AFDA is proud to announce that the 2023 AFDA Johannesburg honours film, Rebooting Memories, produced by Omolemo Boitumelo Mosadi and Xhobisa Tom and directed by Regopotswe Matshelo and Omolemo Molefe, and the AFDA Durban third year undergraduate film, Warm, produced by Neo Dube and Ndili Stamper and directed by Lindokuhle Mthimkhulu, have been selected to screen in competition at the 45th Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) in the student category.
The festival received 478 submissions, from which twenty-one films have been officially selected to premiere at DIFF and compete for the Best Student Film and Best South African Student Film awards.
“As the crew of Rebooting Memories, we are extremely proud and honoured to be invited to participate in the 45th Durban International Film Festival. This opportunity serves as the culmination of the dedication that the entire crew put into this production from conceptualization to the end. We went into our Honours year intending to create a film that showcases the bridge between the cultural practices observed when grieving a loved one, in the South African context, and the ever-expanding possibilities of technology. We hope this becomes the first of many more local and international film festival opportunities for our production.” says co-director of Rebooting Memories, Omolemo Molefe.
“AFDA Durban is delighted that the 2023 Graduation film, Warm, has been chosen to screen at the Durban International Film Festival this year. DIFF is the biggest film festival on the continent and it’s wonderful that our students will represent our campus. They’ve always been an exceptional cast and crew and they have worked extremely hard throughout their years at AFDA Durban. They won the Emerging African Filmmaker Best Student Award in December last year, just a month after they’d screened at our Graduation Festival at Sun Coast Cine Centre, we were so pleased but not surprised. Warm is an exceptional piece of work focusing on the patriarchy which has caused our terrifying GBV stats in this country. It’s disturbing and moving in equal parts. We are so proud of these young filmmakers who have pushed the boundaries of narrative film with their experimental and challenging project. I’m delighted to say that at most of these students are back and doing their Honours this year. I expect wonderful things from their Honours film too.” says AFDA Durban dean Dr Janet van Eeden.
“The future of film is in good hands and these young filmmakers are not afraid to delve into the most highly charged social dilemmas of our time”, says Andrea Voges, the Programmes Manager & Head of the Durban International Film Festival.
Rebooting Memories will be screening on the 25 July 17h00 at Suncoast 7 and 28 July 14h30 at Gateway 9.
Warm will be screening on the 24 July 17h00 at Suncoast 8 and 28 July 14h00 at Suncoast 7.
