NFVF Female Filmmaker Project films selected for DIFF

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Arts and Culture, is pleased to announce that four films from its Female Filmmaker project have been selected to screen at the Durban International Film Festival. The films selected are; Panic Button, Evelyn and Tapiwa, Unomalanga and the Witch, and The Fall of Ganesh.

The Female Filmmaker Project is part of the NFVF Slate Funding that encourages increased opportunities for emerging writers and directors to have their work developed by reputable production companies. The Slate Funding also assists production companies in identifying and producing films that demonstrate audience awareness in the South African and International markets.

Directed and written by Elizabeth Dougherty, and produced by Bongiwe Selane, Panic Button tells the story of Jenny, whose life is intruded upon by a handsome and kind security guard. Jenny begins to imagine the romance that she writes about in her books might be possible for her, but ultimately her fear of reality leads to her misinterpreting it, with tragic consequences.

Evelyn and Tapiwa tells the story of two women - one leaving, the other arriving - both finding a new place in life. Samantha Nel is the director of this beautiful film that is written by Tiny Mungwe and produced by Bongiwe Selane.

Unomalanga and the Witch is set in a small township neighbourhood at the edge of Johannesburg, South Africa. This is a magical story of the unlikely friendship between Nomalanga, a fastidious, recently married church-going young woman, and Salome, the mysterious widowed hairdresser who lives across the street, who is rumoured to have used dark powers to murder her own husband. The film is directed and written by Palesa Shongwe and produced by Bongiwe Selane.

The Fall of Ganesh, directed and written by Sheetal Megan, tell the story of a troubled Mira hosting a Diwali dinner in order to announce her engagement to her boyfriend Sizwe, only to discover that this raises unspoken conflicts between herself and her father. Their dispute is over shadowed by a violent confrontation with the neighbours as the night ends in fireworks.

The concept for the Female Filmmaker project is a valuable intervention by the NFVF, to provide recent female entrants into the industry, particularly those from historically disadvantaged backgrounds, with an opportunity to make a film in collaboration with other women.

The NFVF would like to congratulate the films selected and highlight the great work done by women within the industry, and the contributions they have made to growing and making the industry the success it is. The NFVF recognises that more still needs to be done to achieve maximum local film industry growth, this project amongst others being testament to a step in the right direction.

The screening dates and time will be communicated in the coming weeks.

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