"Day 44" a short film by Film Creator Mgcini Nyoni has been selected for the Sotambe International Film & Arts Festival. This comes as the film's second selection as it was picked up a few months back by the Durban Film Mart. The film stars Nomashawekazi Damasane popularly known as Lady Tshawe and it is directed by Mgcini Nyoni.
1/2 : Some months ago, I had the honour of directing @LadyTshawe in the short film Day 44. Film has been selected for @durbanfilmmart!
— 🇿🇼Mgcini Nyoni🇿🇼 (@MgciniNyoni) June 2, 2021
The film was made possible by generous support from @VusaMkhaya and was short by @SaDee_lensworks, with soundtrack performed by @qeqeshiwe1
According to Ingudukazi's review the film tells the story of a woman living alone for 44 days. She keeps waiting for something but there's a deeper pull to it and she's well hoping & yearning for something. Day 44 is a short, precise, emotional epitome of what 2020 and the Covid pandemic where like especially for informal traders.
Official selection and NOMINEES of short films the 8th SOTAMBE International Film and Arts Festival! Congratulations to all selected productions! Come and watch at the Garden Court Hotel in Kitwe from 22 - 24th September daily from 9 - 21 hrs! All screenings are FREE of charge!! pic.twitter.com/0veo9ek5rA
— SOTAMBE Film Institute (@Sotambefestival) September 13, 2021
The Sotambe International Film & Arts Festival (SOTAMBE IFAF) was established in 2014 on the Copperbelt Province of Zambia. In one of the local languages SOTAMBE means "come and watch".
They aim to educate and raise awareness of social issues through film and arts. The organization serves as a platform for:
•Learning institutions that want to use documentaries, arts and panel discussions as a new and advanced method of learning.
•Local filmmakers and artists looking to showcase their projects, share ideas and inspire others.
•Capacity building for the filmmaking industry through filmmaking workshops.
Each year in the run-up to the festival, they organize filmmaking workshops and boot camps, art workshops for children and art exhibitions, outdoor screenings, film entrepreneurship conferences, and filmmaking labs.
The FILM FESTIVAL itself runs in September. The annual event consists of documentary movie screenings followed by panel discussions targeting students from colleges and universities, as well as screenings of locally produced movies followed by discussions with the producers and directors on challenges they faced during the production process. Additional programme consists of art exhibition, concerts, filmmaking labs and many more.
They award films in the following categories:
Southern African region and Zambia's neighboring countries:
•The Best Documentary
•The Best Feature
•The Best Short Film
•Best TV Series,
•The Best Female Filmmaker
National Category (Upcoming Filmmakers)
•The Best Documentary
•The Best Feature
•The Best Short Film
•The Best TV Series
•Best Script
Non-Competition is open to filmmakers worldwide.
Watch the short film "Day 44" below: