UNTHINKABLE BAGS OVER E1.2M

MBABANE – Local documentary ‘Unthinkable’ took the first spot in the 2022 Audience Choice Awards in Melbourne Lift-off Global Network Film Festival.

The Melbourne Lift-Off Global Network hosts film festivals across the globe in countries like Canada, United States of America (USA), Netherlands, United Kingdom (UK), Germany, Australia and a few others. After learning about the nomination of his work early this month through an email sent to him by the organisers of the film festival, Comfort Ndzinisa will finally celebrate as his documentary has been named overall winner. Ndzinisa is now entitled to a production support package worth US$75 000 equivalent to E1 287 348.75 in yesterday’s exchange rate and a career road mapping consultancy opportunity.

The documentary will be showcased in 26 film festivals to be held around Europe and also on Film Freeway. Film Freeway is a website for filmmakers, where they submit their films to hundreds of film festivals globally, this website documents over 12 000 of the world’s best films. Other finalists in the second round of the Melbourne Lift-off Film Festival were United States of America rapper and multi-award winning artist Ja Rule’s film titled ‘Reboot Camp’, which features an ensemble cast including David Lipper, Lindsey Shaw, Keli Price, Ja Rule, Chaz Bono, David Koechner, Eric Roberts and Maya Stojan, to name a few.

The local documentary swerved past this tough well-known cast and well executed production to be announced the winner. Ndzinisa expressed his excitement after this achievement, citing that there were no words that could be used to describe how happy he was. “I can’t precisely articulate the degree of my elation about the award. All I can say is thank you to the judges and everyone who voted. I admire the bravery for everyone in the documentary, from the survivors to the film crew, who despite all possible risks, had the courage to be part of this project. The politics of this country are quite a dangerous game to play, and it does take a lot to have a say. I wish to share this award with all emaSwati who survived the unrest, and particularly those who didn’t,” Ndzinisa said.

Celebrate

He further shared that they were set to take a trip to the UK with the production team, where they were invited to celebrate with other winners from the competition. “I will be on an hour long round table on a YouTube live stream via Lift-off Global Network on the January 12, 2023, where I will be discussing the production of the film, with three other winners. Fans will be allowed to ask questions as well. On a date to be announced, I will be invited to the UK with friends and crew to a ceremony to celebrate the winners and nominees for the season. We will also meet other filmmakers from around the world to help us develop our production standard,” he added. The other three winning films were; ‘Light Attaching to a girl’, which reached number two in final standings with a votes frequency of 33.3 per cent, ‘100 Year Journey’, which was number three with 6.7 per cent votes frequency and ‘A custom of the sea’ also with 6.7 per cent votes frequency.  

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