FASHION MEETS FILM AMAJUBA – 24 – 25 MARCH 2017
Film Meets Fashion Community Outreach Launch – KZN Fashion Council and KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission Collaboration
On March 24 and 25 , The KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission and the KwaZulu-Natal Fashion Council will with the support of aMajuba Municipality launch an industry and brand awareness drive in aMajuba. The campaign will be a road show, travelling through various municipalities across the province of KwaZulu-Natal.
The KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission and the KwaZulu-Natal Fashion Council have partnered to fulfil their shared mandates of providing and encouraging the provision of opportunities for persons, especially from disadvantaged communities, to enter and participate in both the film and fashion industry in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. The MEC for Economic Development Tourism and Environmental Affairs – Mr. Sihle Zikalala who is a shareholder of both entities has put community development, community engagement and accessible services at the forefront of service delivery.
The KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission has made great strides in creating opportunities to previously disadvantaged communities in the province, but has further identified a gap in the dissemination of the programs available. As a response to this, the KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission has partnered with the KwaZulu-Natal Fashion Council in crafting unique outreach programs that will be conducted in the province’s district municipalities.
The campaign is aimed at creating awareness on the various programs offered by both the entities which will include but not limited to the KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission bursary programs which has to date produced 11 graduates from both 2014 and 2015 respectively. The graduates are specialising in various disciplines within film including screen writing, directing as well as cinematography amongst others. The KwaZulu-Natal Film commission film fund (which was created to stimulate the growth of the film industry in the province by targeting KwaZulu-Natal based companies and companies producing films in KwaZulu-Natal) is another programme that has seen 79 projects funded in the year 2015/16.
In preparation for this upcoming, this past event KZN Fashion Council, KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission and aMajuba Disctrict Municipality, auditioned models, pre-registered fashion designers and confirmed local artists from aMajuba District Municipality (Newcastle, aMajuba and eMadlangeni local municipalities). Development focused, the campaign this coming Saturday, is open to the public, but will mostly benefit those interested in careers, business development and other opportunities in the Fashion and Film sectors.
According to Xolani Zulu, the Marketing Manager for the KZN Fashion Council, “designers will have a choice to compete for prizes in the best male wear, best ensemble or best female wear categories styled around the Human Rights theme”. On the 25th of March KZN Fashion Council will introduce the audience to opportunities for fashion designers in the annual Africa Fashion Exchange exhibition platforms and various fashion sector initiatives including a new comprehensive business mentorship programme. “We have learnt since our inception in 2009, and that is why we are evolving from a very successful 21 Steps to Retail program that the Council has been running from 2013,” says Zulu, “starting from uMzimkhulu last year November to aMajuba this year, we will be going around the province working with local and district municipalities identifying outstanding designers to be nurtured to start employment creating and income generating businesses. After a vigorous mentorship programme, designers will graduate with a solid track-record of supplying a major national chain alongside established labels”.
Lungile Duma, the Marketing and Communications Specialist for the KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission adds that the community of aMajuba District will be treated to a screening of the latest South African film proving that local content can set Box Office trends and that telling authentic local stories is what South Africans are looking for from the film industry in South Africa. Through this session, says Duma, the communities will also through practical demonstration be exposed to the different careers in the two industries.