The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is shocked at news over the apparent establishment of a South African Film Commission (SAFC) - but one not created by parliament and through the department of arts and culture as is currently underway.
The NFVF is upset with the the Cape Film Commission's (CFC) CEO, Denis Lillie, saying claims by him that the NFVF, the department of trade and industry, and the department of arts and culture provided permission to start such a commission is not true. The NFVF in a statement issued late Wednesday says that Denis Lillie "decided to hijack the process thereby misleading the industry".
Yesterday I reported on the surprising creation of the South African Film Commission (SAFC) which has been created and registered as an independent and non-profit organisation with the aim to help, serve and promote South Africa's growing film industry.
The newly created organisation was careful to explain that it will not replace the Gauteng Film Commission, KZN Film Commission, the Cape Town Film Commission, the Durban Film Office or other film promotion offices in South Africa but will work as a broad, national body to supplement on a national level what these existing offices are doing for film and television production work in South Africa.
Today the NFVF is reacting in anger, lashing out at Denis Lillie, who is the CEO of the Cape Town Film Commission, saying that the NFVF "has learned with great shock the news of the registration and establishment of the South African Film Commission by Cape Town Film Commission's Denis Lillie."
"The NFVF distances
itself from the utterances of Denis Lillie, who in his statement, claims that he
has been provided permission by the NFVF, department of trade and industry and department of arts and culture to start such a commission."
"In his statement to members of the Cape Film Commission, Denis Lillie suggests
that the he has been having discussions with various agencies and entities
across South Africa over the past 12 to 18 months."
"These included discussions with
representatives from DAC, NFVF, the National Lotteries Board, the DTI and
others and tabled a proposed South African Film Commission some time ago, and
again at Cannes in 2012, with the NFVF CEO. He further states that he believes
his commission would complete the NFVF and film commissions mandates."
"This statement is far from the truth and the NFVF would like to emphasise that
it has never been and is not in talks with CFC and Denis Lillie regarding the
establishment of the South African Film Commission with them."
The NFVF says in the statement that "the establishment of a South African film commission is the responsibility and
falls under the ambit of the department of arts and culture and the NFVF as the agency of the department of arts and culture responsible for the film industry in South Africa."
The NFVF said the department of arts and culture is currently in the process of converting or restructuring the NFVF into a fully-fledged National Film
Commission.
"This process has commenced with the NFVF having successfully
applied to register the trademark "South African Film Commission" and
together with the department of arts and culture are currently following appropriate parliamentary
channels to amend the relevant legislation."
"It is unfortunate that CFC and Denis Lillie have decided to hijack the process thereby misleading the industry," says Zama Mkosi, the CEO of the NFVF in the statement.
The NFVF says that the establishment of a South African Film Commission will be effected through
an act of parliament and "is the sole responsibility of the department of arts
and culture and not of an non-governmental organisation or any other private entity."
Denis Lillie says "although the NFVF state that our statements are far from the truth, these statements from the NFVF conveniently ignore discussions that took place between the Cape Film Commission and the NFVF over 12 to 18 months."
"They also ignore the discussions and email exchanges between the department of arts and culture ministry and the Cape Film Commission between June and October 2012 and beyond where the CFC initially tabled a proposal for a national film commission to complement the NFVF."
Dennis Lillie says the Cape Film Commission was "subsequently encouraged by the department of arts and culture to progress the proposal through interactions with the NFVF. These emails confirmed discussions the CFC had with the NFVF in June 2012 over the creation of a national film commission."
"Traditionally the CFC has worked with the department of trade and industry on film related matters as the department of trade and industry is the agency for economic growth, investment and job creation in the film sector."
"Our understanding from the NFVF mandate is that they are in part mandated to promote South African culture though film. The role of a Film Commission is partly to promote South Africa as a film making territory to both local and international filmmakers, hence the complementary process between both agencies."
Denis Lillie says "although the NFVF state that our statements are far from the truth, these statements from the NFVF conveniently ignore discussions that took place between the Cape Film Commission and the NFVF over 12 to 18 months."
"They also ignore the discussions and email exchanges between the department of arts and culture ministry and the Cape Film Commission between June and October 2012 and beyond where the CFC initially tabled a proposal for a national film commission to complement the NFVF."
Dennis Lillie says the Cape Film Commission was "subsequently encouraged by the department of arts and culture to progress the proposal through interactions with the NFVF. These emails confirmed discussions the CFC had with the NFVF in June 2012 over the creation of a national film commission."
"Traditionally the CFC has worked with the department of trade and industry on film related matters as the department of trade and industry is the agency for economic growth, investment and job creation in the film sector."
"Our understanding from the NFVF mandate is that they are in part mandated to promote South African culture though film. The role of a Film Commission is partly to promote South Africa as a film making territory to both local and international filmmakers, hence the complementary process between both agencies."
