Six Sou African films screening at Toronto International Film Festival

Six South African films have been selected for screening at the 38th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) which run to the 15th of September 2013 in Canada. The selected SA films are Mandela: Long walk to freedom, Khumba, iNumber Number, Of Good Report, Berea and Unogumbe (both short films).

This is the first time that six local films have been selected at TIFF and all of them have not yet been released on cinema except for Of Good Report, which is currently on circuit. TIFF is considered the launching pad for the best films internationally and as such the selection of these films is a major milestone in the build-up of their cinema releases. Screening at the festival also brings big prospects for access to international markets.

TIFF, unlike most film festivals where viewing audiences are industry figures, attendance to screenings is open to the public therefore providing a gauge on how a film is likely to perform in the market. Furthermore, a film that wins the best audience award is almost guaranteed to attract distributors because that is considered as an indicator of how a film is likely to perform in the market.

Three of the six films selected have been supported by the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) namely, Khumba, Berea, iNumber Number. Khumba is the first South African animated feature to be selected for TIFF. The film, due for release on local cinemas on the 25th of October 2013, will compete with some of the best international children's films in the TIFF Kids Programme.

The NFVF has also funded 10 local filmmakers to attend TIFF, five of which are emerging filmmakers who have been identified for intensive mentoring at the festival. These filmmakers will get a chance to produce a film together with other global emerging filmmakers which will be screened at the end of the festival. This is one of the main objectives of the NFVF to ensure that local filmmakers are able to attend international film festivals where they can extend their networks and also pitch their projects to the international film community.

http://nfvf.co.za

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