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Cape Town - Camps Bay is once again host for the kykNET Silwerskermfees that will take place from 26 to 29 August. The festival is celebrating its fifth birthday and for four days films will be the main dish on the menu.
“It is a very special festival and the kykNET Silwerskermfees has even been called the Cannes Film Festival of South Africa,” says Karen Meiring, M-Net’s director of Afrikaans channels. “At the festival people gather till late at night, new ideas are formed and then there is time to talk business. And sometimes, just sometimes, dreams come true.”
This year’s festival has fifteen debut short films as well as numerous full length and documentary films on the programme. Some of the full length films will have their première at the festival. The final programme will be announced on July 28.
A panel of judges oversaw the selection process and as with the festivals of the previous years, will also decide who the winners in the various categories will be. The awards ceremony is on Saturday August 29.
The kykNET Silwerskermfees has been very successful in developing young talent. In 2012 the short film Buurtwag won two awards: best director (Jaco Smith) and best screenplay (Beer Adriaanse). It has since been developed into a TV-series that will start on kykNET on 30 September. Adriaanse is the director and screenwriter and the series stars Deon Lotz, Albert Maritz and Albert Pretorius.
"Buurtwag is just one of the examples of the success," says Meiring. "The festival is an important platform for kykNET to find new ideas and concepts. René van Rooyen, a winner in 2012 for her short film Nantes, is the director of the new series of Getroud met Rugby. Corné van Rooyen’s film Hollywood in my Huis became a reality at the festival. Bennie Fourie, a winner last year for Vuil Wasgoed, is busy working on a screenplay for a new sitcom for kykNET. He was also a writer on Sterlopers under the guidance of Deon Opperman.
"Christiaan Olwagen, who’s short film Toevlug won three awards in 2013, is busy with his first feature film, Johnny is nie Dood nie. Then there is Gambit Films, a winner last year with No 37, that has since been involved with numerous projects for kykNET and kykNET & Kie. They were responsible for Ons Stories, a series of 20 television films produced for kykNET & Kie. They were also chosen after a thorough tender process as the producers of Suidooster, a soapie that will be seen on kykNET and kykNET & Kie in November."
Meiring said the kykNET Silwerskerm festival 2015 is the place to be seen.
"Established producers can become involved in mentoring inexperienced producers untill they are strong enough to stand on their own feet. An excellent example of this is Homebrew Films’ mentoring of Gambit Films."
Tickets for the kykNET Silwerskerm festival 2015 is available at Ticketpro (www.ticketpro.co.za).
