Durban, South Africa – This year’s 45th Durban International Film Festival (DIFF), the sole Oscar-Qualifying festival in Southern Africa and one of only four on the continent, promises to deliver an extraordinary array of films with several receiving prestigious accolades and monetary awards. Notably, winners of the Best Documentary and Best Short Film will secure a much-coveted spot in the race for the Academy Awards.
The festival, known for its vibrant selection and competitive categories, will see an impressive lineup of films vying for the Best Feature Film award. This includes notable entries such as “All We Imagine As Light” by Payal Kapadia, a co-production among France, India, Netherlands, and Luxembourg, and “Dear Jassi” by Indian filmmaker Tarsem Singh Dhandwar. Other contenders are Molly Manning Walker’s “How To Have Sex” from the United Kingdom, “Malu” by Brazilian filmmaker Pedro Freire, and “My Favourite Cake” by the team of Maryam Moghaddam and Behtash Sanaeeha from Iran, France, Sweden, and Germany.
The task of choosing the winners falls to a distinguished panel of jurors including Heidi Zwicker, a senior programmer for the Sundance Film Festival, and Sean Drummond, a renowned writer and producer. They are joined by Pape Boye, who has significant experience in film sales and recently launched Black Mic Mac (BMM), focused on African cinema.
Documentaries also take a prominent spot in the festival’s program, with jurors like Antoinette Engel, an award-winning producer recognized for a VR sandbox experience at IDFA DocLab Special Jury Award for Creative Technology in 2023. She is joined by Shameela Seedat, a human rights law specialist and documentary filmmaker, and Theresa Hill, a veteran in the documentary field and deputy director at STEPS, a non-profit organization.
For short films, jurors include Adrian Van Wyk, a filmmaker and cultural historian, Ama Qamata, known for her work in the Netflix series “Blood & Water,” and Tamsin Ranger from Big World Cinema. Their expertise covers a broad spectrum of film production and curation, promising a rigorous selection process for the awards.
Adding to the festival’s educational and developmental roles, Ana Camila Esteves from Brazil, Jacintha de Nobrega and Khosie Dali from South Africa will handle the judging of student films. Their collective experiences and international perspectives are expected to enrich the decision-making process.
Beyond the competition, the festival’s program aligns with broader social concerns, as Amnesty International Durban will present a Human Rights Award. Furthermore, the Audience Choice Award offers festival-goers the opportunity to voice their preferences, adding another layer of engagement to the event.
As the festival progresses toward its climax on July 27, with its closing ceremony to announce the winners in each category, festival head Andrea Voges is excited not just about the juries’ decisions, but also about audience participation. The community’s engagement and the shared experiences fostered by the festival are seen as vital to its success and cultural impact.
For those interested in ongoing updates or more detailed information about the diverse program, following the festival on social media platforms or subscribing to the DIFF newsletter is recommended. This year’s festival not only celebrates cinematic achievements but also embodies a bridge between cultures and stories from around the world, seen through the lens of the vibrant city of Durban.