Africa-Press – Eswatini. The spring season will, once again, be a treat for film-makers and film enthusiasts alike as the European Film Festival returns to Eswatini between October 20 and 22, 2023.
With the support of the delegation of the European Union (EU) to the Kingdom of Eswatini, EU member States embassies, and cultural institutes, the festival has been operating for 10 years in South Africa (SA), and since 2022 it has included programmes in the Kingdoms of Eswatini and Lesotho. In partnership with the EU in Eswatini and the Alliance Française de Mbabane, the three-day European Film Festival offers an exciting line-up of Academy-nominated and award-winning films. The diverse showcase of dramas, documentaries, and comedies will give local audiences an opportunity to indulge in European and Euro-Africa content that is rarely seen in the region. Several film-makers expressed excitement with the return of the festival and further highlighted that the festival provides a much-needed opportunity for the coming together of film-makers locally.
The local film scene can expect to benefit from a true meeting of minds and concrete learning opportunities during the festival. Last year, the festival showcased two titles produced in Eswatini and a film director’s symposium hosted remotely by Serbian Academy Award-nominated Director Stefan Arsenijević. “Film was born in Europe and is central to our European cultural heritage. I am thrilled with the great films coming once again, as they did last year, during the European Film Festival to take us to far-away places and cultures and yet to evoke our shared human condition. The festival extends a hand to the local creative industries as part of a wider effort by the European Union to foster cultural exchanges and collaborations and to empower emaSwati youth and creative industries as drivers of innovation, job creation, and positive change in the Kingdom,” said the EU Ambassador to Eswatini, Dessislava Choumelova.
Opening Film
This year’s opening night film, the powerful yet delicate ‘Mother’, will transport audiences to both Bulgaria and Kenya. Inspired by the true story of the remarkable theatre Director and cultural activist Elena Panyatova’s desire for motherhood, Mother addresses the universally relatable subject of barrenness and challenges the pervasive traditional notion of motherhood. Directed by female Director Zornitsa Sophia, this poignant piece is sure to challenge audiences’ perceptions on the subject as it delves deep into the heart and hidden truths of this lonely emotional battle and comes into acceptance.
Mother continues to bag a number of film awards around the globe, most recently taking home the Best Feature Film Award at the popular Vukorva Film Festival in Croatia. Also notable is Mother’s submission as Bulgaria’s official entry to the Academy Awards 2023. Although sadly disqualified because it was deemed to contain more than the 50 per cent limit of the English language, its consideration is testament to the calibre of this moving film. Festival screenings will take place at the Alliance Française, Lusutfu Road, Mbabane, from October 20 to 22. Visit the Eswatini tab on eurofilmfest.co.za for film synopses, trailers and the screening schedule, or contact +268 2404 3667 for more information.
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