Actor and co-producer of Ayanda and the Machine.
CANNES FILM FESTIVAL
Terry Pheto & other SA filmmakers head to Cannes
Award-winning South African actor Terry Pheto will take part in one of the world’s most esteemed film festival’s, Cannes. But not as an actor. This time the Tsotsi star, model (she was named the face of L’Oreal in 2008) and owner of Leading Lady Productions will set off to the festival where the coming of age film Ayanda and the Mechanic, which she co-produced, will be screened. “I came across a script, at the time it was called Ayanda and the Mechanic, a couple of years ago with Sara Blecher. I fell in love [with the script] and had a meeting with her and she wanted me to play one of the characters there,” she is recently quoted as saying.
Terry Pheto. (Reuters)
Ayanda and the Mechanics is part of a handful of South African films showing at the festival. Zombie movie Last Ones Out by local director Howard James Fyvie and Sibs Shongwe-La Mer’s highly publicised Necktie Youth, among others, will be on screen at the French festival.
Agnes Varda: Palme d’Or winner
French arthouse movie director Agnes Varda is to receive an honorary Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes film festival, the first female to be handed the coveted award, organisers said on Saturday.
Only Woody Allen in 2002, Clint Eastwood in 2009, and Bernardo Bertolucci in 2011, have been granted the distinction “given to renowned directors whose works have achieved a global impact but who have nevertheless never won the Palme d’Or”, a festival statement said. “And yet my films have never sold as much as theirs!” Varda was quoted as saying.
Agnes Varda. (Reuters)
She will receive the award at the close of the 12-day Cannes festival on May 24 when its international jury hands out its top prizes at a red-carpet ceremony. A photographer, screenplay writer, actress, director and visual artist, Varda first came to prominence with her 1962 movie Cleo from 5 to 7. Born on May 30 1928, she has made short and long films, and produced a documentary as well as fiction works. – AFP
Unloving triangle: K Naomi, Omuhle Gela and Lunga Shabalala
So much for Sunday being a day of rest. Model/TV presenter Keitumetse Naomi Noinyane, aka K Naomi, and actor Omuhle Gela spent it exchanging harsh words for all to see. The two took to Twitter to air their grievances, which happen to involve TV presenter Lunga Shabalala – K Naomi’s ex-boyfriend.
Lunga Shabalala and K Naomi. (Gallo)
“@Omuhle_Gela Lunga Shabalala isn’t mine…you can have him again, this time not during my relationship,” Channel O presenter Noinyane tweeted, implying that Gela was seeing Shabalala while Noinyane was dating him. To which the Umlilo actor responded “During your relationship? Clearly you lacked something … not my fault.” The tweets have since been deleted.
Noinyane’s comments to Gela come after the Woolworths model appeared on gossip TV show The Real Goboza, where she spoke about Tshabalala.
(Pic: Sunday World)
“Things didn’t work out. I don’t think it was our time. He’s doing great in the industry; girls are flocking. I think it’s not an issue, what the issue is [is] how he entertains them or… fits a line between respect and trying too hard … I was like ‘me I’m not fighting any girls. I’m dating you; I’m not dating these girls. So if you’re not willing to step up and respect me than clearly we’re not seeing eye-to-eye’,” Sunday World quotes Noinyane as saying.
Prince, Miguel perform in response to Freddie Gray’s death
Reclusive rocker Prince took the stage on Sunday in a “Rally 4 Peace” concert in response to the death of a 25-year-old man, whose death from injuries suffered while in police custody and triggered riots.
Many concert-goers wore gray in response to promotional images, an apparent reference to Freddie Gray, who died in a Baltimore hospital a week after his arrest on April 12. Streaming service Tidal, which carried the event, said a portion of the proceeds would go towards funding Baltimore youth charities.
The Grammy-winning musician, appearing at Royal Farms Arena along with his backing band 3rdEyeGirl, performed hits like When Doves Cry and Raspberry Beret, as well as a new song called Baltimore, which he dedicated to the city. “We are here for you tonight,” he said. “It’s going to be all right. We’re going to figure this thing out,” Prince said while performing Purple Rain.
“It’s going to take the young people to fix it this time. We need new ideas,” he said. Surprise guests were promised, and delivered, including Doug E Fresh and Miguel. Returning to the stage for one of many encores, Prince said, “No curfew”, a reference to the citywide curfew put in place after rioting in Baltimore last month. – Reuters
Riots in Baltimore erupted last month after Gray’s death. (Reuters)
Local jazz gets SA Music Genre awards
Frustrations over certain music genres being overlooked or incorrectly judged by mainstream award shows seems to be the reason that jazz musician Swazi Dlamini and team have embarked on the SA Music Genre awards, or Samga.
“The idea came from me being actively involved in awards, either as a nominee or presenter. I observed how awards are done in South Africa and saw the trends in the past five years, which showed that the artists that these awards represent are unhappy with a whole lot of things. You would get complaints like the mismatching of artists in categories where, for instance, a jazz artist can be entered in something called Adult Contemporary. It’s really confusing,” the musician is quoted as saying by IOL on May 6.
Swazi Dlamini. (Gallo)
“Then there is the issue of certain categories being almost reserved for particular genres. Take the Best Male award [category] in other award [shows], a DJ or a rapper is certain to win it and the jazz or gospel guy who was also in the same category loses.”
The awards, which seem to focus mainly on jazz, were announced last Wednesday and attended by musicians such as Wanda Baloyi and Concord Nkabinde. According to the singer, “The South African Music Genre awards are about educating people and placing music in the categories it was made in. So you will have jazz instrumental albums go up against each other. A jazz male artist should not be pitted against a DJ, because you don’t speak to your audience and your craft doesn’t require the same amount of input. So that situation is skewed from the onset. Let’s respect the genres on their own. I must commend the Crown Gospel awards, which have a lavish array of categories, and it is just gospel.”