Calling all Durban movie lovers! DIFF 2010 is here
Despite being disparagingly referred to as "Dirtbin" by many of its inhabitants, as well as the residents of South Africa's much larger, much more high profile cities of Johannesburg and Cape Town, coastal Durban (my home town) does have a few advantages over its bigger city siblings. There's Durban's new pretty stadium (which has triggered a 2020 Summer Olympics campaign); our generally warm, sunny Winters; our excellent surfing and general water sports conditions... and the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF).
Organised by the University of KwaZulu-Natal's Centre For Creative Arts, DIFF is South Africa's biggest and best film festival. And, in good news for local movie lovers, the festival kicks off this week, running from 22 July to 1 August at assorted venues around the city.
2010 marks the 31st anniversary of the Durban International Film Festival. The big selling point this year is the world premiere of nine South African movies (from some of the country's most celebrated filmmakers), as well as a special focus on Swedish cinema. The Swedish mini festival even includes the screening of five films by the massively influential Ingmar Bergman.
This said, I don't think this year's DIFF has the greatest, "must-see" line-up. Last year was far more exciting given its selection of "arty" horror flicks that included Let the Right One In and Antichrist (and, as a result, I was hoping that The Human Centipede would screen this year). Also, and I don't think I'm alone here, I tend to gravitate towards films that have already generated awards hype, or feature some serious star wattage - whether in front of, or behind, the camera. For example, last year the festival included Coco Avant Chanel starring Audrey Tatou; Steven Soderbergh's 2-part epic Che with Benicio del Toro; artist-turned-filmmaker Steve McQueen's Hunger; Julie Delpy's Elizabeth Bathory film The Countess; and the multi-award winning An Education which, of course, turned Carey Mulligan into a star.
Ignoring the usual selection of documentaries and Wavescapes Surfing Film Festival that forms part of DIFF every year, the 2010 festival looks to be dominated by Thai, Indian and Middle Eastern films, which - although I'm sure are very good - aren't exactly arriving at Durban cinemas on a tsunami of hype. Neither do they feature recognisable "name" actors.
In fact, it is French actress Isabelle Huppert who can probably be called the biggest star of the festival, seeing as her two most recent films, Copacabana and White Material are both screening at DIFF this year. The latter sounds especially interesting, as it centres on a Frenchwoman desperately trying to keep control of her coffee plantation in an unnamed African country undergoing a violent revolution. Meanwhile, for movie fans desperate to watch some veteran acting muscle flexing onscreen, there's Michael Caine in Harry Brown - which appears to be Britain's answer to Grand Torino. In the film, Caine plays a retired soldier who resorts to vigilantism as gang violence plagues the South London council estate where he lives.
Harry Brown and White Material are definitely on my personal list of 2010 DIFF movies to catch. Other films that hooked my interest this year include:
The Ape: A Swedish film about a middle-aged driving instructor who wakes up on the
bathroom floor one morning, bloodied and disoriented. The camera follows him as he goes about his day as if nothing has happened, and gradually a nightmarish truth emerges.
Brotherhood: Danish film about love and identity set against a backdrop of neo-Nazi activity in contemporary Denmark. Two young men (and lovers) attempt to escape the local gang scene. Brotherhood went on to win the top prize at the 2009 Rome Film Festival.
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo: An acclaimed European film - in Swedish with English subtitles - based on the bestselling crime/mystery novel by Stieg Larsson. A disgraced financial journalist and tattooed computer hacker are hired to investigate a 40 year old disappearance, which uncovers a powerful family's dark, bloody past.
The Killer Inside Me: Based on the 1950s novel by cult writer Jim Thompson, Killer centres on a charming small town lawman (Casey Affleck) who may be suppressing the instincts of a serial killer. Jessica Alba, Kate Hudson, Simon Baker, Bill Pullman and Elias Koteas also appear in the film, which is controversial for its extreme, realistic depiction of violence.
Metropia: A visually striking animated film from Scandinavia, set in a future where oil reserves are running dry and Europe’s underground subways are all connected. The film's protagonist, who hears voices in his head every time he approaches the subway, uncovers a bizarre mind control conspiracy. Not for children.
State of Violence: A highly anticipated South African crime thriller about a successful black businessman who is forced to face the dark past he has denied for years when his wife is murdered. The film is being touted as a complex meditation on the nature of vengeance and violence.
The White Ribbon: A multi-award winning Austrian-German film that was one of this year's Oscar nominees for Best Foreign Language Film. This disturbing drama focuses on a small German village just before the outbreak of World War II, when many of the village's inhabitants fall prey to mysterious and terrible events, and suspicion rules.
For Durban locals who want to schedule in DIFF events, as well as anyone generally interested in the film festival, you can download the official programme (a 2.4MB PDF) and even follow the festival on Twitter.
