The cast and crew of the NFVF funded film, Carissa recently celebrated their selection and invitation to the Final Cut at the Venice International Film Festival 2023. The film, currently still in production is soon to be released, and will be presented at the Final Cut in Venice which takes place from the 3rd to the 5th of September 2023, providing support for the completion of films from Africa and five Middle Eastern countries: Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Syria. It is one of the programs run by the festival’s industry section, Venice Production Bridge.

Over three days, the working copies of the selected films will be presented to producers, buyers, distributors, post-production companies and film festival programmers. The first two days are devoted to screenings, and then one-to-one meetings between the producers of the projects, and the professionals attending the Venice Production Bridge will take place on the third day. The program will conclude with the awarding of prizes in kind or in cash, the purpose of which is to provide support for the films’ post-production.

Of the seven films selected, Carissa by Jason Jacobs and Devon Delmar, produced by Deidre Jantjies and co-produced by Annemarie du Plessis, will be representing South Africa with a film set in a quiet village, about a young woman who is pushed by her grandmother to apply for a job opportunity on a new golf estate being developed in the mountains. However, when she learns that the estate will be built over her estranged grandfather’s rooibos tea lands, she is confronted with a difficult choice: take the job, or take over the land.

Get to know more about these four young South African filmmakers from Cape Town below:

Jason Jacobs and Devon Delmar are co-writers and co-directors on multiple projects in film, theatre, animation, and series. Their first feature Carissa (filmed in Wupperthal, SA) and short film Brakwater (filmed in Kharkams, SA) are currently in post-production. With Carissa, they were selected for Durban FilmMart, Gotham Film Week in New York, and IFFR CineMart in Rotterdam. They have also been selected for the Drama International Short Film Festival in Greece, the Franconia Writers’ Residency in Minnesota for a non-human animation project in development, the 2022 NFF-NFVF Thuthuka Fund, and are also fellows of the 2022 Oxbelly Screenwriters & amp; Directors Lab in Greece and the CTIAF Incubator in Cape Town.

Deidre Jantjies is a cultural activist passionate about the historical stories of women. She is the founder of Na Aap Productions, a fully integrated, broad based production company, screening untold stories of Southern Africa. Carissa is Na Aap Productions first feature length film produced and represented on an international level. Jantjies has a long history of stage performing, she took these skills and started writing her own stories into short and feature films. Working extensively on narratives closest to her heart. Stories that include indigenous heritage and traditions that have been forgotten, is the most important dialogue that she wants to create. She identified that women needed a voice to represent themselves creatively. This was a great way to start a company that stood for African writers, directors, and producers. In 2020, the company partnered with an Indian storyteller and produced Love Thy Neighbour, an animation short film that won international awards. In the same year, Na Aap also produced Tweegesig, an online comedy series that featured on Facebook and Stories in die Wind, the first Nama web series that tells the indigenous story of a young girl finding her purpose. Deidre is also a graduate of the Business and Arts South Africa Cultural Producers Programme (2022).

Annemarie du Plessis is an accomplished and passionate producer with a proven track record of bringing captivating narratives to life. As the owner of Meria Productions, she is committed to delivering compelling content that resonates with audiences worldwide.

With an extensive background in the entertainment industry, she has honed her skills as a versatile and creative producer. Her passion for storytelling and appreciation for various formats and genres have led her to work on a wide range of projects, from web series to reality shows and thrilling martial arts shorts. As the founder and owner of Meria Productions, she leads a talented team of industry professionals in crafting exceptional content. Meria’s productions are known for their high production values and engaging narratives, which has garnered both a critical acclaimed and dedicated fan base.

We wish Jason, Devon, Deidre and Annemarie all the best, as they take South African film to the world.

Written by Lex LaFoy