Establishing a local film industry

KNYSNA NEWS – Local youths in the film and arts sectors are setting out to make their mark on the industry through the brand-new Ikamva Youth Film & Arts Festival later this year.

The festival is headed up by Jovan Calvert (30), an expert in the field of make-up and a graduate of the Film & Media MICT Seta-accredited programme at iKasi Media.

A resident of Hornlee, Calvert has been working in the make-up industry for much of his adult life and spent some years in the film industry in Cape Town. Upon his return from the Mother City, he realised the need for an all-inclusive film and performing arts industry in the greater Knysna.

Ever since, he has poured every ounce of energy he has into his dream of establishing a festival that not only celebrates the skills and abilities of local youths in the film industry but also those in the performing arts.

These efforts have paid off in the form of the Ikamva Youth Film & Arts Festival, of which Calvert is the director.

"This has been the culmination of years of effort. I, together with all of the amazing people supporting me, have put so much effort into making this happen and I could not be happier or more proud," he says.

The festival will seek to create a platform for various facets of performing arts, ranging from the actual film-making to the writing of scripts, musical performances, concerts and much more.

"We want this festival to be inclusive of everything and everyone," Calvert says proudly. "Far too often the film and performing arts industry is portrayed as elitist and exclusive. We want to change that."

For Calvert and his team, it is not only about the development of local talent, but also making a socio-economic change within his community. "A lot of creatives have given up on their potential careers because they did not have an outlet, a way to have their work seen. This has led to many people just resorting to lives of drugs and crime," he says.

"We are hoping we can stem the tide on this, and give young people a platform on which they can express themselves."

Jovan Calvert is an expert in make-up. Photo: Blake Linder

Auditions

The festival will be a multi-stage event, having already started with the auditions. Actors, musicians, rappers, singers, dancers and poets were called upon to take part in the various auditions.

There have been four days of auditions for separate areas: on 27 May at the Hornlee Community Hall; on 28 May at the Khayalethu Community Hall; on 2 June at the Smutsville Community Hall; and on 3 June at the Rheenendal Community Hall.

Those selected during the auditions will be part of various films and/or productions that will be aired or performed during the festival. "We won't simply be airing any film during the festival. [Local] people are itching to have their stories told and to see their stories on the big screen. So we are going to produce our own films to be aired," Calvert explains.

There is also a writing competition that is running concurrently with the auditions. Writers are invited to submit their stories to be considered as production material for the projects that will be on show during the festival.

Once the auditions have been completed and the selected individuals have been named, Calvert and his team will start the production process and the festival will take place when this is finished. "We're aiming for somewhere around September, but only time will tell," says Calvert.

Jovan Calvert is an expert in make-up. Photo: Blake Linder