All participants are given a tight deadline of 48 hours to produce a film, which puts the focus squarely on the filmmakers and emphasises the importance of creativity and teamwork skills. CityVarsity took on Hollywood, with their film, Past Tense, being nominated for the Best Actor and Best Director awards.
The triumphant team comprised of CityVarsity staff Dani Flockton, Riaz Solker and Simon Antonelli, as well as graduates Hisham Samie and Alan Shelley. Their film, Past Tense, is an eight-minute long, quirky, time travel romance that competed against many filmakers to be chosen as the Third Runner Up for Best Film in the competition, by an International Jury. The film was not the winning group's first project together, as they have run various initiatives through their booming film company, BENCHfilms.
Established in 1996, CityVarsity is a fully accredited Higher Education institution in Cape Town and Johannesburg, offering certificates, diplomas and advanced diplomas across the Media and Creative Arts fields. All curricula are registered with SAQA and are accredited by the Council on Higher Education (CHE). Some of the exciting courses on offer are Animation, Film and Television Production, Digital and Print Journalism, Motion Picture Make-up, Art Directing, Professional Photography, Sound Engineering, Multimedia Design and Production and Professional Acting for Camera.
Director of Past Tense, Riaz Solker raved about the positive reviews for the film and the experience of being chosen to participate in the festival, "Only the top ten films are selected to go to Cannes, and we are ecstatic to be on this list. This entire experience has been great, allowing us to meet like-minded people and talk using the international language of filmmaking".
Look out for the screening at the Cannes Film Festival's Short Film Corner in May 2013.
For further information on this release, contact:
Communications Department:
Group Head of Communications: Jessie Naidoo or
Public Relations Coordinator: Tash Pillay
Tel: (031) 251 9300
Email: az.oc.nilemad@oodian.eissej or az.oc.nilemad@yallip.hsat
