Eleven (11) delegates from the Garden Route, including Garden Route Film Office (GRFO) members, visited the Durban FilmMart (DFM) between 18 and 22 July 2019.
The DFM is a joint programme of the Durban Film Office (DFO) and the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) and takes place in conjunction with Durban International Film Festival that spans over a 10-day period, between 18 and 28 July 2019.
Cllr Liza Stroebel, who represented Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) at the DFM, said: “The presence at such a festival is vibrant and exciting. To see the hype of activities within the film industry under one roof and to be able to meet and greet foreign contingents, attend panel discussions and interact socially with artistic individuals within the broader film industry in South Africa and abroad, was an amazing experience. I learnt so much about the film industry and will now be able to better represent the Garden Route District Municipality in the film industry in the Garden Route.”
“The purpose of the inclusion of learners from our region to the DFM was to expose them to the functioning of the industry on ground level and the value which could be added and brought to the Garden Route,” said Cllr Stroebel.
On an annual basis, the DFM offers creatives, producers and other film industry experts the opportunity to develop content, skills and expertise, while also paving the way for cross-border collaborations and networks. A jam-packed programme of panel discussions, seminars, workshops, masterclasses, a finance forum and mini-conferences and exhibitions formed part of the festival.
The team of included the following people:
- Mr Philip de Vries (GRFO Chairperson),
- Mr Jacques van der Merwe (Director: GRFO),
- Patrick Walton (Director: GRFO)
Lika Berning (Director: GRFO and owner of Ikasi Media
- Cllr Liza Stroebel (Garden Route District Municipality Councillor and EXCO member of GRFO)
- Amy Jansen (GRFO Secretary),
- Stefan Kloppers (Learner),
- Cara Botha (Learner),
- Antonie Botha (Learner)
- Moses WIlliams (Learner).
Visit http://ccadiff.ukzn.ac.za/ to read more about the International Film Festival.
More information is available on the DFM website too – http://www.durbanfilmmart.co.za/
Image Caption: Cllr Liza Stroebel (GRDM) and Lika Berning (Owner of Ikasi Media and Director: GRFO) at the Durban International Film Festival
