Making Eastern Cape the Film Destination of Choice
29 June 2022
Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) hosted the ECDC Film Festival during the National Arts Festival in Makhanda from 27 - 29 June 2022. The Film Festival was set to position the Eastern Cape as a Film Destination of Choice by engaging local and international film producers and investors. The programme was a three-day long programme with the first day focusing on the local and upcoming filmmakers and those in the value chain of film production, especially scriptwriters. The training was conducted by the Writers Guild of South Africa.
On day two of the programme focused on discussions on how the Eastern Cape can position itself as the Film Destination of Choice for local & international productions, while looking at the impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on the film industry. Recovery Plans for South Africa were shared with best industry players and stakeholders sharing best practises and experiences while shooting their films in the Eastern Cape.
See presentations from the National Film and Video Fund looking at the impact of COVID-19 in the Film Industry, also outlining the Recovery Plans.
Department of Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture presentation on the Eastern Cape FIlm Sector Plans by Mr. Xolani Gumbi
Locations Africa Ms. Nombuso Nkosi shared the best practices and offerings of the Locations Africa to both local and international Filmmakers.
The third day of the programme focused on the national and provincial funding opportunities, looking at how filmmakers can access those.
The Eastern Cape Government has since 2019 established an Eastern Cape Investment Film Fund (ECIFF). the Fund is administered by the Eastern Cape Development Corporation, with the objectives of positioning the Eastern Cape Province as a preferred destination for hosting local, national, and international film productions and to consistently attract Local Direct Investments and Foreign Direct Investments. This in turn will enable a vibrate economy through SMME participation and create temporal and permanent jobs through the film production value chain.
In ensuring the full realisation of the ECIFF, conversations with all the role players in the film value chain are key for policy reform purposes. The third day of the ECDC Film Festival was joined by key funding partners from national and provincial government institutions with an objective to address the current funding gaps and look at key highlights to leverage on, with the filmmakers.
The ECDC Head of Trade, Investment and Innovation Mr. Phakamisa George outlined the Funding Requirements of the Eastern Cape Investment Film Fund.
The National Empowerment Fund's Media Financing was explained in detail by the Investment Associate Mr. Mpumezo Mathibe.
The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition's Film and TV Incentives explained by Mr Dimakgatso Kgomo were explained on the presentation below:
As part of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, the Industry Development Corporation also offer incentives to filmmakers under their Media and Audio Visual Ms. Mpho Maringa.
The National Film and Video Foundation, an agency of the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture that is set to ensure the equitable growth of South Africa's film and video industry shared its funding programmes and criteria below:
A look into the upcoming Film Studios in the Great Fish River, Fish Studios by the Chief Executive Officer of Forus Digital Group Ms. Marry Brennan.
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