Several short films have been on the international film festival circuit, making SA proud in the realm of short but impactful storytelling!
Global (11 November 2024) — As the 2024 international film festival circuit continues to provide space for stories across the world to be told, shared, cried over and applauded; South Africa’s short film scene is having a moment!
Several short films that tell stories from our home are sparking important conversations and some have even gone on to earn prestigious selections.
These fine moments in film, follow other recent exciting moments for South Africa in the world of visual story telling; including Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight reigning triumphantly at the Toronto Film Festival and the Pebbles Project’s Documentary becoming a finalist at the Big Syn International Film Festival in London.
For short films on the circuit from Love Africa Marketing, ‘See Us’ claimed pinnacle status and gold from the International Tourism Film Festival Africa (ITFFA)!
A production with WILDOCEANS, the film explores South Africa’s untamed coastline by following underwater explorers as they reveal the secret sanctuaries of our seas and learn more about sharks and rays beyond the surface and in relation to our ecosystem.
The short film has also been selected as a finalist in the Wildlife Conservation Film Festival, South Africa independent Film Festival, Germany’s NATOURALE and Singapore’s Earth in Focus.
Then, there’s ‘Caleb: Beyond the Bite’, which has also been quite the talk of the short film circuit.
The production won the Gabriel Figueroa Special Award from the Wildlife Conservation Film Festival where it was also deemed a semi-finalist! ‘Caleb: Beyond the Bite’ was also produced by WILDOCEANS and follows great white shark bite survivor and award-winning actor Caleb Swanepoel as he navigates a unique relationship with the ocean.
Additionally, Babanango Game Reserve has been the setting for important films on the circuit.
’This is Home’—a documentary tracking efforts to reintroduce black rhinos into the reserve–won gold at the ITFFA in the Sustainable and Responsible Tourism category.
‘Return of the King’ became a silver ITFFA-winning film about two male lions who were relocated to the reserve in a historic moment that marked lions returning to the land for the first time in well over a century!
‘Return of the King’ also became a finalist in the Vaasa Wildlife Festival.
‘Madwaleni River Lodge’ also earned silver at the ITFFA, while claiming gold at the Terres Travel Festival!
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