61 short films to show at CTIFMF

Short films are an integral part of the CTIFMF and festival director Leon van der Merwe has always recognised the importance of this genre. “Short films are a necessity to keeping the entire film industry healthy. They fulfil two irrefutable roles, firstly, they allow up and coming talent the chance to get noticed and refine their style, and secondly, they also help to encourage creativity and originality that includes new ways of telling stories,” says Van der Merwe.

“The time has come for movie lovers everywhere to support short films. To start with, they should go and watch these films at the festival and other short film festivals. The industry needs to lobby the cinemas to get short films back into movie theatres. Short films could be shown prior to a feature film as it used to be the case years ago. This would not only justify audiences choosing to watch them but would also help justify local cinema’s ticket prices,” he continues.

Amongst the films are 17 South African shorts that include award-winning director Reabetswe Moeti’s Mma Moeketsi, that stars Keketso Semoko known for her role as Ma Agnes on Isidingo. She is a domestic worker from rural Lesotho working for a suburban family in Johannesburg. Her son, Moeketsi, is an illegal miner at the North West mine. In the wake of the wage strike, Moeketsi’s phone is off and he is nowhere to be found.

Mma Moeketsi Trailer A from Reabetswe Moeti on Vimeo.

Directed by Imran Hamduly, Fatima tells the story of a young woman who defies her family's wish to enter an arranged marriage and suffers a tragic consequence. Masqerading: To Hell and Back is Sofia de Fay’s bittersweet tale of a letter written by a 58-year-old Sandra Dee to her best friend Samantha Fox, celebrating their complicated 30-year friendship. The letter takes us on a funny and poignant journey through their shared memories, Sandra Dee reminisces about their struggle to survive the Apartheid regime and the adventures and misfortune that befell them because of their skin colour and their transgender identity.

Another notable film is Cast Iron Can’t Be Welded, a short set in rural South Africa during the 1970s and directed by Buks Rossouw. A farmer transporting a broken cast iron stove learns something about humanity from a hitchhiking schoolboy - but only after dropping him off.

Masquerading: To Hell and Back Promo from Sofia De Fay on Vimeo.

Shorts from Zimbabwe, Spain, Brazil, Austria, Belgium, Australia, the USA, China, Egypt, and Denmark amongst other countries will also be screened throughout the festival.

The full schedules and ticketing information may be found on the CTIFMF website www.filmfestival.capetown.