The 45th Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) opens on 18 July and runs for 10 days offering more than 100 screenings and a variety of workshops, seminars, and outreach activities, including movies in township areas where there are no cinemas.
Presented by UKZN’s Centre for Creative Arts within the College of Humanities, DIFF is the oldest (launched in1979) and largest film festival in southern Africa able to boast being the only Oscar-qualifying festival in Southern Africa for Best Documentary and Best Short Film, and one of only four Oscar-qualifying festivals in Africa. This year’s edition features documentaries from various countries, including Sundance and Berlinale films.
DIFF Programme Head and Manager Ms Andrea Voges says the documentary programme offers a diverse global perspective, challenging preconceived notions of people and places, and presenting a unique South African perspective on complex issues.
‘For lovers of life and observers of humanity, DIFF affords a window on the world, the complexities of romantic and broken relationships between people, and the consequences of the broken ties between nations,’ said Voges.
The South African documentary Banned follows the story of Joe Bullet, the first film to feature an all-African cast, which was banned shortly after its release in 1973. Diana Keam’s intimate Don’t be Late for My Funeral focuses on the personal story of her relationship with her retired domestic worker, Margaret Bogopa Matlala.
The opening and closing night films feature South African documentaries, details of which will be announced soon.
‘That DIFF offers film enthusiasts imagery of travelling to far-flung corners of the world without a passport and engaging in conversations with people they may never meet will surely leave an imprint on audiences,’ added Voges.
