“The trip was my first to another African country, attending a truly African film festival has always been one of my dreams.
I hoped to meet and connect with other filmmakers, who share the same struggles and challenges that I face, as an emerging filmmaker in South Africa, where the divide exists between the established filmmakers and emerging filmmakers, a place where we continue to struggle immensely to make and have our stories told.
It was so gratifying to connect with filmmakers from Kenya, Ghana, Uganda, Rwanda, Nigeria, Tanzania and Zanzibar, places I have only ever heard of. To see their work and be exposed to the wealth of amazing stories and storytellers that Africa has.
The trip made me see African cinema in a complete different light, appreciating our collective struggle [against] colonialism and slavery and that only when we pull our collective strengths can we create content that resonates with our African audiences.
I also wanted to work with other African countries and hoped that we could collectively channel our resources, which led to the discussion of a 5-country co-production that we want to start with next year.
[…]
I am so grateful to Art moves Africa who gave me this opportunity to connect with the rest of Africa and to become a better African filmmaker and storyteller.”
Grant Year : 2015
Profile : Researcher
Gender : M
Mobility project
AMA grantee Denver Breda traveled from Cape Town, South Africa, to Zanzibar, Tanzania, to participate in the Zanzibar International Film Festival (July 7 – 26, 2015).
Mr. Breda is an independent Khoisan indigenous filmmaker, scriptwriter, photographer, actor and social activist based in the Cape Flats. He is the CEO and founder of the Cape Flats Creative Collective, a body of artists working on nurturing emerging talent from the Cape Flats, as well as the founder of Kolabb, a mentoring and networking platform to connect emerging filmmakers. This year, he will be launching an online content platform/VOD called CaramelTV whilst working on the first Cape Flats Film festival and developing a local audio-visual incubator for under-resourced talent.
The Zanzibar International Film Festival is East Africa’s largest festival of film, music and arts. Hosted every year, it is a vital meeting point for cinematic talent from across the world. The two-week-long program includes screenings, exhibitions, workshops and cultural tours. The theme for 2015 was “Season of Visions.” Mr. Breda screened his documentary Tears of a Cape Flats Mother, which narrates the ongoing gang-wars on the Cape Flats through the mourning eyes of mothers who tragically lost their beloved sons through these atrocities.
Session
May
Type of Project
Festival/biennale/fair
Departure : Cape Town, South Africa
Destination : Zanzibar, Tanzania