Organised by the University of KwaZulu-Natal's Centre For Creative Arts, DIFF is South Africa's biggest and best film festival. And, in good news for local movie lovers, the festival kicks off this week, running from 22 July to 1 August at assorted venues around the city.
2010 marks the 31st anniversary of the Durban International Film Festival. The big selling point this year is the world premiere of nine South African movies (from some of the country's most celebrated filmmakers), as well as a special focus on Swedish cinema. The Swedish mini festival even includes the screening of five films by the massively influential Ingmar Bergman.
This said, I don't think this year's DIFF has the greatest, "must-see" line-up. Last year was far more exciting given its selection of "arty" horror flicks that included Let the Right One In and Antichrist (and, as a result, I was hoping that The Human Centipede would screen this year). Also, and I don't think I'm alone here, I tend to gravitate towards films that have already generated awards hype, or feature some serious star wattage - whether in front of, or behind, the camera. For example, last year the festival included Coco Avant Chanel starring Audrey Tatou; Steven Soderbergh's 2-part epic Che with Benicio del Toro; artist-turned-filmmaker Steve McQueen's Hunger; Julie Delpy's Elizabeth Bathory film The Countess; and the multi-award winning An Education which, of course, turned Carey Mulligan into a star.
Ignoring the usual selection of documentaries and Wavescapes Surfing Film Festival that forms part of DIFF every year, the 2010 festival looks to be dominated by Thai, Indian and Middle Eastern films, which - although I'm sure are very good - aren't exactly arriving at Durban cinemas on a tsunami of hype. Neither do they feature recognisable "name" actors.
In fact, it is French actress Isabelle Huppert who can probably be called the biggest star of the festival, seeing as her two most recent films, Copacabana and White Material are both screening at DIFF this year. The latter sounds especially interesting, as it centres on a Frenchwoman desperately trying to keep control of her coffee plantation in an unnamed African country undergoing a violent revolution. Meanwhile, for movie fans desperate to watch some veteran acting muscle flexing onscreen, there's Michael Caine in Harry Brown - which appears to be Britain's answer to Grand Torino. In the film, Caine plays a retired soldier who resorts to vigilantism as gang violence plagues the South London council estate where he lives.
Harry Brown and White Material are definitely on my personal list of 2010 DIFF movies to catch. Other films that hooked my interest this year include:
The Ape: A Swedish film about a middle-aged driving instructor who wakes up on the
bathroom floor one morning, bloodied and disoriented. The camera follows him as he goes about his day as if nothing has happened, and gradually a nightmarish truth emerges.
Brotherhood: Danish film about love and identity set against a backdrop of neo-Nazi activity in contemporary Denmark. Two young men (and lovers) attempt to escape the local gang scene. Brotherhood went on to win the top prize at the 2009 Rome Film Festival.
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo: An acclaimed European film - in Swedish with English subtitles - based on the bestselling crime/mystery novel by Stieg Larsson. A disgraced financial journalist and tattooed computer hacker are hired to investigate a 40 year old disappearance, which uncovers a powerful family's dark, bloody past.
The Killer Inside Me: Based on the 1950s novel by cult writer Jim Thompson, Killer centres on a charming small town lawman (Casey Affleck) who may be suppressing the instincts of a serial killer. Jessica Alba, Kate Hudson, Simon Baker, Bill Pullman and Elias Koteas also appear in the film, which is controversial for its extreme, realistic depiction of violence.
Metropia: A visually striking animated film from Scandinavia, set in a future where oil reserves are running dry and Europe’s underground subways are all connected. The film's protagonist, who hears voices in his head every time he approaches the subway, uncovers a bizarre mind control conspiracy. Not for children.
State of Violence: A highly anticipated South African crime thriller about a successful black businessman who is forced to face the dark past he has denied for years when his wife is murdered. The film is being touted as a complex meditation on the nature of vengeance and violence.
The White Ribbon: A multi-award winning Austrian-German film that was one of this year's Oscar nominees for Best Foreign Language Film. This disturbing drama focuses on a small German village just before the outbreak of World War II, when many of the village's inhabitants fall prey to mysterious and terrible events, and suspicion rules.
For Durban locals who want to schedule in DIFF events, as well as anyone generally interested in the film festival, you can download the official programme (a 2.4MB PDF) and even follow the festival on Twitter.
Comments
HOWEVER, I've heard that the Swedish version is top notch excellent.
MJenks, yes, a friend told me that as well. As usual, the big American studios are pandering to US audiences who can't stand watching foreign films for some reason. Somehow I don't think the American version of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo will be pulled off quite as successfully as the highly acclaimed Swedish version. And I'm sure industry politics and high profile casting decisions will play a role in that.