Aluta Film Festival announces move to Mbombela

BushCoffee is pleased to announce that South Africa’s premier of the African and Diasporan cinema event, the Aluta Film Festival, will be hosted in Mbombela City, in the province ‘where the sun rises’ Mpumalanga from 26-28 February, 2015.

The Aluta Film Festival is the only festival of its kind, presenting films by and about people of African descent, and is widely recognized and respected as a pipeline for Black cinematic talent in South Africa.

According to BushCoffee Director and Aluta Film Festival founder Motheo Seleke, the festival is committed to the belief that transformation is key to the South African film and television industry. “Black content creators and artists deserve the same opportunities as their mainstream counterparts in this country,” he said.

Established in 2003, the Aluta Film Festival has showcased over 300 films to date, and through its unique programming annually introduces the top echelon of emerging artists to the South African film and television industry at large.

“Mbombela offers a much larger gateway for us to further our mission, it is our goal to not only support South African Black filmmakers, but to promote their work for everyone’s enjoyment,” he added.

“Ultimately, we’d like to see Black cinema in South Africa have as great an impact on South African culture as we have had in music, fashion and sports. We are truly honored to have sustained broad South African film and television collaborative partnerships for the past eleven years, and we salute them all for their support of the Aluta Film Festival the only cinematic event of its kind in South Africa,” said Seleke.

According to the Aluta, the move to Mbombela City elevates the Aluta Film Festival to an even grander stage, allowing it to tap into Mpumalanga’s roomy creative community as well as maximize the film development initiatives efforts of this province.

“The hub of the Aluta Film Festival will be in the Emnotweni vicinity between Riverside Mall and the Mpumalanga Government Complex. Activities during the three-day event will include screenings, panels, workshops, talent showcases, celebrity conversations, a film destination seminar, and much much more,” he said.

It is anticipated that the Aluta Film Festival will attract more than 5,000 attendees made up a contingent of the South African film and television industry, creative industry, film aficionados, government stakeholders, media and the broader general of Mpumalanga and beyond.

“Mpumalanga has made significant strides in its provincial film developmental initiatives and is well positioned to become one of the most popular film destinations locations in the world.

We cannot think of a better backdrop than Mbombela City for the Aluta Film Festival to host South Africa’s premier cinema event and we look forward to welcoming former and new attendees to Mbombela City for this high caliber event,’ elaborated Seleke.

Further event related developments regarding the Aluta Film Festival will be made fortnightly throughout the year passes. For further information contact Motheo Seleke at +27 76 853 1214 (mobile) _ motheo.seleke (skype) or email: motheoseleke@gmail.com