A Port Elizabeth film student dazzled audiences at the 8th annual Jozi Film Festival — walking away with the Best South African Student Film award.
AFDA film student Dylan Brokensha won the award for his film Sunset Exodus.
The Jozi Film festival, which ran from October 3 to 6 on various stages across Johannesburg, is the longest-running multi-genre film festival in SA.
The 2019 theme was “Real Stories by Real People About Real Lives”.
The 26-year-old’s film was shown on the last day of the festival at The Bioscope Independent Cinema along with four other films and later that evening Brokensha took top honours.
Sunset Exodus follows Lilitha, a highly spiritual woman, whose encounter with death takes her on an out-of-this-world journey of acceptance and relinquishment.
Brokensha said he had never imagined he would make it as far as he did, adding that the win was an affirmation of his passion and talent.
He said his 2018 film had been among four selected by the institute to be entered into the festival, adding that 700 films had then been selected and whittled down to a handful previewed at the festival.
“I honestly did not expect to win but I must say it was quite a humbling moment to be critically viewed in a positive way,” he said.
“I’m really grateful for everything, as well as the crew members and cast who worked equally hard to make the film a success.”
Brokensha wrote, filmed and directed the film for his third-year final project.
He said the film had been inspired by a dream he had in 2018 about a tough, old female sheriff who ran a small town.
“For me the purpose of the film was to explore the dynamics of grieving and losing someone you’ve loved.
“Learning to live alone and how to be strong on your own, knowing that their love and memory still live with you,” Brokensha said.
AFDA Port Elizabeth head of film Melissa Evans said the institute was very proud of Black Sash Productions (the student crew formed in 2018 who produced Sunset Exodus).
“Their creative, innovative hard work and collaboration have proven a tremendous success for the students involved and AFDA at large,” she said.
“This film does a wonderful job of interweaving alternative genre conventions with local Eastern Cape narratives, pushing the boundaries of what SA cinema can achieve.”
AFDA Port Elizabeth dean Michael Ivy said the students had done exceptionally well at the highly acclaimed Jozi Film Festival, highlighting that they had been picked from among a crop of 700 shortlisted films.
“Well done to lead performers Zandile Mjekula and Timothy Collier for such amazing performances and to Dylan and his super-talented film-making team for giving us a truly magical Eastern Cape narrative in the film.
“Thank you for talking on behalf of the Eastern Cape people and getting a win for AFDA Port Elizabeth,” Ivy said.
PE student wins best SA film award
Image: Supplied
A Port Elizabeth film student dazzled audiences at the 8th annual Jozi Film Festival — walking away with the Best South African Student Film award.
AFDA film student Dylan Brokensha won the award for his film Sunset Exodus.
The Jozi Film festival, which ran from October 3 to 6 on various stages across Johannesburg, is the longest-running multi-genre film festival in SA.
The 2019 theme was “Real Stories by Real People About Real Lives”.
The 26-year-old’s film was shown on the last day of the festival at The Bioscope Independent Cinema along with four other films and later that evening Brokensha took top honours.
Sunset Exodus follows Lilitha, a highly spiritual woman, whose encounter with death takes her on an out-of-this-world journey of acceptance and relinquishment.
Brokensha said he had never imagined he would make it as far as he did, adding that the win was an affirmation of his passion and talent.
He said his 2018 film had been among four selected by the institute to be entered into the festival, adding that 700 films had then been selected and whittled down to a handful previewed at the festival.
“I honestly did not expect to win but I must say it was quite a humbling moment to be critically viewed in a positive way,” he said.
“I’m really grateful for everything, as well as the crew members and cast who worked equally hard to make the film a success.”
Brokensha wrote, filmed and directed the film for his third-year final project.
He said the film had been inspired by a dream he had in 2018 about a tough, old female sheriff who ran a small town.
“For me the purpose of the film was to explore the dynamics of grieving and losing someone you’ve loved.
“Learning to live alone and how to be strong on your own, knowing that their love and memory still live with you,” Brokensha said.
AFDA Port Elizabeth head of film Melissa Evans said the institute was very proud of Black Sash Productions (the student crew formed in 2018 who produced Sunset Exodus).
“Their creative, innovative hard work and collaboration have proven a tremendous success for the students involved and AFDA at large,” she said.
“This film does a wonderful job of interweaving alternative genre conventions with local Eastern Cape narratives, pushing the boundaries of what SA cinema can achieve.”
AFDA Port Elizabeth dean Michael Ivy said the students had done exceptionally well at the highly acclaimed Jozi Film Festival, highlighting that they had been picked from among a crop of 700 shortlisted films.
“Well done to lead performers Zandile Mjekula and Timothy Collier for such amazing performances and to Dylan and his super-talented film-making team for giving us a truly magical Eastern Cape narrative in the film.
“Thank you for talking on behalf of the Eastern Cape people and getting a win for AFDA Port Elizabeth,” Ivy said.
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