The second Close Encounters Documentary Film Laboratory, following on the success of the first Laboratory in 1999, again offers the opportunity to first-time directors to work with experienced filmmakers, refining their concepts for a half-hour documentary. e.tv will commission two of these first-timers to make their films.
Close Encounters will take place in Cape Town between Sunday 18th June and Saturday 24th June 2000. Eight candidates, selected on the basis of a written proposal for a half-hour documentary, will work with a team of International and South African filmmakers. Our guest filmmakers are: Niek Koppen and Hillie Molenaar [Holland], Patricia Plattner [Switzerland], Paul Watson [Great Britain] and Lauren Groenewald [South Africa].
These filmmakers will also present and discuss their films at the Encounters South African International Documentary Film Festival 18th June – 1st July 2000 at Cinema Nouveau V&A Waterfront, Cape Town.
The aim of the Laboratory is to prepare candidates for presentation at a final pitching session wherein e.tv will commission two films to be made. Preparation includes proposal writing, budget preparation & shoot scheduling and package presentation skills. It is an exciting opportunity for new South African directors to work with top international and local filmmakers in refining their ideas and presenting their work for selection.
This initiative, designed and organised by Nodi Murphy and Steven Markovitz of Big World Cinema [BWC], is supported by the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Pretoria and Holland Film, Pro Helvetia Arts Council of Switzerland, the British Council and e.tv.
The organisers wish to congratulate the following eight candidates who have been selected for the Laboratory 2000:
Bongani Cele : Positively Me
Margo Fleiser : Women Behind The Wheels
Riaan Hendricks : Cape of Storms – A Fisherman’s Tale
Sello Molefe : Kids @ Work
Omelga Mthiyane : A True Life Fairy Tale
Lentsoe Serote : My Father Mazurkie
Catharina Weinek : Hey Dolly – Black is Beautiful
Claude Wittwen : Graffiti Vandalism or Art?
