive Schreiner Next Screening: Monday, June 30, 19:00 Review By Andile Mbesa Would you rather trust a rock than a person? Both? The screening of Thembitshe grappled with this dilemma, literally and figuratively. Directed by the talented Speelman Mabena, who in 2023 won the Standard Bank Ovation Award for Azania, is my Woman, SM PRO STUDIOS presents Thembitshe. This melodramatic film follows two protagonists played by Siyabonga Sikhosana and Thomas Makhubela. This 45-minute South African indie film showcased ikasi storytelling through its relatability and did not glamourise a life of crime. The opening scene was split into two, with…
By Andile Mbesa Twelve National Arts Festival (NAF) shows had to be cancelled after a 24-hour power outage hit the part of the city on Thursday and Friday. The protracted outage struck Makhanda’s CBD and parts of Sunnyside, including the Village Green and surrounding National Arts Festival venues, on the same day that Makana Local Municipality Executive Mayor Yandiswa Vara asserted the municipality’s commitment to a smooth festival experience. Makana Municipality communications officer Anele Mjekula said a fix for the electrical fault was delayed because the Electricity Department had to source a repair toolkit from outside the city. In response…
Bakumnka Bonke, Theatre Venue: Grahamstown City Hall Next performance: Friday 27 June 14:30 By Andile Mbesa What happens to a society when Ubuntu and compassion are abandoned? This haunting question is at the heart of Bakumnka Bonke – an individual focus that translates to “when no one is there.” This four-day theatrical production, presented by Ubuhlanti Bengcinga, confronts the realities of pupils affected by gender-based violence (GBV) in South Africa. It offers a holistic narrative that gives the audience, both male and female, the agency to re-assess their own roles in this societal crisis. Under the visionary direction of Ayanda…
By Andile Mbesa Get your popcorn ready! This year’s Festival offers a rich tapestry of visual storytelling from the industry-focused Eastern Cape Film Expo to the experimental and deeply personal narratives of the VFringe lineup. At the centre of the NAF Film Festival programme is the third iteration of the annual Eastern Cape Film Expo, running from 2 to 4 July. Serving as an integral mechanism for the growth of the provincial film industry, where EC filmmakers get to make career-changing connections it showcases the region as a prime filmmaking destination. As a result of the collaboration between the National…