The Pan African Film Festival (PAFF) and The Africa Narrative have announced winners for the just concluded ‘I Am Africa’ short film competition.
After receiving over 160 entries from around the continent, the PAFF Jurors and YouTube’s global audience have announced three jury award winners and one audience award winner.
South African filmmakers, Mpendulo Myeni (‘Eyelash’) and Bongi Ndaba (‘Miracle’) emerged jury award winners alongside Kenya’s Nick Wambugu who got the award for his documentary ‘Who Knows’. Sibusiso Khuzwayo clinched the YouTube audience award winner for his coming-of-age story, ‘The Letter Reader’.
In his remarks, Myeni said: “I am honoured to be recognized amongst my fellow African Filmmakers.”
“In a time when Africa is rising to its greatness, I feel blessed and privileged to have been used as a conduit to tell this beautiful African story,” Khuzwayo added.
In partnership with YouTube, the competition is geared towards finding new storytelling talent, based in Sub-Saharan Africa.
“YouTube provides a platform for Africa’s creatives to share their ideas and passion with the world,” says Dayo Olopade, YouTube’s Content Partnerships lead for Africa. “This partnership is a way for us to celebrate and support the emerging and established film sector across the continent. We congratulate the winners and wish them continued success as creators.”
Founder of The Africa Narrative, Michelle van Gilder said, “The African continent is bursting with creative talent waiting to be discovered by the rest of the world, which is why this initiative is so exciting.”
According to Gilder, the young directors represent the excellence of Africa’s filmmaking community, and it is fulfilling to see their stories brought before a global audience.
The winners are expected to participate in a day of workshops production training and networking with the entertainment industry at YouTube Space LA as well as a red-carpet screening at the 28th Annual Pan African Film Festival, which runs from February 13-23, 2020 in Los Angeles.
