The Documentary Filmmakers Association (DFA) is calling on all filmmakers, Citizen Journalists, media activists and artivists – living in South Africa – who have created documentary content in South Africa relating to the Covid-19 Pandemic, to submit films for consideration for promotion on the docLOVE and other social media platforms.
“In view of the challenges faced by our industry the DFA Board created the DFA Covid-19 Short Film Grant to contribute to 5 short documentaries under the banner of Life, Love, Rifts and Rage in the time of Covid-19,” says DFA co-chair Miki Redelinghuys. “We are proud to be extending our support of independent content that reflects South African stories during the coronavirus pandemic with our DFA docLOVE Covid-19 Citizen Journalist Awards.”
Ten short films will be selected and curated for online engagement:
- The work must be no shorter than 1-minute and no longer than 8-minutes.
- Each winning film will receive a R1000 award.
- One filmmaker representing each of the final ten selected films will receive a 1-year membership to the Documentary Filmmakers’ Association valued at R350.
- Works must have been produced during March – September 2020 and must include themes that touch on the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on everyday South Africa. Or, “everyday South Africans and Africans in South Africa during this time”.
- Formats for submissions: MP4 or .MOV please send works in for consideration using a Google Drive link, WeTransfer, or by uploading to YouTube or Vimeo or another streaming service using a private, password protected link.
Important dates:
Submission date: 22 October 2020 at 23h59 South African Standard Time
Winners announcement: 28 October 2020
Published on DocLove from: 10 November 2020
Rules and Regulations
The docLOVE Covid-19 Citizen Journalist Awards is open to anyone living in South Africa. To submit your film:
- Fill in the Entry form, which includes your details, film synopsis, a credit list;
- You will also need to submit a completed Chain of Title which grants the DFA permission to show your film and confirms that you have written permission from your characters to have filmed them and the right to use the music you have included. This template is included in the Entry Form and can also be downloaded here: DocLove-Covid-Citizen-Journalist-Award-Chain-of-TitleDownload
The docLOVE inititiave in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town are FREE screenings followed by a discussion and the opportunity to meet other filmmakers. The screenings programme has had strong support from film aficionados in Cape Town at two regular venues: the Tshisimani Centre for Activist Education in Mowbray and Bertha Movie House at the Isivivana Centre, Khayalitsha. In Johannesburg we are screening at The Bioscope and in Durban we are partnered with the Centre for Civil Society at UKZN. Please visit the docLOVE Facebook page
The DFA docLOVE Covid-19 Citizen Journalist Awards is supported by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture.