Touched by Style Community Arts Projects and Films will be flying the flag high for South Africa at the 2024 International Short Film Festival in Germany.
The Delft-based NPO picked up 10 nominations for their short film Death Angel, including the Community Choice Award, Short Film Entry Award and Fiction Short Story Film Choice Award.
The awards takes place next month.
Co-founder of Touched by Style Community Arts Projects and Films, Nic Matthee, says being nominated is an unbelievable and overwhelming feeling.
He says: "We are overjoyed as a productive team as we had done a great deal in puzzling together a working project and this represents what our youth in the local community is capable of doing.“
The dark fantasy film draws inspiration from a book called A Hero’s Journey written by Joseph Campbell.
It stars Marley Valentine, 7, a bubbly Grade 2 learner from Seaview Primary School in Mitchells Plain, who plays the role of an angel named Innocence, who the Death Angel must protect in order for her to complete the prophecy by leading God's army to victory.
Matthee says it is amazing to see how their projects are being recognised internationally.
He adds: “Having our work featured on an international platform is really amazing and makes it worth every effort.”
The organisation was established in 2020, with the aim of bringing positive change on the Cape Flats through film.
Matthee says their biggest dream is to build a studio for both film and music enthusiasts to explore and showcase their abilities.
He explains: “The Cape Flats communities are seen as fractured areas in Cape Town, we are here to uplift their potential by creating an opportunity for them to become front runners by representing their communities in a positive light.”
On their selection of Death Angel, the organisers of the International Short Film Festival says: “We have reviewed your project Death Angel and did a background check on your progress and we are very much impressed by the goal and aim and your contribution in your local community in Cape Town, South Africa.”
keagan.mitchell@inl.co.za