CAPE TOWN RESULTS REPORT: AMERICAN FILM

UNCLAS PRETORIA 004570

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/PD-LMING/TROOKARD, ECA/PE/C/CU -- SCOHEN

PRETORIA FOR PAS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SCUL OEXC KPAO SF
SUBJECT: CAPE TOWN RESULTS REPORT: AMERICAN FILM
INSTITUTE'S SILVERDOCS FILM SHOWCASE "WE THE PEOPLE:
DOCUMENTARIES ON DEMOCRACY'(MPP: EP ECONOMIC PROSPERITY
AND SECURITY; DE DEMOCRATIC AND HUMAN RIGHTS; MU PUBLIC
DIPLOMACY AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS)



1. ACTIVITY: OVER THE PERIOD OCTOBER 8-15, PAS CAPE
TOWN HOSTED A DELEGATION OF THREE AMERICAN FILM
INSTITUTE REPRESENTATIVES - PATRICIA FINNERAN
(DIRECTOR, AFI SILVERDOCS),GRACE GUGGENHEIM
(PRESIDENT, GUGGENHEIM PRODUCTIONS) AND DIANA INGRAHAM
(DIRECTOR, US INDEPENDENTS) - WHO CONDUCTED A SERIES OF
WORKSHOPS AND DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CAPE TOWN FILM
COMMUNITY AND BROADENED THE BASE FOR FURTHER
COLLABORATION IN THE FIELD OF DOCUMENTARY FILM MAKING.


2. MPP GOAL: EP-ECONOMIC PROSPERITY AND SECURITY; DE-
DEMOCRATIC AND HUMAN RIGHTS; MU-PUBLIC DIPLOMACY AND
PUBLIC AFFAIRS.


3. RESULTS/IMPACT: THE CAPE FILM COMMISSION (CFC,)
WHICH SERVES AS A FACILITATING BODY FOR THE RELATIVELY
YOUNG WESTERN CAPE PROVINCE FILM INDUSTRY PLAYED A
PIVOTAL ROLE IN ALL PROGRAM ARRANGEMENTS. THE WEEK-
LONG VISIT MADE A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE
ACTIVITIES OF THE NASCENT CAPE TOWN FILM INDUSTRY.
STARTING WITH A THOROUGH ONE-DAY BRIEFING AND
ORIENTATION TO THE WORKING ENVIRONMENT, A WORKING
BREAKFAST WITH SIGNIFICANT PLAYERS IN THE WESTERN CAPE
FILM COMMUNITY, AND A RECEPTION FOR A BROADER AUDIENCE
HOSTED BY PAO PAUL PATIN AT HIS RESIDENCE, THE AMERICAN
FILM INSTITUTE (AFI) DELEGATION WAS VERY WELL PRIMED TO
PRESENT FOUR HIGHLY RELEVANT WORKSHOPS TO CULTURALLY
DIVERSE AUDIENCES THAT INCLUDED BOTH EMERGING AND
ESTABLISHED FILMMAKERS. IN ADDITION TO ISSUING SOUTH
AFRICAN DOCUMENTARY FILM MAKERS WITH AN INVITATION TO
PARTICIPATE IN THE 2006 SILVERDOCS FESTIVAL, THE THREE
AFI REPRESENTATIVES ALSO PROVIDED INFORMATION ON THE
CHANNELS AND MEANS OF DISTRIBUTION FOR DOCUMENTARY
FILMS IN THE U.S. THE TRIO PROVIDED A NUMBER OF
SCREENINGS AND DISCUSSIONS AT WORKSHOPS ON THE UNIQUE
SKILLS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF DOCUMENTARY FILM MAKING,
BROADENING THE POTENTIAL FOR FURTHER US-SA EXCHANGE IN
AN INDUSTRY DESTINED TO BE AN IMPORTANT ECONOMIC
ACTIVITY IN THIS PART OF THE WORLD. OVERALL, THE
EXCHANGE WAS RECEIVED VERY POSITIVELY BY THE WESTERN
CAPE AUDIENCES.


4. PRETORIA AND CAPE TOWN GREATLY APPRECIATE ECA
SUPPORT IN SENDING THIS PROGRAM TO SOUTH AFRICA. THIS
MESSAGE IS BEING SENT FROM PRETORIA ON CAPE TOWN'S
BEHALF DUE TO THE CONSULATE'S MOVE TO NEW QUARTERS THIS
WEEK.

HARTLEY