On the weekend that Dv8’s second feature film, MAX and MONA, received its South African mainstream theatrical release through distributor Ster-Kinekor, it also garnered a Best First Time Feature (Prix Oumarou Ganda) award at the FESPACO Film Festival in Ouagadougou – Africa’s premiere Film Festival. This prize goes to the first feature film by a director whose creative efforts are highly remarkable and deserve encouragements. It is worth 2 million CFA francs (US$4 000).
Teddy Mattera, the film's director, was in Burkina Faso to accept the award: "To achieve this accolade at this particular film festival is an incredible honour for me and the film. MAX and MONA is a quintessentially African film in its conception, and for FESPACO to recognize it with this prize is enormously humbling". The film has already received The Best Screenplay award at last year's Cape Town World Cinema Festival.
It was a good night for South African cinema in general at the FESPACO awards ceremony with Zola Maseko picking up the Grand Prix (Etalon D'or De Yennenga) prize for Mr. Drum, Ramadan Suleiman's Zulu Love Letter won the Special Prix (Prix Special Union Europeenne) and Pamela Nomvete being feted with an acting award for the same film. Jeremy Nathan said, "The prize for MAX and all the South African films at Ouaga is fantastic for the industry. It is especially important for government and business to grasp what is going on, and see the inroads being made by South African cinematic culture both locally and internationally".
MAX and MONA has been receiving terrific word of mouth since it opened in theatres this passed Friday. Critics have been enthusiastic in their assessment of the film's qualities. Barry Ronge in The Sunday Times called it, "One of the most original films to emerge from the evolving South African Film Industry...The film's great charm is the script". Lionel Kani in The Sun raved "You can't go cooler on the local scene than this exuberant, zany comedy...It is extremely funny". Leon Van Nierop in The Citizen described the film as a "lively, funny, captivating experience". Yunus Kemo in The Sunday Independent exclaimed "a fast paced comedic jaunt that seldom lets up".
MAX and MONA is the 2nd Dv8 film to be released, and is supported by the Rand Merchant Bank, SABC2, the NFVF and Ster-Kinekor Pictures, and is currently playing at the following venues around the country:
Cavendish, Brooklyn Mall, Sandton Mall, the Carlton Center, Gateway, Eastgate, Southgate, Sterland, Canal Walk, Menlyn, Monte Casino, The Pavillion, Riverside, Lakeside Mall, Sammy Marks and Suncoast CineCenter.
Don't miss out! You can book online at the film's official website: www.maxandmona.co.za
Issued by:
Athos Kyriakides, Dv8 Films
Tel: + 27 11 880 0191
Fax: +27 11 880 0192
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.dv8.co.za
Posted on Wednesday 16 Mar 2005
Festival Daily
Market Daily
