Want tickets to the Movie Premier of Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 2?

Find out how you can win tickets to the Premier of Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 2

Kids if you think you could be more creative than inventor Flint Lockwood, who, in his home town created a machine that caused delicious food to fall from the sky, like rain, then let us know. The Northglen News and Sony Centre want you (kids) to answer this simple question: If you could invent a machine to create any kind of food instantly, what would it be and why? Tell us in no more than three lines and the most interesting, inspiring and original entrants will win front row seats to the premier of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2. Part two of this of Sony Pictures Animation’s comedy kicks off where the first hit movie, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, left off. In the first movie inventor Flint Lockwood thought he saved the world when he destroyed his most infamous invention -- a machine that turned water into food causing cheeseburger rain and spaghetti tornadoes. But Flint soon learns that his invention survived and is now creating food-animals – "foodimals!"  Flint and his friends embark on a dangerously delicious mission to battle hungry tacodiles, shrimpanzees, hippotatomuses, cheespiders and other foodimals to save the world – again!

The Durban premier will take place on 29 January at 7pm at Ster Kinekor in Gateway in 3D. And if you allow your mom and dad to tag along they too can get in on the action when Sony Gateway gives away loads of prizes to lucky Cloudy with a chance of Meatballs 2audience members. Send your entries to warren@sony-centre.co.za by no later 1pm on Monday, 27 January 2014.

(Source - Sony Centre) 

Are you team #kurt&courtney or team #sid&nancy ? tweet your vote to @UpstairsDurban #movienights

News from Spiga

Movie Night | Wed  7 Aug | Doors open 18h00 | Movie starts 20h00 | Free Entry

Even if hard partying and pharmaceuticals aren’t your cup of tea, it’s impossible to deny how intriguing rock n’ roll couples are.

This Wednesday #movienight at The Upstairs will be about the very famous,tumultuous and destructive love affairs of some of rock's most well known couples. 

Choose to watch Kurt & Courtney (by British documentary filmmaker Nick Broomfield) or Who Killed Nancy- a documentary on Sid Vicious & Nancy Spungen (by rock author and punk expert Alan Parker).

Visit the Upstairs #movienights event page to vote or tweet your choice to @UpstairsDurban #kurt&courtney or #sid&nancy  

Red Lips & Studs Womans Day Shindig | Thurs 8 Aug | Party starts from 19h00 | Free Entry if you wear red lips/studs

Celebrating Woman's Day with a more edgy vibe this Thursday - The Upstairs salutes all you Durban beauties, by throwing a party which will be hosted by local blogger Jenna Kelly, from girlwithabum.com . It's called Red Lips & Studs, check it out here. If you wear red lippy or studs, entrance is mahala! There will be give-aways from Courtney Shaw Skincare & Body Therapy, a professional make-up artist will be onsite from 7 - 9 to assist with some lip-love, a Bianca Kim Clothing pop-up shop for some late-night shopping, Buy 1 Get 1 Free Tanqueray Cocktails between 8 & 10, music by Renaude5…….. PLUS you get to sleep in the next day because it's public holiday!!!! 

For further details please contact info@theupstairs.co.za

(Source - Spiga Durban) 

Pansa News

Reminder of Invitation to PANSA National AGM

To all members of the performing arts industry and friends.
You are invited to the 2013 National Annual General Meeting to consider the activities of the past year and elect the National Committee for the next year.

Date: Saturday 10 August 2013
Time: 10:00 – 14:00 (9:30 for Tea/Coffee)
Venue: The Apartheid Museum, Northern Parkway & Gold Reef Road, Johannesburg
RSVP: Nolonwabo Base, nono@pansa.org.za or 021 448 3513

Only paid up members of PANSA, in good standing, are eligible to stand for election on to the Provincial Committee and to vote in the elections. There will be an opportunity to pay membership fees at the AGM.

We look forward to seeing you there

Call for MUSHO 2014 proposals

IT’S THAT TIME AGAIN!!!!

The Performing Arts Network of South Africa (PANSA) in KZN will host the ninth Musho! International Theatre Festival of one and two person theatre, in Durban from January 2014, celebrating the art of the one and two-performer plays.

'Musho’ - isiZulu for an enthusiastic praise response, something similar to 'Bravo!' - embraces many forms of theatre: from mime to physical theatre, drama to comedy-theatre.  It pays tribute to the smaller works featuring one and two performers.  These are intimate productions that showcase the skill of theatre performance and storytelling, as well as covering a wide range of styles, from drama to comedy and physical theatre.

After extensive research, PANSA realized that a festival early in the year staging more intimate theatrical productions is considered a useful and exciting start to the year by performers and audiences alike.  Musho! benefits the performers as staging their shows and collecting reviews early in the year helps them for future seasons of the production through the year.  The audiences love seeing an array of fabulous theatre early in the year when calendars are quiet and when the festive flurry is over.

