TRAILBLAZERS AWARDS AT MIPDOC-CANNES
Friday, 5th March 2007
MIPDOC, the International Documentary Market, and Encounters, the South African International Documentary Film Festival are pleased to announce the selection of the two African representatives of the 2007 International Trailblazers. They are South African Vincent Moloi and Jean-Marie Teno from Cameroon, who will be joining a group of eight visionary documentary filmmakers from Asia Pacific, North America and Europe.
The Trailblazers, now in its second year, will present the International Trailblazers at MIPDOC which is held annually at Cannes, France in April.
The Encounters team felt that Moloi and Teno, though different in their approach, epitomise courage, commitment and talent within the documentary filmmaking genre in Africa. Moloi, most popularly known for Men of Gold (2006) and Nightsweepers (2006), is a true trailblazer.
“His films exemplify his youthful, adventurous and concise attitude. We selected Moloi because of his distinct, energetic, sensitive, bold and surprising approach to filmmaking,” said the Encounters team.
Moloi received the Jameson Audience Award at the 2006 Encounters Festival for his film Men of Gold.
Cameroon-born Teno is an experienced and accomplished documentary filmmaker who engages in rigorous intellectual debates in his films. His current film The Colonial Misunderstanding (2004) represents his recurring themes of sharp criticism of colonial practices and authoritarian regimes amongst others.
“Teno is not afraid to tell tough African stories from an African perspective”, said Encounters. “His films represent a bold and principled commitment to filmmaking in and about Africa.” In 2005 Teno was awarded the best documentary at the Vues d’Afrique for his film The Colonial Misunderstanding.
The International Trailblazers are selected according to innovation, creativity, and originality. These qualities increase audiences; attract media attention and impact on the genre of documentary filmmaking. Reed MIDEM, which organises high-quality international professional markets in Cannes and worldwide, have engaged the following selectors: Encounters South African International Documentary Film Festival, The International Documentary Association in the USA, Hot Docs in Canada, The European Documentary Network in Denmark, South Korea’s EBS International Documentary Festival and the Association of Japan TV Programs.
The Sundance Channel, National Film Board of Canada (NFB), FYI, KBI and the Korean Broadcasting Institute have come on board as sponsors for the second year in a row.
Commenting on his selection as an International Trailblazer, Vincent Moloi said, “It’s very exciting, but I’m also terrified by the responsibility and expectations that come with it. I enjoy my underdog position, but I also like the prospects that being a trailblazer might bring. All I’ve ever wanted is an opportunity to be in a world platform, and this is it.”
Encounters, which selected the nominees for the African region, has been hosting the Encounters South African International Documentary Festival since 1999. Both Teno and Moloi’s films were programmed in the 8th edition of the festival last year. International Trailblazers will take place during MIPDOC, at the Carlton Hotel in Cannes on the 14th and 15th April.
Last year, Encounters selected Khalo Matabane as the African Trailblazer whose film Conversation on a Sunday Afternoon was sold to the Sundance Channel as a result of the selection to the Trailblazers.
For further information visit Encounters at 2007.encounters.co.za and MIPDOC on www.mipdoc.com
Please contact Mandisa Zitha on +27 21 465 4686 or email mandisa@encounters.co.za for further information.