Art News South Africa

Local filmmakers receive international recognition

André and Anri Coetzee have received international recognition from The Phoenix Film Festival Melbourne (PFFM) 2015 and Tanzrauschen International Dance on Screen Festival for their short film titled "Lilith - Genesis One".
Local filmmakers receive international recognition

Stamp of approval

The film will be screened at the Phoenix Film Festival Melbourne 2016 and received an "Official Selections" stamp, a certificate confirmation of participation, and recognition in the No Competition New Film Makers category. The festival, which is geared towards independent filmmakers, actors and script writers, received an astonishing number of entries in 2015 - more than 1600 movies from over 110 countries around the world vied for a place in the 2016 event.

The film has also been selected for screening at the Tanzrauschen International Dance on Screen Festival at the cultural center "die börse" in Wuppertal, Germany, from 28-31 January 2016. In collaboration with national and international festival partners, Tanzrauschen presents different film categories of the Dance on Screen culture, from short Art House films to full-length documentaries.

Re-envisioning of creation

"Lilith - Genesis One" won an award in the Film Category of the PPC Imaginarium Awards in March 2015. The experimental short film, which incorporated cement in various forms with contemporary dance, is told through the structured improvisation of physical theatre performers Nicola Haskins and Gopala Davies, who have both enjoyed success as choreographers and directors in theatre.

The concept of "Lilith - Genesis One" is a re-envisioning of the creation, featuring a relatively unknown biblical character, Lilith. According to Jewish folklore, Lilith was created around the same time as Adam. The difference, however, is that she was made from "filth and sediment, instead of pure dust". In the film Lilith exists in a universe of cement and brick, of which she is a part and from which she creates. She spends her infinite time alone sculpting figures and searching for a partner within her material and herself. This film aims to challenge traditional precepts of the Creator and Creation.

For more info on the Phoenix Film Festival, visit www.phoenixfilmfestival.com. For more on the PPC Imaginarium Awards visit www.ppcimaginarium.co.za.

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