The Nelson Mandela Children’s Film Festival is celebrating its fifth anniversary. In association with the Durban International Film Festival, it will be screening 10 children’s productions from partners globally including Egypt, Lithuania, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Sweden, and Tunisia.
The festival started off as a way to continue the late Nelson Mandela’s passion for supporting and nurturing the youth as leaders of tomorrow.
Mandela once stated: “Our children are the rock on which our future will be built, our greatest asset as a nation. They will be the leaders of our country, the creators of our national wealth who care for and protect our people.”
Play Your Part ambassador and festival co-founder, Firdoze Bulbulia, said: “We are delighted to be celebrating and commemorating Mandela’s legacy and to continue to use his work to inspire the next generation.
“We believe that film, animation, and gaming are innovative and unique mediums that can open new windows, shedding light on different cultures and traditions. The festival, therefore, acts as a platform for empowering young South Africans to participate in the global dialogue on film and media.”
On July 27, the Nelson Mandela Children’s Film Festival presented two Lifetime Achievement Awards to Elizabeth Castle and Benjy Francis.
The Nelson Mandela Foundation said at the time that these were the “champions of children”.
“The individuals who work tirelessly to guide and empower the children of South Africa, Elizabeth Castle and Benjy Francis are stalwarts in the children’s sector in South Africa and have been working with the Children and Broadcasting Foundation for Africa since its inception in 1995.
“Together they have been involved in the process of drawing up the South African Children’s Charter, which ultimately became part of the Bill of Rights and the South African constitution; the World Summits on Media for Children since 1996, and the Africa Charter on Children’s Broadcasting.”
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