Out in Africa director Nodi Murphy looks back on latest festival

  • 0

The latest cycle of Out in Africa films has just wrapped up. Any surprises and/or highlights or was it business as usual?

Yes, there were surprises – hoped-for surprises. We have been faced with diminishing audiences, as have smaller/specialist film festivals the world over. Last year we decided to break the festival up into three editions, showing approximately the same number of films in the year, but not all at once. Peoples' lives are busy; two or three were all that they could afford to attend. And there were too many films available to do any one film justice. “Affording” has as much to do with disposable leisure time as with readily disposable income.

And the same goes for press coverage, which we really need for every film, and which is nigh impossible with a line-up of 30 titles. This time around all the films were reviewed – well reviewed. It's more strategic, and easier, to select 9 or 10 films than 30. There's more choice and we keep up with the latest releases, though it's painful to leave out films, good films, because our programme's full. Some films we roll over for the next outing.

Another successful strategy implemented was the use of smaller cinemas, 100-seaters. Screenings were booked out quickly; and people were even turned away as they arrived on the night to buy tickets. A full house is a joyous sight! And there were many of them. The disappointed ones made sure to book there and then for their other choices.

We also made more use of digital social networks and used other voices to promote the festival. We saw people we hadn't seen before and that was a nice surprise.

As festival director, what makes you pick up and start a new round of screenings every year?

I am paid – not a fortune, but I am off the streets. It's a job, but an unusual one. I travel some, meet many wonderfully creative people, and see the occasional film that takes my breath away – and then I want everyone else to see it. And it's important for us, the queers, to be seen in public in significant numbers, to inhabit and make use of public spaces, make them safe for us. I love seeing cinemas full of gays and lesbians and other queers (in which I include the straights who jorl with us).

Which of the films proved popular this time around?

Knock me down with a feather! The lesbian films topped the attendance lists! The lesbian crowd-pleaser Kiss Me, a really strong production from Sweden, shares first place with Glenn Close’s Oscar-nominated Albert Nobbs. Regardless, we had a 90% attendance rate. The film that took the audience by surprise was the tale of a young transman, a German feature called Romeos. It was not what people expected and they loved it. We've had lots of feedback saying so.

And for you personally – what was your top film?

Well, it has to be Kiss Me. It's hard to find all-round-satisfying lesbian films, and this had everything – great performances, an intelligent script, well-crafted love scenes, beautiful cinematography. And we had producer Josefine Tengblad here – so that was special. It was a well-rounded programme with films from all over the world. I must make mention of our other guest, Dreya Weber. Besides her film credits she is a renowned aerialist and she ran a workshop with the Zip Zap circus – it's a very different world up there and it was a privilege to witness the agility and skill on show.

In terms of South African content, what did we miss?

Another of our struggles is securing South African and African queer films. The reason for this is obvious: so few are made, and the reasons for that are all too glaring. Nonetheless, we found three fabulous short films. Fanney Tsimong's Umfhilo – The Secret (e.tv) about married men who conduct affairs with men; Mthokozisi Lembethe's Paving Forward (Big Fish School of Digital Filmmaking, Jozi), which focuses on where the LGBTI movement has taken us and the struggles of a 50-year-old lesbian mother. Finally there was Werner Coetzee's Anders (AFDA, CT), set in a small Afrikaans town, about a youth who wants to dress as a woman. Paving Forward features Mosiuoa Lekota and he attended a screening in Jozi.

What generally happens to South African gay/lesbian documentaries and short films – do they have a shelf life beyond festivals?
 
Festivals are an important phase of any film's life – and just about every South African or African film we showcase travels extensively to international festivals – both queer and others. That's one of the benefits we can offer – filmmakers will have their films screened all over the world. Distribution beyond that circuit is harder. However, if a film is relevant, even as a historical artefact, then it has a life. And I think that our films are “relevant”.

On that note ... OIA has been exploring the feasibility of DVD distribution, but we are no experts in this field – it's a very different business. However, we have recently hooked up with a small, specialised local distributor and are full-tilt on this path. First we'll look at the popular titles we've screened over the past 18 years and see how that goes. As for newer titles, we'll screen them theatrically at the festival and then have them ready for sale on DVD immediately afterwards.

How often do they end up on, say, the SABC or for sale in Musica?
 
Some of the South African films we have shown have been SABC or e.tv productions. The independently made films ... I think that we're their only real public outlet.

What can the South African public do to support gay and lesbian filmmaking, other than simply buying tickets to the festival once a year?

Don't download from illegal sources. Just about every queer film is independently made, and the filmmakers often go into debt to make them. Pay the filmmakers for their work, and then they'll be able to make another film. And the better they earn, the more they'll put into the next one. Things could only improve – working filmmakers and more, better, films for us to watch.

As for the festival, it also needs public support. The OIA G&LFF is a special space, a special service and it is in danger of disappearing. OIA travels to rural towns and smaller cities and screens films for audiences that number 350 people – Ermelo, Kimberley, Mafikeng, East London and Pietermaritzburg. We also provide transport and tickets for peri-urban dwellers to attend the Jozi and CT festivals. We have enough funds to see us through 2012, but may not survive into 2013. We have found funding for 19 years, little of it South African money. International sources are drying up, and in this climate we need help from our public. We make the appeal at all screenings – if 8 333 people were to give R240 a year (how many cappuccinos is that?) we'd raise just under R2 million.

South Africa is a beacon of light-and-right on this continent – everywhere in Africa we are reviled; there are religious and political forces that wish us dead. We enjoy more rights than the average American, and yet it is difficult to sustain a queer film festival.

In Cape Town we are approaching Tourism and the City – it was made public that 10-12% of acknowledged (my word and emphasis) tourists are queer. OIA is an attraction – we'd like to continue to be one, but need the financial support. The National Film and Video Foundation is a staunch supporter, we make modest applications to all the Film Commissions (with varying degrees of success). Letters to the Tourism and City authorities would help us secure funding.
 
When will the next festival hit our screens?

The next edition is from 27 July to 5 August, and after that 19 to 28 October. This last is when we have opening nights – invitation only, speakers and other entertainment – and those are set for Wednesday 17 October in Jozi and Thursday 18 in CT.

I need to add that we have three stunning films already lined up for July/August. Book early to avoid disappointment! And with forewarning we can schedule extra screenings.

For more info, visit the website at www.oia.co.za.

  • 0

Reageer

Jou e-posadres sal nie gepubliseer word nie. Kommentaar is onderhewig aan moderering.


 

Top