Five South African films will be screening at the prestigious Festival de Cannes, which is in its 72nd year.
Festival de Cannes is the world’s largest gathering of film industry professionals. This year, an exhibition stand will be set up to showcase content that highlights the incredible talent of African Film and television. The exhibition stand is called ‘Pavillon Afrique.’
Pavillon Afrique aims to showcase industry advancements that are framing African storytelling and the continent’s motion-picture industry.
South Africa will feature predominantly in the documentary segment of the festival. Four of the films will be screened in the ‘Doc Corner’, a dedicated venue honouring the essential role documentaries play in societies.
The four documentaries include The Rise, The Colonel’s Stray Dogs, African Warrior Queen and Influence. One of only three films selected to be screened at Cannes is Lace, a short film produced by VIVA Pictures.
“The Festival de Cannes serves as a great platform to showcase not only South African content and talent but to also raise awareness around what we, as the African continent, can offer the world,” says Makhosazana Khanyile, Chief Executive of the National Film and Video Foundation.
“Pavillon Afrique is about showcasing the interconnectivity of the African experience. As a continental block, we recognise that real strength lies in collective bargaining, shared skills and collaboration.
“We are excited to share films that give the world a small window into the inner workings of South African society. In today’s fake news era, documentary films are a powerful tool for shining a light on and driving the debate around important issues affecting the world,” she adds.
The screenings will take place between Tuesday, 14 and Saturday, 25 May 2019.
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