Reconciliation: Mandela’s Miracle
By David Chudnovsky : The Third Annual Vancouver South African Film Festival will include two films that were big winners at the recent South African Film and Television Awards. VSAFF will be held April 13-14 at Simon Fraser University Woodwards.
On Saturday evening, April 13 – immediately prior to the VSAFF Gala Reception (where South African food and wine will be served) – “Material” a warm, funny and emotional look at the struggles of a Muslim family facing the modern world will be featured. “Material” won Golden Horns (the South African Oscars) for best feature film, best director (Craig Freimond), best actor (Riaad Moosa,), best supporting actor (Vincent Ebrahim) and best sound designer.
One reviewer said of Material, “It’s one of the smartest, most heartwarming movies to originate from South Africa. A struggle with duty, responsibility and loyalty to family and tradition, it manages to stir up deep emotion – ranging from heartwarming moments to utter joy.”
“Little One”, the story of a six-year-old rape victim left for dead in a township near Johannesburg, and earlier nominated to the US Academy Awards as Best Foreign Film, won the SAFTA Best Actress award for an extraordinary performance by Lindiwe Ndlovu. “Little One” will screen on Sunday evening, April 14.
The Committee that nominated “Little One” for an Oscar called it, “a universal story made local, a poignant, moving and minimalist narrative which is unapologetically South African.”
“Our lineup of films this year is extraordinary,” commented Ruth Herman, Chair of the VSAFF Organizing Committee. “Material” and “Little One” are the headliners, but the rest of the program is equally impressive. Our mandate at VSAFF is to show feature and documentary films that reflect the diversity and complexity of South Africa – movies that entertain, inform and educate. We’ve certainly got the films to do that this year.”
Films that will be shown at the 2013 VSAFF include:
Real Scenes: Johannesburg
Me, You Mankosi
Not Cricket 2
White Lies
Reconciliation: Mandela’s Miracle
Material
White Boy, Black Nanny
Journey to Nyae Nyae
Hopeville
Tracks Across Sand
Little One
For times and details see: http://www.vsaff.org/schedule/
The Festival is an entirely volunteer organization. No one is paid to work for VSAFF, nor are there any stipends, honoraria or other remuneration.
All proceeds from VSAFF go to support Education without Borders. (http://www.educationwithoutborders.ca/about/) EwB is a Vancouver based NGO whose most significant project work is done at Fezeka Secondary School, Gugulethu Township in the Western Cape. (http://www.educationwithoutborders.ca/projects/classrooms)
As a consequence of the promotional work VSAFF has done, and particularly because of its partnership with the South African Department of Arts and Culture and the participation in the Festival of His Excellency Membathis Mdladlana, South African High Commissioner to Canada, the Mayor of the City of Vancouver will proclaim April 11-17, “South Africa Culture Week in Vancouver”.
To order tickets or for more in formation the VSAFF website can be accessed at: vsaff.org
