Category Archives: Hot Happenings

The FAME Shorts Film Festival Announces 2024 Programme

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The FAME Shorts Film Festival returns to Cape Town’s Labia Theatre from 4-7 September, bringing a dazzling array of African cinema. Featuring 31 thought-provoking films, the festival showcases innovative and creative filmmakers from across the continent, offering audiences a rich tapestry of stories from Africa and its diaspora. The eagerly anticipated programme was announced on https://fameshortsfilmfestival.com and bookings are open. 

Open to the public, the festival is a highlight of FAME Week Africa, an annual gathering and trade show for the entertainment industry. Martin Hiller, FAME Week Africa Portfolio Director, shared his excitement about this year’s line-up, “We’re absolutely thrilled with the FAME Shorts Film Festival programme! It’s brimming with personal stories, biographies, and tales of innovation, underscoring the rich diversity of African societies.” 

Over four captivating days, the programme explores themes of drifting through life’s challenges, the growing pains of coming of age, the complexities of love stories, and the preservation of cultural heritage.

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Gert Johan-Coetzee Reigns Supreme at Miss South Africa

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Credits: Gert Johan Coetzee

Renowned South African designer, Gert Johan Coetzee, made a dazzling impact on the Miss South Africa pageant night, showcasing his exceptional talent with an unforgettable opening sequence where 11 stunning gowns created by Coetzee transformed the stage into a breathtaking runway, leaving audiences and viewers captivated by his artistry.

Fashion coalesced with technology at this year’s Miss South Africa pageant like never before, every fabric was meticulously created and printed in Gert-Johan Coetzee studio, blending traditional techniques with cutting-edge innovation.

The 3D-printed elements on all the gowns are a testament to his commitment to pushing the envelope and redefining what’s possible in fashion, each piece was thoughtfully designed to highlight the unique personality of each contestant, ensuring that their individuality shines through. By fusing tradition with technology, Gert and his team are not only creating fashion; they are telling a story of innovation, pride, and empowerment. These gowns are more than just garments; they are a reflection of the strength and beauty of South Africa and its people and each dress is a masterpiece, reflecting the designer’s signature style and impeccable craftsmanship.

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Melrose Arch Set to Become South African Fashion Week’s New Home in September 2024

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South African Fashion Week (SA Fashion Week) will be hosted in Johannesburg’s Melrose Arch Precinct in September this year.

The country’s premier designer fashion platform will be moving into its new home for the Autumn/Winter ‘25 Collections from 26th to 28th September 2024, says director, Lucilla Booyzen.

This year’s event will adopt a dynamic new format that will combine runway shows staged in an intriguing “never-used-before” space in Melrose Arch, with a line-up of lifestyle and brand activations throughout the precinct.

“SA Fashion Week’s vision over the past 27 years has been to explore sustainable business models that can leverage fashion’s economic and social influence for the benefit of all the stakeholders involved,” says Booyzen. “We are delighted to be partnering with one of the city’s most exciting lifestyle precincts, in one of its most historical areas, to develop yet another such mutually beneficial venture.”

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Food for Thought: Food Indaba 2024 Sparks Fresh Dialogues

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Good or bad, delicious or bitter, the kitchen table is where food, economics and politics often meet – and for the past ten years, Food Dialogues has been exploring this in our complex food system in unconventional, educational and fun ways. This year, with a new name reflective of its roots and group dynamic, Food Indaba 2024 is taking place from Monday 22 July to Sunday 04 August with various events at venues across Cape Town, including the V&A Waterfront precinct, Mowbray, Langa, Philippi, Lynedoch and Stellenbosch.

Food Indaba features a range of events, both ticketed and free. Many are open to the public, while some, which are geared more toward academic and industry audiences, are by invitation only. One of the informative free events for all to attend is the Pan African Webinar hosted by Afrifoodlinks. The online webinar titled Power and Hunger is a significant discussion about the weaponising of hunger. The annual in person conference with the same title, for the first time this year, will be a full day affair and will see the D-School (UCT’s design school) creating a Design-Dash, which is a design thinking problem solving toolkit around the solutions to food issues.

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Amex Tennis Town at Montecasino

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Following the announcement of their multi-year partnership in March 2024, Tennis South Africa (TSA) and American Express are pleased to host the Amex Tennis Town, a fan park during The Championships, Wimbledon 2024.

The Amex Tennis Town will be held from 5 to 14 July 2024 (from 1 pm to around 10 pm) at Montecasino and will host up to 1500 people per day.

The Amex Tennis Town aims to create a comprehensive fan zone that reimagines the traditional viewing experience by combining live Wimbledon screenings with a range of engaging activities and a food village which will provide a wide range of culinary delights including traditional favourites like strawberries and cream.

An interactive activation area will allow guests to engage with tennis-related activities. Attendees will be able to capture unforgettable moments with photo booths, dive into virtual reality tennis activations, and challenge friends at tennis gaming stations. Tennis enthusiasts will also be able to showcase their skills on a full-size tennis court with interactive coaching lessons.

The Amex Tennis Town will also feature live entertainment from DJs during breaks in play, providing a memorable and entertaining experience.

American Express Card Members will enjoy a 50% discount for entry to the Amex Tennis Town, priority seating at the front of the main viewing screen, 20% off at the Wimbledon Shop, 10% off on food and beverage, and other benefits such as branded gift packs.

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