Africa Film & TV News Flash

Africa Film & TV News Flash N°154

EDITION 154, 12 April 2002
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Contents

1. TVAfrica in Lesotho
2 Funded project by the NFVF rewarded
3. Ice Age freezes up the box office in South Africa
4. Johnnic move signals quest for new TV production revenues
5. Documentary on Zimbabwe crisis
6. Banff Television Foundation to present Focus on Africa at Banff 2002
7. Finalists announced from eight countries throughout Africa for the
seventh CNN African Journalist of the Year Competition
8. Sithengi launches new Website
9. Hooper Productions celebrates 20th Anniversary
10. DW-TV: Ten Years of information competence
11. Job Creation & Support project for Youth
12. Enlarged Japanese and South Korean attendance adds Asian flavour to
MIPTV (15-19 April)
13.Short Film Festival Oberhausen
14. Mediacast 2002
15. Award of the press and democracy 2002 awarded to the burkinabe
newspapers, Le Marabout
16. Mover and Shaker

1. TVAfrica in Lesotho

With the aim to improve Lesotho Television service, the Ministry of
Communications has signed an agreement with TV Africa so as to enable
extended television broadcasting in Lesotho. Starting from the 1st April
2002, Lesotho Television broadcasts from 11.30am to 22.00hrs. This is in
line with the statement made earlier by the Minister of Communications when
he was presenting the budget speech in parliament.
The normal programmes schedule for Lesotho Television will change to
accommodate new programmes. As previously the Lesotho Television programming
was from 17.30hrs to 19.00hrs Monday to Friday and 18.00hrs to 19.00hrs
Saturday and Sunday, the new schedule presents a different picture as the
local news is at 19.30hrs and the rest of the local programmes are broadcast
at 21.00hrs to 22.00hrs when the transmission ends. However, this is
expected to change in May 2002 when the new schedule will be presented to
the nation.
This takes place after the end of the long lasting relationship between
Lesotho Television and Multichoice, which saw the transfer of terrestrial
transmitter network to Lesotho Television. The plan is to relocate the
transmitter so that the Lesotho Television coverage is improved to reach a
larger proportion of the population. It is also the intention of Lesotho
Television to expand the local programming within the existing programming.
This extended programming comes at the opportune time when Lesotho is
preparing for general elections to be held in May this year.
The public will be able to watch the electioneering process on Lesotho
Television.

Contact: Roberta Makhambeni, email: [email protected]
NF154/BN/Msc

2. Funded project by the NFVF rewarded

The winner of the best short film at the Pan African Film festival has been
awarded to Sechaba Morojele for Ubuntu's Wounds, one of the funded projects
of The National Film & Video Foundation (NFVF).
Morojele was already well known in the South African film industry as an
actor and writer (Tsaba Tsaba in Going Up and Mr. Mahlatsi in Yizo Yizo and
wrote scripts for Kelebone, Soul City, Generations and Isidingo) when he
decided to enrol for a two-year degree in directing at the American Film
Institute (AFI)
In his first year he made five films and submitted the first draft of
Ubuntu's Wounds, a film that tells the story of one man's disappointment
with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Ubuntu's Wounds won the prestigious Martin Ritt award, an award for the top
script.
"That was a start, but as the AFI students are expected to finance their
own films," says Morojele. "We wanted to shoot on 35mm, so we had to
continue raising money".
NFVF, which was already funding Morojele’s studies, came to the rescue in
the last funding cycle. "We believed the project had merit, in that it
offered a fresh approach to a South African theme, and we had confidence it
would have international appeal," says NFVF CEO Eddie Mbalo.
Mbalo's confidence was rewarded as further funding awards followed, and the
best short film at the Pan African festival, and accolades at CineQuest in
San Jose and Harvey Mudd College.
"But the most important thing is Story,” says Morojele. “You can have the
most exotic cultural backdrop or the most dazzling camera shots, but without
a compelling story no one will care for your film. That's what was drummed
into us consistently over the two years at AFI. Story, story, story. The
script for Ubuntu's Wounds went through many rewrites. Like all the other
thesis films it was rigorously criticised in class and had to go through an
extensive Teacher-student developmental phase before it was allowed to start
pre-production."
He is currently working on a South African film about corporate South Africa
as well as two other films that are based in the USA. “Hollywood has taught
me a lot and has shown me the ugly and difficult side of this business, he
concludes. “It's all about perseverance. We were told that only 5% of the
directors in my class will still be directing films in five years time - I
just hope I am one of them.”

