By Siyasanga Tyali
In what is fast becoming a premier event organised by 4th year JMS television students; the 5th RUTV Documentary film festival came to pass on 20 0ctober at the red carpet themed evening in the Roxbury Cinema.
After spending sleepless nights at the AMM polishing their work, the students had the opportunity to show everyone the type of work that they have been shooting for exam purposes. At the event individual five-minute documentaries as well as 24-minute group doccies were showcased.
The event screened the work of the three production groups Sizo Vuka, Edit 4 and Gorilla Milkshake Productions. Students are assigned to these groups for the documentary part of their year but have the freedom to come up with their own names, which includes branding the group and creating a tv advert.
Each group had four members namely Sizo Vuka Productions (Paul Harris, Kyla Hermannsen, Nontobeko Sibisi and Tamsin Degoumois), Edit 4 Productions (Gregory Aldridge, Katherine Robinson, Camalita Naicker and Zikhona Tshona) and Gorilla Milkshake Productions (Anesu Chingono, Jess Levy, Richard Moor and Sibongile Mafu).
East or West: Home is best, one of the 24-minute documentaries produced by Gorilla Milkshake Productions, explored how some Somalians were adjusting to living conditions in the Eastern Cape.
This story of the Somalians was told by a man called Sharmaake who told of the day he was attacked and left inside a refrigerator to die but one of his attackers came back to take him out of the refrigerator. All this happened here in Grahamstown.
Another interesting work was that of Camalita Naicker who produced a five -minute documentary titled Abazali Abasekho that reflected on how a young learner from Groutville (KZN) is dealing with the loss of both his parents. Frustrated by limited life choices as a result of financial circumstances, this young man resorts to becoming a police officer after school as he says he won’t be able to afford to become an engineer.
These documentaries focus on deep-rooted human issues and struggles and the students approach each topic with great precision and thoughtfulness to ensure that the story is told as well as possible.
Chains of Freedom by Sizo Vuka Productions tell a story of a man about to be released from prison. He nervously goes back to his community but is not sure whether he will be accepted by even his family. Through the help of Phoenix Zululand (a KZN-based NGO dealing with integration of ex-offenders), the members of Sizo Vuka productions managed to identify and capture a vital stage of an ex-offender’s life.
Talking about the experiences provided by the shooting of these documentaries, Tamsin Robinson a member of Sizo Vuka productions said that they were overwhelmed by the hospitality provided by the community and family of their subject. “We were welcomed and they even cooked for us,” said Tamsin. Paul Harris also mentioned the willingness that was shown by the community and family of Bongani (the ex-offender). “The people opened their lives on camera for us, something most people would never do,” he said.
As has become a custom, after the show case of the students’ work, the audience voted for the best group work and best individual work produced.
Walking away with the Audience Award for Best Individual production was Hard Living produced by Richard Moor. East or West: Home is best won the Audience Award for Best 24-minute documentary. These and all the other documentaries can be viewed on the RUtv website and our Youtube channel.
Paddy Donnelly, production manager for JMS television studio, summed up. “Well, the students did marvellous work.”