Cape Town: FAME Week Africa finally begins at CTICC and launched the imminent Cape Town Film Fund to support local film-makers and create jobs.
This the 4th edition of the FAME Week Africa, that kicked off at the CTICC on Monday, September 02, 2024. The festival partner is City of Cape Town and Member of the Mayoral Committee for Safety and Security – Alderman JP Smith officially opened the festival.
While addressing the people, Alderman Smith provided an update on the imminent Cape Town Film Fund that aims at delivering further support to the film industry.
The City of Cape Town has already appointed an interim advisory board to evaluate the funding applications and guide the city, on which film and media projects to support.
As per the sources, the Film Fund has been established to finance or provide support of municipal services for short films, feature films, music videos, commercials and Reality TV series, among others.
Considering the launch, Alderman JP Smith said that they are looking for projects which will drive local economic development and create jobs, through the film and media production’s value chain.
“We are looking for projects that will support the emerging film and media talent base through upskilling and training initiatives based in Cape Town,” added Smith.
According to him, these projects should have the potential to bring direct investment into Cape Town, must drive sustainability, diversity and inclusion in Cape Town.
“We know that we have these project scripts in abundance, here in Cape Town and we want to help you, the filmmakers, to turn them into reality,” said Alderman Smith.
Reportedly, the City’s Film Office will soon publish a funding call, this month (in September), for the first tranche of applications. The funding call will be published on the City’s official website, Film Cape Town website as well as on media publications, with detailed criteria for the applicants that they must follow.
It is an initiative that has been designed to support the budding film-makers. Alderman Smith also opened the City of Cape Town/Film Cape Town stand on the FAME Week Africa exhibition floor.
Notably, for a third year in a row, the stand will showcase and highlight short films by emerging film-makers from some of Cape Town’s tertiary and film institutions.
The City and Film Cape Town is partnering with students from AFDA, UCT, Film School Africa, the Animation School, which are the renowned SA Film Academy and City Varsity, whose short films will be displayed on show at the amphitheatre set up.
The short films will be played between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. daily during the festival run. FAME Week Africa is taking place from Monday, September 02, 2024 until Saturday, September 07, 2024.
The event is a safari of events where film, art, media and entertainment are packaged into one. It comprises seven days of exchange and networking, meetings, film screenings and conferences that connects industry professionals and creatives.
Furthermore, in just four years, the event has recorded, earning its place as one of the premier gatherings for film, arts, media, and entertainment creatives in Africa, attracting nearly 6000 delegates every year.
The event’s short film festival FAME Shorts Film Festival is also taking place at The Labia Theatre from Wednesday, September 04, 2024 until Saturday, September 07, 2024.