Contact: Howard Thomas, email: [email protected]
NF154/Prod/Msc

3. Ice Age freezes up the box office in South Africa

Freezing out all competition, Ice Age has set yet another smashing new box
office record for the biggest opening week earner of all animated films
ever released in South Africa. The movie grossed a phenomenal R5, 755 669
(US$515 325) on 71 screens this past week (first week of April). The
previous record-holder, Toy Story 2, clocked in at R3, 577 361 (US$320
294) on 81 screens for the same week of its run. Shrek earned R2, 991 195
(US$267 812) off 72 screens for its opening week.
Ice Age is a smart, character-based comedy and an all-digital animated
feature film from Twentieth Century Fox Animation and Award®-winning
director Chris Wedge.
Following Lord of the Rings (R7, 745 143 = US$693 450), Ice Age has become
the second biggest film based on opening week earnings in SA yet. The film
has bumped Mission Impossible 2's opening week (R5, 712 212 = US$511 435)
down to number three.

Contact: Claire Gardner, email: [email protected]
NF154/Dist/Msc

4. Johnnic move signals quest for new TV production revenues

The merger of Clear Media and Effect Media – brokered by Johnnic
Communications – signals a new strategic direction in TV production and
media management, with the accent firmly on alternative revenue sources.
Clear Media was one of South Africa’s leading TV production companies, with
principal focus on entertainment, drama and documentary programming. Effect
Media was a leading provider of multimedia educational content for broadcast
and interactive media.
The merger was announced today on the Monday 8 April by Johnnic
Communications.
The new company, Clear & Effect, will sit inside the learning operation of
Johncom’s digital division, Johnnic e-Ventures, and work in tandem with
sister companies LCC (Learning Channel Campus) and eDegree to give the group
an integrated learning product spanning the spectrum from pre-school
education through secondary and tertiary education to professional training.
In effect, JohnCom has created a vehicle for strategic expansion into South
Africa’s growing learning market at a time when the entire media sector
faces increasing revenue pressures.
JohnCom previously held a 35% stake in each production company, both of
which are trading profitably. The new arrangement gives JohnCom a
controlling 61.5% stake in the merged entity. Management hold the remaining
equity. The transaction also injects new working capital into the
strengthened company in preparation for planned expansion.

Contact: Samantha Manclark, email: [email protected]
NF154/TB/Msc

5. Documentary on Zimbabwe crisis

Zimbabwe: My Land, My Life (52 minutes) directed by Rehad Desai (Uhuru
Pictures) and produced by Tendeka Matatu (Ice Media) and Nakai Matema (Ice
Films), is a journey into the heart of the Zimbabwean crisis. Set deep in
the farmlands of the tense and violent Mashonaland East area, this
documentary follows the lives of, a farmer, a farm worker and a war veteran
in an attempt to understand the complexity of the current Zimbabwean
situation as seen through the eyes of the characters.
Made possible through support from various donor agencies, SBS- Australia
and the Jan Vrijman Fund, the film was shot over a three month period in
often tough and dangerous conditions. The film is currently in
post-production and will be completed by early May 2002 .

Contact: Tendeka Matatu, email [email protected]
NF154/Prod/Msc

6. Banff Television Foundation to present Focus on Africa at Banff 2002

The premier international event for content creators in television and new
media will feature a Focus on Africa during the 23rd edition of the Banff
Television Festival June 9-14, 2002.
The Focus on Africa will invite filmmakers, producers, and broadcasters from
over 20 African countries. African films will take part at the Banff Rockie
Awards – the “Olympics of television” and programs from across the African
continent will be screened on Festival cable channels and available on
demand from the video library.
In addition, several seminars, workshops, and case studies dealing with the
challenges facing Africa will be held during the Focus.
CBC Newsworld will produce an African special from BANFF 2002, and telecast
a series of African films following the Festival. After the event, BANFF
will prepare a video for media attending G8 Summit of World Leaders in
Kananaskis, from 26-27 June 2002, at which Africa is the focus.
Contact: Carole Orr, Conference Director, email: [email protected]
NF154/Fest/Msc

7. Finalists announced from eight countries throughout Africa for the
seventh CNN African Journalist of the Year Competition

Finalists of the CNN African Journalist of the Year Competition, held in
partnership with the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and
sponsored by a number of top pan-African companies, were announced on the 9
April by Dr. Doyinsola Abiola, Chairperson of the independent judging panel.
The competition, which received entries from 26 countries throughout the
continent, was for the first time open to Francophone Africa.
The finalists, from Cote D’Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, South
Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe are: Sara Blecher, South African Broadcasting
Corporation (SABC), South Africa; Angie Kapelianis, South African
Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), South Africa; Patrice Douh-Lessou,
Fraternité-Matin, Cote D’Ivoire; Khadija Magardie, Mail & Guardian, South
Africa; Isaac Masingati, Weekend Nation, Malawi; John Mwendwa Gitari, Kenya
Television Network, Kenya; Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi, The Daily News, Zimbabwe;
Carolyne Nakazibwe, The Monitor, Uganda; Declan Okpalaeke, Tell, Nigeria;
Susan Purén, for Carte Blanche, M-Net/DSTV, South Africa; Loretta
Vanderpuye, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, Ghana
The CNN African Journalist of the Year and other winners in the various
categories will be announced at a gala awards ceremony at the Sandton
Convention Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa on May 15, 2002.

