Africa’s largest and oldest film festival, the Durban International Film Festival, is currently on in various venues across the city.
The 45th annual event runs from Thursday, July 18, until Sunday, July 28.
The festival offers film enthusiasts over 90 films from 50 countries across several continents including, Brazil, India, Australia, US and South Africa, among others.
This year, there are 29 feature films on offer including several that have won international awards at celebrated international festivals like Berlin, Cannes, Sundance, Toronto and Venice.
Films about football like, “COPA 71” and Taiwan’s first woman president, “Invisible Nation”, form part of the 16 documentaries on offer, while short film offerings include, “Iran Is a Woman's Name”, “A Thousand Odd Days” and “Bandido”.
The long-standing festival will present 14 world premières, 5 international premières, 36 African premières, and 37 South African premières, this year.
Over 70 percent of this year’s line-up is either directed, written or produced by a woman.
According to Diff’s media statement, “As part of its core mandate, to empower women, the Centre for Creative Arts has placed a strong emphasis on job opportunities for black female graduates who are not yet employed, ensuring that not only the films but the festival itself has a strong women-focused agenda.”
Through the festival’s isiPhethu Industry Programme, panel discussions, workshops, seminars, and outreach activities that include screenings in township areas where cinemas do not exist, are also held.
Diff is one of four Oscar qualifying festivals in Africa, which means, the films that win Best Documentary and Best Short Film at the end of the festival, automatically qualify for the Oscars race.
Winners will be announced at the closing ceremony on July 27.
The Durban International Film Festival is taking place at commercial venues like NuMetro Pavilion, Ster-Kinekor, Suncoast CineCentre, The Bioscope (Johannesburg) and The Labia (Cape Town).
The non-commercial venues include Cap Studios, Denis Hurley, Luthuli Museum, K-Cap and Wushwini Art Centre.
Watershed Live!
One of South Africa's leading pop-rock bands will be performing live at the Fig Tree Farm on Saturday, July 20.
Vibrant Durban-based singer and songwriter, Carmen Rodrigues, adds to the concert as the band’s opening act.
Guests can bring along their picnic blankets and deck chairs and immerse themselves in a day filled with fantastic music, great company and beautiful scenery.
Where: Fig Tree Farm, 57 Inanda Road, Hillcrest.
When: Saturday, July 20, at 2pm.
Cost: R350 for adults, R175 for children aged 4-12 years, kids under 3 years enter for free. Tickets can be purchased on Quicket.
Concerto Festival
Music lovers are invited to an intimate afternoon concert in the company of the Durban City Orchestra (DCO) as they perform a magnificent programme of beautiful concerti.
The orchestra, one of the longest-running orchestras in the country, has a complement of approximately 30 active members who get together weekly.
The orchestra includes two accomplished professional musicians in Charl van der Merwe as Resident Conductor and Jitske Brien as Concert Master.
This concert will comprises a carefully chosen eclectic programme. Movements will be played from well known and much loved concertos such as the Bruch Violin Concerto, the Mozart Bassoon Concerto, the Haydn Trumpet Concerto and the Weber Clarinet Concerto among various others.
Where: St Thomas Anglican Church, Berea.
When: Sunday, July 21, at 2.30pm.
Cost: From R150. Tickets can be purchased from Quicket or at the door.
Musical Theatre Festival: A Star is Born: The Rise and Fall of Judy Garland
Judy Garland took to the stage at age 2, landed a movie contract at 12, won an Academy Award at 17, and impacted the music and movie industry for generations to come. She died aged 47. How did one of Hollywood's brightest stars dim so fast?
Kerry Hiles tells the life story of Garland, using songs from her movies to accentuate the tale, accompanied by Luke Holder on piano.
Where: The Rhumbelow Theatre, 42 Cunningham Road, Umbilo.
When: Saturday, July 20, at 2pm.
Cost: R180 from Webtickets or email roland@stansell.co.za.