The FAME Shorts Film Festival returns to Cape Town’s Labia Theatre from 4-7 September, bringing a dazzling array of African cinema. Featuring 31 thought-provoking films, the festival showcases innovative and creative filmmakers from across the continent, offering audiences a rich tapestry of stories from Africa and its diaspora. The eagerly anticipated programme was announced on fameshortsfilmfestival.com and bookings are open.
Open to the public, the festival is a highlight of FAME Week Africa, an annual gathering and trade show for the entertainment industry. Martin Hiller, FAME Week Africa Portfolio Director, shared his excitement about this year’s line-up, “We’re absolutely thrilled with the FAME Shorts Film Festival programme! It’s brimming with personal stories, biographies, and tales of innovation, underscoring the rich diversity of African societies.”
Over four captivating days, the programme explores themes of drifting through life’s challenges, the growing pains of coming of age, the complexities of love stories, and the preservation of cultural heritage.
The City of Cape Town is proud to support the FAME Shorts Film Festival, providing an invaluable platform for connecting filmmakers with industry professionals, enthused Alderman JP Smith, the City of Cape Town Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, “As a hub for unearthing raw talent in the African filmmaking community, the festival offers an unforgettable cinematic journey. The City of Cape Town is delighted to host this diverse and enthralling film festival at one of our iconic venues, The Labia. We eagerly anticipate the remarkable works and themes that will emerge from filmmakers across our continent.”
Tickets for the FAME Shorts Film Festival can be purchased via fameshortsfilmfestival.com and start from R120.
HAPPY FEET
The FAME Shorts Film Festival’s mascot and poster icon is the African Penguin, drawing attention to the urgent plight of the species. With the population plummeting to fewer than 10,000 breeding individuals, an announcement in October will reveal whether the African Penguin will be added to the Critically Endangered list.
This year, the festival has teamed up with Yes!Definitely, a bottled-water company renowned for its collaborations with illustrators, to create the 2024 poster. Cape Town-based illustrator Suné Rossouw’s winning design, featuring a penguin on a sea adventure capturing everything on film, symbolises companionship and collaboration. Her vibrant and enchanting poster captures the festival’s spirit and will grace Yes!Definitely water bottles, with all proceeds from sales, along with ticket sales, benefiting the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB).
MIP AFRICA
MIP Africa, the film-focused stream of FAME Week Africa, in conjunction with the FAME Shorts Film Festival, offers an exciting array of events for filmmakers and industry professionals. From 2 to 4 September 2024, the Cape Town International Convention Centre will buzz with content sessions, workshops, and masterclasses led by industry experts, aimed at educating and inspiring professionals in the film and television industry.
Tickets for the FAME Shorts Film Festival can be purchased from Quicket and start from R120.
Registration for the event is now open at fameweekafrica.com. Tickets range in price, see the registration portal for further details.