Contact: Seema Alibhai, tel:+ 44 207 693 0940,
email:[email protected]
NF154/Awards/Msc

8. Sithengi launches new Website

As part of realising their vision to be the premier site for trade in film
and television products amongst Africans and between Africa and the World,
Sithengi has launched a new database driven website.
The new site contains highlights from Sithengi 2001 including photos:
http://www.sithengi.co.za/info/highlights2001
In addition it has an outline of the plans they have for this year
[ http://www.sithengi.co.za/sithengi2002/planned2002.php ]
The site also has instructions on how to register for Sithengi but also,
more importantly, how to become a member and what amazing benefits will be
offered to Sithengi members.
Finally the site has the first of numerous databases that we will be
assembling over the next few months which they hope will help producers,
broadcasters, buyers and sellers access each other throughout the year. In
addition, the Sithengi website has a comprehensive database of international
documentary commissioning editors which can be viewed at
http://sithengi.co.za/international/commissioning_editors/IntComEdi_doc…
]
The international contacts database is set to grow to include details of
commissioning editors in Drama Series and Feature films as well as details
on international producers and financiers.

NF154/Website/Msc

9. Hooper Productions celebrates 20th Anniversary

Hooper Productions, producers of the popular TV series Gardens Wild &
Wonderful and the Keith Kirsten TV programmes, celebrated their 20th
anniversary this month. Hooper Productions must be one of the oldest
production companies in South Africa.
"We have been extremely fortunate", says Jeremy Hooper, who owns and runs
Hooper Productions together with his brother Ian. "Most of those 20 years
have been good ones. We have very seldom had to search for work, although
things have become very tight in the last year or so". The Hooper Brothers
have produced well over 2000 TV and corporate video programmes during this
period.
Hooper Productions now produces magazine programme segments and
documentaries for the SABC, and corporate, training and promotional videos
for a variety of clients including government and the private sector. Their
reputation for reliability and high standards has stood them in good stead
over the years.

Contact: Ian or Jeremy Hooper, tel: +27 11467-0780, fax: +27 11 467-0781
email: [email protected], www.hooper.co.za
NF154/Prod/Msc

10. DW-TV: Ten Years of information competence

DW-TV, Germany's International TV broadcaster, is ten years old. Christoph
Lanz, DW-TV's director comments: "Without doubt, DW-TV now represents a
globally recognised brand among other international information providers in
terms of the external media presentation of Germany." Lanz further commented
in a DW statement on 2nd April that the foreign television channel, produced
in Berlin, had become an outstanding example of "pure information
competence."
DW-TV began broadcasting on 2nd April 1992, initially for six hours, and
later for 14 hours per day, with programmes broadcast in German, English and
Spanish. The next goal was reached on 1st July 1995 when the service was
expanded to full 24-hour programming. The decisive leap to global technical
presence for DW-TV was achieved with the switching to the AsiaSat 2
satellite in 1996. Technically, the German foreign television channel can
now be received in over 137 million households on all continents. Some 22
million viewers regularly watch the channel.

Contact: Patrick Ruppert, email: [email protected]
NF154/BN/Msc

11. Job Creation & Support project for Youth

Film Resource Unit (FRU), premier distributor of African films having
pioneered the distribution of Africans films and social documentaries for
the past 14 years has initiated a groundbreaking job creation project
utilising African film.
The job creation scheme now in existence for over 3 years, utilises the
medium of film and video for income generation, through the sale of videos
and exhibition of film. The project aptly branded Video Distribution
Operators (VDO) remains the core alternative distribution network through
which communities that do not have access to cinemas or any means of viewing
pertinent audio-visual material (such as recently launched political
thriller Lumumba) produced from African continent.
For the current year they have recruited 20 new operators drawn from Gauteng
through a public process of promoting the project to youth. The successful
candidates were put through their paces in an exciting 2 day training and
orientation session that took place at the SAB breweries.
The workshop dealt with business management issues. FRU deployed
professional personnel to facilitate the workshop, topics that were
thoroughly discussed includes: Marketing and Sales, Logical Framework
Analysis, Market Research, Costing and Pricing.
Amongst the team of facilitators were Andre Croucamp (Consultant), Nick
Chapman (Chapman Industries), Mike Dearham (FRU), Herman Maoka (The Nation's
Trust) and Mark Fortuin (The Nation's Trust).

Contact: Diane Magagane, email : [email protected]
NF154/Train/Msc

12. Enlarged Japanese and South Korean attendance adds Asian flavour to
MIPTV (15-19 April)

Participation from Asian territories is on the rise this year with an
increase of over 13% in the number of exhibiting companies (130 companies
this year, 115 in 2001). Japan will set up 28 stands (22 last year) at the
market, which will host 45 exhibiting companies (37 last year). This country
features 5 companies exhibiting for the first time: C-Recipe; Dentsu; Dream
Stage Entertainment; International Buyer’s Agent and Pioneer.
The number of South Korea stands has also climbed, from 10 in 2001 to 13,
and the number of exhibiting companies has grown dramatically from 13 last
year to 32. Four new South Korean companies are exhibiting at MIPTV: Digital
Dream Studios; Hahn Shin Corp.; Koko Enterprise and Korea Content and
Culture Agency (KOCCA).
Japan ranks #4 and South Korea #8 in the top 10 of the countries with the
most stands. In total, 87 Japanese companies (79 last year) and 62 South
Korean companies (46 last year) will be represented at MIPTV. Thailand has 7
exhibiting companies this year (6 in 2001).
Underscoring a growth in Malaysian participation (21 companies attending, 16
last year), Malaysia’s Minister of Information Tan Sri Datuk Khalil Yaakub
will come to MIPTV to seek out international opportunities and promote
awareness for Malaysian film and TV production companies as well as expose
and survey potential film markets for home-grown product. These objectives
are part of the vision and mission of Malaysia's National Film Policy.

Contact: Margot Gardett, Tel +33 1 41 90 45 59– Keith Daly, tel +33 1 41 90
45 60, fax: +33 1 41 90 46 24, www.miptv.com
NF154/Fest/Msc

13.Short Film Festival Oberhausen

The 48th International Short Film Festival Oberhausen, which will be held
from 2-7 May 2002, will feature 79 titles in the International Competition.
42 countries will be represented, among them many less prominent filmmaking
nations, such as Armenia, Bosnia and South Africa. North Africa also will
have a strong presence this year, as does the Middle East with entries from
Israel and Lebanon.
Great Britain will be most prevalent in this year's line-up, with nine films
including works by Cordelia Swann and Michael Maziere. Also competing will
be Jean-Marie Straub and Danièle Huillet, Mike Hoolboom, Alice Anderson,
Peter Tscherkassky, Isao Yamada and many others.

Contact: tel: +49 208 825-3073, fax: +49 208 825-5413
www.kurzfilmtage.de

14. Mediacast 2002

Mediacast 2002 will deliver revolutionary thought leadership from key
players in the broadband industry between 21st and 23rd May at London’s
ExCeL. The event will provide an environment where the industry can share
new ideas to exploit convergence across all technologies. Companies
exhibiting at Mediacast will offer informed insight on how to make the next
crucial step for success in the broadband future. The very latest
applications for broadband technology will be on show at the exhibition,
many of which will be seen for the first time.
Leading companies from Europe and further afield will be represented at
Mediacast 2002. They include: Canal+ Technologies, Echostar International
Corporation, Eutelsat, Hyundai Digital Technologies, IBM Microelectronics,
NDS, Pace Micro Technology, SES-ASTRA, Sharp Microelectronics Europe, Sony
Semiconductor & Devices Europe (SDE), Thales Broadcast and Multimedia, Two
Way TV, Samsung Electronics, Strong, ViACCESS, Yes Television and many more.

Contact: Sonya Acton, email: [email protected], www.mediacast .co.uk
NF154/techn/Msc

15. Award of the press and democracy 2002 awarded to the burkinabe
newspapers, Le Marabout

Le Marabout, a satirical newspaper of Burkina Faso received on the 5 April
the Prize 2002 of the Press and Democracy in Francophone Africa
(USS2401,25).
La Tribune de Genève awards this Prize each year during the Media North
South Festival. This prize recognizes an African newspaper being
characterised by its commitment in favour of the democracy and the human
rights.
Le Marabout is available in 9 African Countries : Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte
d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Gabon, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo

Contact : Fitore Pula, email : [email protected], www.nordsud.ch,
www.marabout.net
NF154/Awards/Msc

16. Mover and Shaker

Roger Fajinzylberg, Director of the Sub-Saharan Africa at Canal+Horizons is
not working anymore for the company.
During 10 years, he has been successively, in charge of the Ivory Coast,
then he was responsible for the relationship between the African operators
and the two networks: Canal+Horizons and le Sat Bouquet. Lastly, he was the
Director of the Sub-Saharan Africa
Contact: Roger Fajinzylberg, tel : +33 616590607, email: [email protected]
NF154/MS/MSC

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