Arts Writer
THE Oscar-winning documentary Amy, an intimate portrait of late British singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse, is among the gems on offer at the European Film Festival, which heads to Cinema Nouveau screens in four cities from May 6 to 15.
Ster-Kinekor will be screening 11 feature length films from across the continent at Cinema Nouveau at the V&A during the festival.
These multi-awarded films, which have been the toast of the international film festival circuit, have never been screened before in South Africa.
This, the third local edition of the European Film Festival, sees the introduction of documentary films, with three non-fiction offerings on the programme.
Festival Director Katarina Hedrén says: “We wish to contribute to the ongoing story of Europe. This story is one of a diverse continent in an interconnected world, which seems to be spinning faster and not always in the right direction.”
Topping the list of films is Amy(UK), directed by Asif Kapadia, which won the 2016 Academy Award and BAFTA for Best Documentary Feature. The documentary tracks the life of the gifted, but self-destructive jazz soul singer until her tragic death from alcohol poisoning in 2011, aged just 27.
Other decorated offerings on the European Film Festival menu are the dramas Macondo(Austria), Body(Poland), Montanha(Portugal), Flowers(Spain), Something Must Break(Sweden) and Labyrinth of Lies(Germany).
Also gracing the silver screen during the festival are the musical comedy Belgian Rhapsody ( Belgium), biopic Chocolat(France) and documentaries Fire at Sea(Italy) and A Family Affair(the Netherlands).
The European Film Festival is coordinated by the Goethe-Institut SA, hosted by S-K Cinema Nouveau, and organised in partnership with the European Union and 11 other European cultural agencies or embassies in SA: the General Representation of the Government of Flanders, the French Institute, the Italian Cultural Institute, the Camões Institute, the British Council, and the Embassies of Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and Sweden.
Says Norbert Spitz, Director of the Goethe-Institut, on behalf of the European partners: “Katarina Hedrén has put together a selection of feature films and documentaries that allows us to discover unconventional, surprising and moving portraits of life in the multifaceted place that Europe is.”
Adds Lola Gallant, brand manager of Cinema Nouveau: “As the festival exhibitor, we are delighted to be partnering with the Goethe-Institut and its partners to host the third annual European Film Festival. We pride ourselves on providing a platform to screen a wide variety of foreign-language films. We believe the eleven films, lined up for this year’s festival, which would otherwise not be accessible to local cinema audiences, are must-see content for any film lover.”
Bookings are now open.
l Normal benefits and ticket discounts apply to all members of SK Club, Discovery Vitality and Edgars Club. Book: www.cinemanouveau. co.za or www.sterkinekor.mobi, or 0861 668 437. Or join in on the conversation on Twitter and Facebook: #EuroFilmFestSA. Watch the Festival trailer: www.eurofilm fest.co.za