For almost 2 decades, the Gauteng Film Commission has funded over 400 projects, created over 21 000 jobs/ opportunities and trained over 30 000 learners through various skills development initiatives. Serving as the bedrock of the Gauteng film industry and leading with innovation, inclusion, transformation that enables industry role players to remain relevant and sustainable, the organisation is forging ahead and looking into the future with a renewed and refreshed approach to empowering writers, producers and directors that make Gauteng the destination of choice to shoot films that make it into the international circuit.
In so doing, the GFC enables sustainable development of the Gauteng film industry and stimulates film-making as a catalyst for both direct and indirect employment of people from various sectors of our economy. The positive impact is felt directly by communities along the length and breadth of South Africa.
Ms Keitumetse Lebaka will then introduce you to a pool of innovators and icons shaking up the local film industry, including Thabang Moleya (Film Director: ‘Happiness Ever After’. International EMMY & Africa Movie Academy Award nominated and SAFTA winner.), Percy Vilakazi (The River, SAFTA winner & International EMMY nominated Writer and Producer) and Kagiso Modupe (multi award-winning Film & TV Producer, Director and Actor).
They have been appointed to inspire a new wave of filmmakers coming out of South Africa – especially Gauteng. And collectively and in partnership with the GFC they will amplify the call to all creatives and filmmakers to rally under the campaign to DISCOVER Gauteng, where filmmaking treasure awaits, and DISCOVER:
· Funding opportunities
· Issuing of permits
· New locations
· New talent
· Fellow filmmakers and industry peers to collaborate with
· Inspiration
· New ways of doing things
Each ambassador will then serve as custodian of a messaging troupe across digital, youth, innovation, creativity, funding etc. Find out who they are and hear what they have to say.
This, as they prepare to journey for their first engagement of taking Gauteng to the world through the Creative Africa Nexus Sumit (CANEX), at Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2021), taking place in Durban from 15 to 21 November 2021. The gathering is organised by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) in collaboration with the African Union (AU) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat.