The Out In Africa Gay and Lesbian Film Festival opened with a bang at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town on 10 September 2009 despite rumors that it may not see its 17th birthday. Avid supporters of the festival flocked to see some 17 international feature films and nine new productions from South Africa, as well as a range of filmmakers presenting workshops at a number of tertiary institutions.

South Africa’s own Pieter Dirk Uys opened the Cape Town leg of the festival with hilarious anecdotes from the past that contextualised how far the festival has come since its inception. “I love being a gay and a lesbian at the same time and movies have always been a part of my life so I think this is a fantastic celebration of who and where we are,” said Pieter But despite the buoyant mood that filled the Nu-Metro foyer, the festival faces the same bleak future that many other festivals are confronting during this recession.

In a press release, the festival said: “The global recession hit funders as hard as individuals, and it is as difficult as ever to persuade those with money that gay and lesbian issues are, well, still an issue.” Chief director Nodi Murphy pleaded to gay and lesbian film audiences to donate a minimum of R250 each to the 888 club so that the festival would be able to survive. She also attributes the lack of more

South African gay and lesbian films to the very low film and TV output in South Africa in general, “It was great to have nine South African films, four of which are world premiers.” She added, “What makes Out in Africa or gay and lesbian film so special is that we have a niche and loyal market, I think that’s the essence of it and off course little gay and lesbians are being born every second of the day, so it replenishes the troops, so to speak.”

She also says the current landscape of LGBT film is changing because they have already had international requests for local films to be screened at other international film festivals. The festival has excelled this far because it also reaches many parts of the country, with outreach projects aimed at gays and lesbians who wouldn’t have the same access to these films. “First off we run an in-reach programme providing transport and tickets to those of our community who live where there is no night-time public transport and who don’t have disposable income to afford cinema tickets. Depending on the funding, we provide 1500-3000 tickets annually,” said Nodi. This is in addition to the satellite festivals they conduct in Pretoria, Durban, George, Grahamstown, Ermelo, Mafikeng, Kimberley and other small cities in South Africa.

They also distribute a video suitcase, now a DVD, to all the gay and lesbian projects across the country and in seven other African countries.

Despite an uncertain future, like many organisations these days, the festival is still looking for submissions for next year’s festival. In a press statement, the festival said that it had made an application to the National Lottery for funding and is putting plans in place.

“What we need are scripts for this Omnibus – short stories that we can link together to make a longer script,” said Nodi.

So aspiring filmmakers dealing with LGBT issues can submit a DVD at no charge by clicking here. “We have also produced 20 short films between 2004-2007, giving people (mostly first-time filmmakers) an opportunity to develop skills, tell stories and be heard.”

Some of the festival highlights, besides Pieter Dirk Uys, were a rescreening of Aids Activist Zackie Achmat’s earlier film, titled Apostles of a Civilised Vice, a docu-drama where he shines a light on the often hidden history of gays and lesbians in South Africa through re-enactments.

Other guests included John Greyson, a Canadian film director whose new documentary Fig Trees features Achmat entangled in a fictional opera about the courage of Aids activists.

Cape Town opened with The Chinese Botanist’s Daughter, an epic film about two Chinese lesbians who fall in love and face the tragic consequences of their affair.

This was the first opening in years to feature a lesbian film. U.S directors Guido Santi and Tina Mascara’s documentary, Chris and Don – A Love Story, about world-renowned writer Christopher Isherwood, also featured during the festival.

Nodi expressed that even though the festival has been successful and audiences have grown, funding is no easier no matter how well the festival has done before.
Siyamukelwa Ngcobo