Established by the DFM over a decade ago, Jumpstart is an incubator programme that looks at the tools and key techniques for scriptwriting.
This year sees an extension to the Jumpstart programme as CNC’s Deental-ACP programme co-organise and finance an additional workshop to assist projects with the niche skills of packaging projects for an international market. This extension will form part of DFMI’s year-round programme.
The 2022 Jumpstart programme takes place during the Durban FilmMart, from 22-25 July.
A Dream To Die For directed by David Masterwille: This film is a narrative looking at illegal mining and the destruction it leaves behind. It sets the vivid portrayal of the assault on humanity and the environment while exploring the portrayal of friendship and redemption. It's in the spirit of this cause that this film will set itself apart from others.
Blackass directed by Tolulope Ajayi: The topics of neo-colonialism, conflict and colourism are explored through the eyes of a down-on-his-luck thirty-year-old man living in Lagos. Blackass intends to explore daily Nigerian life and the realities inherent - poverty and economic struggle and how these contribute to and hone a penchant for deception.
An Endless Night! directed by Mohamed Kassaby: Delving into topics like meditation on modern existence and the complexities and idiosyncrasies of modern contemporary life in great cities, this project looks at the life of a man who faced a crisis and connected with the emptiness of the world around him. It also focuses on humans searching for the meaning of spirituality.
The Path of Ruganzu Part 1 directed by Zachariah Lloyd Sesay: This film explores the movement of young people from one territory to another for various reasons, advocates for their well-being, and raises awareness about the dangers they face. It also hones in on the fact that travel is good but there is a better way to do it. The project is about a journey of discovery that will give Africans the power to believe in themselves.
"We" directed by Sihle Hlophe: An adaptation of Lidudumalingani Mqombothi’s short story, Memories We Lost, the short story won the 2016 Caine Prize for African Writing. The story explores how traditional beliefs in a rural community are used to tackle mental illness and how a mother learns to accept her daughter’s special powers.
This year’s mentors are Guillaume Mainguet, head of Produire au Sud whose workshops are across seven countries (France, Brazil, India, Israel, Morocco, South Africa, Taiwan), Tracey-Lee Rainers whose most recent works include being Seriously Single currently showing on Netflix and the Safta award winning film Address Unknown and Jérémie Dubois who has written over a dozen short stories, two of which were selected at the Cannes Film Festival.
