TORONTO FILM FESTIVAL IDEAL PLATFORM TO PROMOTE SA FILM INDUSTRY – DEPUTY MINISTER MASINA

TORONTO FILM FESTIVAL IDEAL PLATFORM TO PROMOTE SA FILM INDUSTRY – DEPUTY MINISTER MASINA

The annual Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is an ideal platform to promote the South African film industry. This was said by the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Mzwandile Masina.  He was speaking at a breakfast session hosted by the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) on the sidelines of the festival in Toronto yesterday. Film industry stakeholders from South Africa and Canada attended the session.

“TIFF is a prestigious and strategic festival that has been earmarked by our department as an ideal platform to further promote the South African film industry and the country as an attractive location for the shooting of international films.  The South African government firmly believes in the sector and understands the contribution that can be made in terms of skills transfer, arts and culture and job creation,” said Masina.

He added that the high regard that the SA government has for the film industry was evident in the co-production treaty that SA and Canada have signed, as well as the 20 filmmakers that the dti has funded to attend TIFF this year.

“We brought 20 filmmakers here to assist them sell their productions, source finance and find partners and international distributors. We would also like them to gain international experience in what is undoubtedly one of the toughest industries in the world to do business in. This is an industry where million rand productions compete with million dollar productions, which in turn compete with hundred million dollar productions all on a global scale,” said Masina.

He emphasised that the co-production treaty between SA and Canada was intended to serve as a driver from which the two countries could contribute to the expansion of the film, television, video production and distribution industries in both countries. Masina encouraged filmmakers from Canada and South Africa to contribute meaningfully in ensuring that the implementation of the treaty was successful.

Producers and actors David Kau and Terry Pheto, as well as Mfundi Vundla attended the session and interacted with film industry stakeholders from Canada and South Africa.