AFDA Students Win International Awards

Three Johannesburg AFDA’s students got the nod when two of the film school's student films, Kanye Kanye and Umkhumbi Wethu, won awards at this year’s New York City Picture Start Film Festival (NYCPSFF), which was took place from 2 to 6 June in New York City.

A collection of short films from around the world were screened at the 17th NYCPSFF. Ben Arredondo, the festival director, visited South Africa earlier this year and four SA films were selected to go to the New York festival.

Founded in 2002 by Greg Segal, NYCPSFF showcases short films from all over the world from emerging filmmakers as well as those already established in the industry. 

Charles Hunter Ryder won an award for Best Cinematography for Kanye Kanye which was directed by Miklas Manneke . The movie is a romantic comedy about a forbidden love affair between two young township teenagers. The town is divided by a long line to mark territories belonging to the ‘red’ and ‘green’ camps. However, Thomas, a young man from the ‘greens’, falls in love with Thandi from the ‘reds’. The film tells the tale of how the youngsters, who are warned against any affiliation, get to communicate without their parents and communities knowing.

Garon Campbell and Thulasizwe Kubheka won awards for Best Director and Best Male Actor, repectively, for Umkhumbi Wethu (Our Ship). 

Campbell made the film in his honours year at AFDA. This is the first time the film did not fall in the student category and was nominated against professionally made short films.  

Congratulations to these young talented artists.