Cameroonian Political Film Wows DIFF - By: Polly Kamukama

LE PRESIDENT (THE PRESIDENT)
Dir. Jean-Pierre Bekolo
Cameroon, Germany, 2013, 65min.

Shot in a savvy style that combines realism and fiction, the 65-minute feature is a satirical attack on President Paul Biya whose 31-year reign has come under serious international scrutiny. He is accused of abetting polarization, fueling corruption and, above all, being a punitive dictator with no compromise to opposition.

The Film Revolution Will Be Tweeted - By: Nosipho Mngoma

Although traditional media still plays an important role in film promotion, industry professionals say
one cannot dispute the power of 140 characters.

Taking part in a panel discussion to assist filmmakers harness the power of the media in distributing their films, Nilesh Singh of Videovision Entertainment observed that social media has drastically affected the way film marketing is done. “It is a different trajectory.”

The World in Three Colours - Film review THE BATTLE OF TABATO - By: Aderinsola Ajao

Title: The Battle of Tabato
Country: Portugal
Year: 2013
Running time: 80 min
Director: Joao Viana

In the aftermath of war, achieving peace becomes a communal effort. This comes to the fore in Joao Viana’s unique, tri-colour world portrayed in The Battle of Tabato, showing in competition at the 2013 Durban International Film Festival. Shot entirely in black and white, the film is set in the actual village of Tabato in Guinea Bissau and is spiced with local music.

The Sound of Movies - By: Nosipho Mngoma

Emotional engineering. That is how film score composer Zethu Mashika describes what he does. So when he studied engineering after high school, he was not too far off from his passion, creating the “feel” of films with music, complementing what one sees on screen.

Nairobi Half Life Editor’s Inspiring Resilience - By: Polly Kamukama

Even in developed film industries like Hollywood, female editors are still a rare species. But one Kenyan girl is determined to change the status quo.

Principally known for editing Kenya’s archetype film, Nairobi Half Life (2012, directed by David 'Tosh' Gitonga), Mkaiwawi Mwakaba a.k.a Mkay is creating a wave in East African cinema with her magic touch on the editing suit, even mentoring a number of aspiring female filmmakers in Kenya.

Mkay has not only beaten men at their game but has gone on to establish herself as one of the fastest-raising and most sought-after film editors across the East African region, yet she says it’s only the start.

Meet the Durban Talent Campus Participants: Great expectations - By: Narjes Torchani

By the second day of the Talent Campus Durban, the 37 participants, coming from all over Africa, have come to know each other better and are becoming a homogenous group. With their different profiles, they are taking their first steps into the world of film production. By attending the workshop and master classes program designed for them, and through interaction with the speakers, their minds are expanding and their projects developing. Most of them participate in a program like Talent Campus for the first time in their careers, all with their individual goals and expectations.

2 Men and a Wedding – Film review by Nosipho Mngoma

Title: 2 Men and a Wedding

Country: South Africa

Year: 2012

Running time: 51 min

Director: Sara Blecher

Africa is still largely homophobic. Homosexuality is illegal in 37 of the 54 countries on the continent. The death penalty is imposed in two and punishable with life imprisonment in three countries. South Africa is the only country with gay rights entrenched in the constitution and which allows gay marriage.Yet, lesbians are still being killed and “correctively” raped at an alarming rate.