3rd EC film expo attracts more than 240 industry experts, filmmakers

The third edition of the three-day Eastern Cape Film Expo, which has attracted more than 240 delegates, kicked on Wednesday in Makhanda on the sidelines of the National Arts Festival.

Hosted by the Eastern Cape government through the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC), the film expo brings together filmmakers, distributors, actors, financiers, production companies, and policymakers to discuss ways to promote the Eastern Cape as a film-making destination of choice.

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), Film and Publication Board, and the Sarah Baartman District Municipality officially support the expo. Funders such as the Industrial Development Corporation and the National Empowerment Fund are also participating and sharing information on available funding packages for the film sector.

The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is also sharing content marketing opportunities.

The expo features exclusive industry engagement and networking sessions with industry experts and masterclasses which are designed to provide delegates with insight and skills development in various aspects of filmmaking. There are also four screenings from emerging filmmakers for films produced in the province. The aim of the screenings is to exhibit the content to potential funders and distributors locally and internationally. 

The expo kicked off with a film and television community outreach targeting youth in Joza Township in Makhanda where information was shared about opportunities in the sector. The session was facilitated by well-known actress Lonalinamandla Bawuti of the popular telenovela Gqeberha: The Empire.

“The Eastern Cape Film Expo is a consequence of the government’s efforts to position the province as a preferred film destination. The idea of the expo came at a time when the government, through the ECDC, had started to make inroads in supporting the sector.

“These efforts resulted in the ECDC investing R39 million into 25 film productions since 2018. The R39 million investment has attracted an investment revenue of R499 million into the Eastern Cape while creating short-term employment for 8,400 people. A total of 690 local small businesses have benefitted from these productions which have been produced in the Eastern Cape.

“These returns clearly demonstrate the need for a platform such as the Eastern Cape Film Expo to consolidate the efforts of various industry players to strengthen existing relationships and forge new partnerships.

“This is critical in promoting the province as an attractive filmmaking destination. We don’t want to see the arts, culture and heritage sector as just a source of entertainment but also as a meaningful contributor to economic activity.

“The contribution of the sector to South African Gross Domestic Product is not where it should be. It is significantly lower than the contribution of the sector in economies the same size as South Africa. The aim is to elevate the sector and its contribution to the economy. For this to happen, platforms such as the film expo are critical,” says ECDC chief investment officer Khaya Zonke.

Some of the productions funded by the ECDC include an R5 million investment in the popular telenovela Gqeberha: The Empire. The production created 788 jobs and contracted 123 small businesses.

The ECDC successfully secured for the Eastern Cape the rights to host Season 9 of the international reality show Survivor at Fish River in the Ndlambe Local Municipality. Season 9 followed Season 8, which was shot in the Wild Coast. The ECDC invested R2 million in Season 9.

The ECDC also invested R2 million in Wild is the Wind, a feature film that was launched in Graaff Reinet in 2022/23.

Zonke says the film expo is also driving conversations about building a business case for the establishment of film infrastructure in the province.

The ECDC has already signed a R10 million Memorandum of Agreement with the Mandela Bay Development Agency and Buffalo City Municipality Development Agency to establish film infrastructure in the Nelson Mandela Bay and Buffalo City metros.

The idea to establish film infrastructure is in its infancy. It is meant to set up facilities, and to provide opportunities for equipment hire, which is a substantial cost driver for emerging filmmakers.