Month: Jun 2020

… 8 TOWNS, 8 DRIVE-INS

NOSTALGIA MAKES A COMEBACK

The organizers of last year’s successful Knysna Film Festival have rebranded the festival to GRIFF – Garden Route International Film Festival. ‘In light of the current Covid19 pandemic we had to change our concept for the short term to ensure the festival goes ahead. To this end we are bringing back Drive-ins to the Garden Route and also taking the festival Online as a Virtual Festival’ says Patrick Walton GRIFF Festival Director.  

The organizers have already completed a recce of suitable locations in Riversdale, Mosselbay, George, Knysna, Plettenberg Bay, Calitzdorp, Ladysmith and Oudtshoorn.

The organizers are taking this two-tier approach in order to ensure that the festival goes ahead in a Virtual environment and physical space. If Covid19 levels disrupt plans for the Drive-ins, postponement is easy with all the necessary planning already in place.

The Drive-in Cinemas will feature a double bill for two nights in each town. A film in competition and an ‘Oldy but a goodie’ will be screened each night. Organizers anticipate that due to the limited number of cars allowed under gathering restrictions, tickets will be a sought-after commodity.

Post festival, the organizers anticipate continuing with the drive-ins, creating an opportunity for individuals to create a business around the concept. ‘We have the equipment and infrastructure, so we want it out there for audiences to enjoy and take advantage of long after the festival finishes.’ says Festival Coordinator Shianne Maritz.

Safety remains the number one priority so audiences will enjoy films from the comfort of their own cars. Depending on the level of Covid19 over the festival dates, there may also be some additional nostalgic services on offer.  The organizers showed their creative and innovative thinking with the film festival last year and are intent on stepping things up a gear this year.

Tickets will go on sale a month prior to the event and depending on the venue and restrictions at the time, up to 60 cars per venue are anticipated.

We want people to enjoy this form of socializing and remember the hey-days of the drive-in experience and share that as a family.  More information will be available on the festival website and Facebook page as planning continues. The Virtual film festival is scheduled for 21^st September 2020 to 11^th October 2020.  

For more information or images please contact GRIFF Festival Director Patrick Walton

director@gardenrouteinternationalfilmfestival.com  / 082 4751212.

Website:  http://www.gardenrouteinternationalfilmfestival.com

Facebook page:  www.facebook.com/GRIFFfilmfest

The Ladima Foundation, in partnership with the DW Akademie, is excited to announce a short-film competition aimed at African women during the world-altering Covid-19 pandemic and related lockdown.
The competition is open to African women content creators and filmmakers of any age or experience level, currently living in Africa. The competition aims to encourage women to share their stories as we create a living document of a time and place – of the specific circumstances that women in Africa currently find themselves, under various degrees of lock-down, through the limitations on movement, opportunity, and often, basic freedoms.
The impact of Covid-19 across the globe, and especially in Africa, is felt more by the vulnerable in society. In many African countries women’s opportunities and access to opportunities are limited, and the economic and social impact of Covid-19 is, in many cases, impacting women harder and in different ways than their male counterparts. There are issues affecting woman such as domestic violence, altered access to opportunities, increased burden of care, and many others.
This film competition invites women to share these experiences – be they challenging, positive or simply questioning. The stories should be honest, personal, and specifically related to the current COVID-19 situation. Entries across genres are welcome, from animation and fiction, to documentary or interview style – just as long as the content is 2 minutes or shorter.
Entry is FREE and women will need to register on the Ladima Foundation’s newly revamped A-List in order to enter: https://ladima.africa/film-competition/
Ten winning films will be selected by a jury and then streamed on the Ladima website along with other partner websites. Each winning filmmaker will also receive 500 EURO as well as access to a year’s worth of educational and inspirational webinars on the USA’s Women Make Movies platform, https://www.wmm.com/,valued at approximately $500.
Selection & Judging Criteria:
Any woman currently living in Africa may enter. In order to enter you must register on the A-List:
Competition opens at 9am Monday, June 1st 2020 and entries must be received by midnight GMT + 2 on Sunday June 21st 2020.
Full terms and conditions are on the Ladima website.
The films must be under 2 minutes and must focus on the following themes through an inspirational, educational, personal, or leadership lens :

• Women with special needs / Coping with special needs during the Lockdown / Caring for
  Persons with special needs during a global pandemic
• Impact on family / domestic life
• Economic / impact on work life
• Domestic violence / abuse in the time of Covid-19
• Hope in the time of Covid-19
• Are women paying a higher price?
• How does the crisis highlight and affect the role of women?
• The crisis as a kick to rethink the social order
• Solidarity and empowerment among women in times of Covid -19
  The films will be judged on the following criteria:
  ● THEME Connection and relevance to the themes above
  ● STORY Concept
  Story has a clear message and a unique storyline
  Originality of story and / or approach
  Rich and vibrant storytelling that engages, amuses or provokes the viewer
  ● QUALITY OF PRODUCTION
  Best use of technology
  Technical aspects such as lighting, sound etc.
  ● CREATIVITY Original and captivating
  Imaginative writing and directing
  Presents the theme in an interesting way
  ● EMOTIONAL IMPACT/AUDIENCE APPEAL
  Visually appealing and entertaining
  Affects the audience through eliciting an emotional response
  Creates a lasting impression
  ● STRUCTURE Images / elements are arranged logically in a way that fits the purpose of the
  film
  About the Ladima Foundation
  The Ladima Foundation is a Pan-African non-profit organisation founded with the aim of contributing
  to correcting the major imbalances within the film, TV and content industries.
  The Ladima Foundation supports and recognises African women in Film, TV and Content. Through
  training and networking programmes, we uplift, connect and include. Ladima operates in the spirit of
  positivity, excellence and integrity.
  Through a number of initiatives, The Ladima Foundation supports, trains, and mentors women in a
  variety of roles within the film, TV, and content spaces.
  Through partnerships and collaborations in various countries, as well as through Pan-African networks
  and interventions, the Ladima Foundation is committed to developing training, networking, and
  related opportunities for women professionals who demonstrate their seriousness and commitment
  to their craft. www.ladima.africa
  About DW Akademie
  DW Akademie is Deutsche Welle’s center for international media development. As a strategic partner
  of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), DW Akademie carries out
  media development projects that strengthen the human right to freedom of opinion and promote
  free access to information. DW Akademie also works on projects funded by the German Foreign Office
  and the European Union – in approximately 50 developing and emerging countries.