Page 37 - KZN Film Annual Report 2023/2024

KWAZULU-NATAL FILM COMMISSION
• Since 2020, KZNFilm has facilitated the Audio Description of over 20 KZN-produced films, allowing visually impaired audiences access to film viewing.
• The Business Unit (P&D) launched its iLembe scriptwriting residency where 10 iLembe-based female filmmakers were to develop brand-new stories to showcase the region and its locations for a period of a year. More projects of this kind are planned for uMzinyathi, the King Cetshwayo district, and the townships of eThekwini in 2024 and 2025
• A celebratory showcase of the 2023 Made for TV Films was held on 28 September 2023 with media, the production companies’ stakeholders and Edtea.
• In December 2023, P&D hosted a special viewing and workshop with Disney and the KAFF film festival to showcase local animation content that was inspired and featured Durban, KZN. The series funded by Durban is called Kazazi Moto: Generation Fire and is streaming on Disney Plus.
• In honouring the 13 days of activism against women and children abuse initiative, P&D hosted a Safety on Set workshop on 31 January 2024. This was to train new and existing production companies in KZN about how to keep their offices and sets sexual harassment-free; and to instil values and processes on how to protect women in their companies.
The following are some of the distribution platforms for KZNFilm-funded projects during the 2023/24 financial year:-
Project Name
Genre
Platform
African Mountains
Documentary
Arte Europe- Broadcast
Phila - The Breastfeeding Warrior
Documentary
SABC- Broadcast
Nelson Mandela’s African Folktales
Animation series
SABC Broadcast
The Fragile King
Fiction Film
Amazon Prime
The Honeymoon
Fiction Romcom Film
Amazon Prime
Uthando Lwethu
Fiction Film Love Drama
Netflix
Red Tape
(Fiction Action Film) -
Showmax
The Letter Reader
Fiction Positive Family Film
Showmax
Valley of 1000 Hills
Fiction Relationship Drama Film
Netflix
Tropica of Love
Fiction Romcom Film
Netflix Broadcast
Simon “Mabhunu” Sabela KZN Film and Television Awards:
To mark the 10th KZN Film and Television Awards – a Simon Sabela inaugural lecture was arranged. The entity was honoured to have Dr Mbongeni Ngema, Dr Gcina Mhlophe and Duma Ka Ndlovu graced the event. Dr Mbongeni Ngema delivered the lecture.
In July 2023, KZN Film, the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF), the Durban Film Mart (DFM), and the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) organized the concept of Film and Television Month. The aim was to showcase what KZN has to offer to the world in terms of film and television.
As part of the initiative, KZNFilm partnered with the DIFF to set up a residency program for district film festival directors. This program allowed six festivals - Umgungundlovu Film Festival, Kwasukasukela Film Festival, Ugu Film Festival, KZN African Film Festival, Amajuba Film Festival, and Umzansi Reel Film Festival - to experience putting together and running an international film festival. The residency lasted 20 days, during which the directors were mentored and worked with the team behind the Durban International Film Festival.
In August 2023, KZNFilm partnered with Power FM for their annual #987Woman Campaign, celebrating women who are trailblazers in their respective fields. As part of the campaign, a KZNFilm executive took over the airwaves for one of the three consecutive days. During this time, they engaged with the POWER 98.7 audience about the film and made inspirational moves in society. This allowed KZNFilm to reach audiences outside of KZN, driving awareness of KZN as a filming destination.
35 ANNUAL REPORT 2023/2024