Produire au Sud partners with Durban FilmMart
For the third year Produire au Sud of Festival des 3 Continents in Nantes, France together with the French Embassy in South Africa have again partnered with forum Durban FilmMart (DFM). Running from 17 to 20 July, DFM is a film finance and co- production forum funded by the City of Durban and founded by the Durban Film Office and the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF). The 6th edition of DFM takes place during the 36th edition of DIFF which runs from 16 to 26 July 2015.
Produire au Sud focuses on developing film co-productions and supports potentially talented producers with techniques to develop their skills in line with international trends and standards. It partners with the DFM in an initiative to develop African content through a story development programme and creating networking opportunities for African filmmakers on an international platform.
DFM includes a finance forum, masterclasses and Africa in Focus – a programme of workshops. It also offers a series of networking and social sessions with like- minded industry representatives. For this year’s DFM, Produire au Sud and the French Embassy SA will be bringing in three leading international experts: Italy- based documentary director/producer Stefano Tealdi; Cannes-born script-writer expert Sari Turgeman; and France-based strategy and development consultant Dominique Welinski. These professionals will mentor 19 selected film projects in the finance forum and conduct masterclasses for all attending film industry delegates.
“One of our key objectives is to provide a platform for African filmmakers to promote their stories,” explains Toni Monty of the Durban Film Office.
“Over the year’s we have recognised story development as a key area requiring the most support. So we continue to focus on this area in an endeavour to support the promotion of our continent’s narratives. The partnership is underscored by a mutual goal to elevate African storytelling. We acknowledge and appreciate the valuable input through this partnership with Produire au Sud and the French Embassy, South Africa.”
Produire au Sud head Guillaume Mainguet says, “We have similar objectives, although we are on two different continents. Our programme is set within the Festival des 3 Continents which features films from Africa, Latin America and Asia, and it is with this interest in this relationship with the DFM that we are able to support the development of film in Africa. Working together we are able to identify and guide projects that have potential to be developed and strengthened through the finance forum programme, as well as provide valuable practical insights through the masterclasses to delegates. We will also award one project an opportunity to go to the festival in France and work, among others, with internationally experienced script experts in a week-long programme in our Produire au Sud (PAS) workshop.”
The partnership is further anchored by financial assistance from the French Embassy in South Africa. “We are pleased to once again support the DFM through Produire au Sud’s partnership with the DFM, to bring the experts to Durban and support projects going to France for further development.” says Frédéric Chambon, regional head of Media and Film at the French Embassy. “Our mission is to strengthen the film industry links between France and South Africa and to stimulate growth through creating opportunities for film-makers from both continents to collaborate. In the context of Africa, the DFM is the perfect vehicle for expertise exchange and capacity building.”
A number of projects have, over the past two years been awarded an opportunity to participate in the Produire au Sud (PAS) Script Studio through this partnership. Last year it went to Hawa Hawaii (Kenya / South Africa co-production) directed by Amirah Tajdin and produced by Wafa Mohamed Tajdin, Bongiwe Selane, Helena Spring and Junaid Ahmed; and Mrs Popplestone (South Africa) directed by Sarah Ping Nie Jones and produced by Jean Meeran.
“The award creates opportunities for the film-makers to have critical input by experts from fresh perspectives.” says Mainguet. “It shifts the film-makers out of their local context into an international programme enabling to extend their networks and knowledge. We have seen that in the short space of this partnership strong ties been forged by the recipients of the awards and the international scriptwriters and professionals at the workshop.”
For more information and to register as a delegate visit the DFM website.
