Accompanying Wesgro’s Head of Film and Media Promotion and African Film Commissioner, Monica Rorvik, and African Film Commissioner, Lisa Mini, is a delegation of nearly 30 companies and national agencies – including the Department of Trade and Industry (dti) and National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF).
“TIFF is celebrated as one of the world’s leading film platforms, providing the perfect opportunity to attract investment and production into Cape Town and the Western Cape,” said Wesgro CEO Tim Harris. “We are proud of all the local film’s in selection at this year’s event and wish the delegation a successful trip to market.”
In selection at this year's festival are three South African Films including Jahmil XT Qubeka’s Sew The Winter To My Skin – a true story based on a South African “Robin Hood”. This will mark Quebeka’s second production to feature at TIFF.
Hailing from Cape Town, leading South African producer Steven Markowitz brings his stable of Pan African feature films into focus, with the Sudanese directed aKasha, and multi-award winning Kenyan helmed Rafiki.
On the industry side, Cape Town’s Jozau Malherbe will be pitching in at TIFF’s feature film event called The International Financing Forum (iff). This prestigious co-financing event brings together selected international and Canadian producers with international sales agents, US distributors, film agents, equity financiers and executive producers, for brokered meetings and exclusive networking opportunities.
Commenting on the many benefits of the festival, Rorvik said: “Not only does the festival provide a platform for up and coming producers to be recognised and supported by foreign investors - it presents the perfect opportunity for the province’s film industry to follow up with major players in the market, after the dti’s inbound mission from July 2018 where industry welcomed 20 companies - out of which 13 were from Canada, to the Mother City.”
Rorvik added: "In order to succeed we cannot work in silo’s - 2018 has proved to be a great year thus far for collaboration and co-production, we look forward to further strengthening out ties with our international players in order to take our local film industry to the next level.”
Executive Mayor, Patricia de Lille, commented: “Cape Town’s film industry has a vibrant offering of sound talent, innovative thinkers, and diverse locations. The City recently came together to sign a pledge with all industry players to ensure the sector offers an even more competitive offering to local and international players in film, television, commercials, animation and gaming. Cape Town knows the world owes us nothing, and Wesgro’s efforts to actively pursue investment opportunities is the most effective way to grow our economy and ensure industry creates jobs.”
Alan Winde, Minister of Economic Opportunities, added: “The Western Cape film industry plays an important role in our province’s economic performance and ability to create jobs and this visit to the Toronto International Film Festival will help promote the excellent work being done here, as well as develop partnerships in order to grow the industry further, develop our skills and promote the world class offering the Western Cape presents for the international film industry."
Issued by Wesgro Media Team, 7 September 2018