The festival is organised by PANSA KZN, the Performing Arts Network of South Africa. If you have a play or theatre piece that will be suitable for our festival feel free to send in your proposal to kzn@pansa.org.za
All proposals are read by a selection committee of local theatre professionals, and successful applicants will be contacted in October 2013.


Selection criteria for the festival include:

• The work must have one or two persons only performing
• The work should be an innovative and interesting concept
• The work should have potential appeal for local audiences
• The work should be classifiable as theatre (with a discernable narrative)
• The company or individual should have a good track-record and reputation
• The work should not have played in Durban in the past 12 months
• The work should be 50-70 minutes in length


Participants are paid for their participation in the festival.  The amount paid per performance will be confirmed at a later date, and is subject to the funding that PANSA receives.

Contracts will be drawn up between the artists and the festival once selection and confirmation procedures have been concluded, in October 2013.

Proposal guidelines and compulsory information.

1.     Contact person
2.     Contact address ,telephone,number, email
3.     Name of the show
4.     Genre of the show
5.     Appropriate audience and age group
6.     An exciting description of the show.
7.     Technical requirements for the show
8.     Name of performers and directors of the show
9.     Group background and experience.

Good luck and all the best.

(Source - Pansa) 

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Film Reviews - 'Halley and 'Evil Dead'

Film Review - Halley

Directed by Sebastian Hofmann
Cast - Alberto Trujillo

                                         
                                                   Picture Courtesy - DIFF

Halley tells the tale of security guard Beto (Alberto Trujillo) and shows us how he is slowly
rotting away.   His body is slowly shutting down.  There is hardly any music in this movie if any.
He is surrounded by people in a gym, people who are in their best shape.  He of course is headed
in the opposite direction.

We see how all of those around him do not really care much for him.  He seems to only exist in a twilight world slowly fading out of this one.

First time writer-director Sebastian Hofmann uses some interesting techniques.  He plays on your imagination and likes to use out of focus shots here and there.

The original idea was based on a short film about a man's relationship with his body.
The director told us that we all have that fear that our body will slowly rot away.

Rating:  7/10

You can catch the film at the Durban International Film Festival 2013
Next Showings are:
21 July 10pm Musgrave
25 July 20h30 Sneddon

Tweet us your thoughts of the movie using the hashtag #DIFF2013

Review by +Fred Felton
Twitter - @fredfelton  


Film Review - Evil Dead

Director - Fede Alvarez
Cast - Jane Levy, Shilo Fernandez, Jessica Lucas, Lou Taylor Pucci, Ellen Sandweiss

This is a reboot of the original movie.  A 2013 reinvention of the classic Evil Dead movie.
Now updated for this generation.  Set in the woods a brother tries to help his sister
get rid of her drug addiction.  Her friends help out as best they come.
However there is something in the woods waiting for them all.

If you love horror movies this one is for you.
There is blood, lots of it.
I heard many people in the cinema screaming.

Rating 7/10

Evil Dead is showing at the Durban International Film Festival 2013

Next Shows
21 July 19h30 Nouveau Gateway
27 July 20h30 Nouveau Gateway
28 July 20h30 Musgrave

Review by +Fred Felton
Find me on Twitter @fredfelton

Film Review of Elelwani The Opening Film at @DIFFest

This Thursday I attended the World Premiere of the South African Film 
Elelwani at the Supernova at Suncoast.  It is always wonderful to watch a film
when there is a packed house in.

The Director Ntshavni wa Luruli was in attendance and he told us all
that this has been a long journey for him. It took over 10 years to make this film.

This is the first Venda production in cinema history.  Shot in some wonderful
locations in Limpopo, it tells the tale of a young woman (Florence Masebe) who
lives in the world of today.  However she gets drawn back into the rituals
and culture of the Venda people by her Parents.

Beautifully shot by Cinematographer Lance Gewer one gets a different
viewpoint of the cultures and traditions of the Venda people.

There is some wonderful music in this movie and the soundtrack is brilliant.
It really does add another dimension.  You almost find yourself in a surreal
landscape.  Almost as if David Lynch went to Africa.

Rating 9/10

Next Screenings of this Film at @DIFFest
6pm Ekhaya 21 July
10am Suncoast 23 July
7pm Musgrave 29 July

Review by - Fred Felton


There are many more movies coming up so go down to Suncoast or
Musgrave or Cinema Nouveau and check out the various options for you
at this Film Festival.

For those of you that are interested in Acting, Directing, Producing, Editing
and more in Film go down to the Blue Waters Hotel and attend the various
free workshops on offer.

Here are just a few we can suggest:

• Sunday July 22 - 11h15 - NFVF Scriptwriters Training
• Sunday July 22 - 2pm - Africa in Focus - Training opportunties for African filmmakers
• Sunday July 22 - 15h30 - How to attract Press and Publicity, learn about film reviewing
• Monday July 23 - 11h15 - How to navigate international markets and festivals
• Monday July 23 - 2pm - Broadcasters discuss their commissioning briefs and request for proposals

(Source - @DIFFest)  

What's On In Durban In December

Welcome Readers

There is so much on in Durban this month.  Here are some of the events around town:

Pieter Scholtz Book Launch Invitation at St. Clements Garden Reataurant from 6:30 p.m. on Monday 12th December.

 Bookshop & Horus Publications

present the launch of Pieter Scholtz’s new novel

at St. Clements garden restaurant

Monday 12 December

6.30 for 7.00pm

RSVP Beverley 0861 341 341 or reply to this e-mail

             

           

THE TREE WHISPERER is an autobiographical fantasy. The author in the story and the author of the story are one and the same person. He writes in the preface:

'The inspiration for this story arose from some abiding memories, including,

A gnarled fig tree in the garden of the house in Eshowe where I spent my childhood.  I experienced many magical moments in the forks and hollows of that tree.

My annual visit to the Buddhist Retreat Centre near Ixopo, where I renew my acquaintance with a very special yellowwood tree.

The boardwalk over the Dlinza forest in Eshowe which lends me God's eye view of the trees.'

Angel is unusual not only for her habit of adopting different names to suit different people, she is also the 'tree whisperer' of the title.

The story is about how the author and Angel share a journey of discovery. Angel helps the author travel beyond the familiar world of fantasy which is peopled with his creations, to a world where he touches the pain and anguish of others. He discovers that the real world has many dimensions like his fantasy world, and that here really is no definitive reality.

The author helps Angel revisit the scenes of her childhood and discover how her affinity with trees was born. He also enables Angel to come to terms with the dark secret of her childhood which she has concealed from herself and from others.

MUSIC – DECEMBER 5 TO 11

RISE AT MOJOS BAR, RIVERSIDE HOTEL, DURBAN NORTH – DECEMBER 9

Durban rock electronica band Rise release their new single, I Know, at Mojo’s Bar at the Riverside Hotel on Friday December 9 at 7pm. Playing songs from both their albums the popular band will entertain with old and new dance and chill-out tunes. Entrance is free.

The Jackie Horner Pub and Grill at 47 Helen Joseph (Davenport) Road, Glenwood, hosts Graham Boyle from 6pm till late on Friday December 9.

On Saturday December 10  it’s Karaoke Party time with Spider Murch from 7pm until late.

On Sunday December 11 the “Human Jukebox” Collin Rule entertains from 1pm to 4pm and patrons can enjoy the Sunday roast special for just R49.  Call 031 202 9124 to took a table.

On Friday December 9 Origin in Clark Road, Glenwood, invites you to experience the  Labyrinth with Dutch deejays Leon Bolier and Ummet Ozcan  and P.H.A.T.T (Namibia) plus 20 local deejays. Doors open at 8pm. Tickets pre-sale (Iron Fist, Idols, Soho Stamfordhill Road and Floogy’s Takeaway) and door R120.
On Saturday December 10 international deejay Sebastian Leger shows why he is one of the most outstanding artists in the current electronic music business, an exceptionally gifted producer who is operating far beyond the French filter house clichés. Doors open at 8pm. Tickets are R80 before 9pm, R100 before 10pm, R120 after 10pm and R200 for VIP tickets.

THEATRE  DECEMBER 5 TO 31

December 5 to December 31

Hillcrest’s Heritage Theatre presents its festive season show, Boep Idles, which was such a hit with audiences last year. Featuring crowd favourites the Gee Jays – Grant Bell, John Didlick and Gary McKenzie - the musical takes a lighthearted look at the idols of yesteryear from Cliff Richard, Elvis Presley and the Beatles to Roy Orbison, Tom Jones and Billy Joel. Tickets for the show only are R100. Tickets including a two-course meal are R165 on Tuesday at 7pm and Sunday at 12.30pm and R190 from Wednesday to Saturday at 7pm. To book call  031 765  4197 or online at www.heritagetheatre.co.za

At The Catalina

www.facebook.com/catalinatheatre

Cine Catalina - Mini Film Festival

8 - 18 Dec

Shannon Hope At The Catalina

22 - 24 Dec

www.catalinatheatre.co.za

www.shannonhope.co.za

For More Details on these events contact the Catalina 

Contact the Catalina Theatre:

 (031) 305 6889 
catalintheatre@zamail.co.zaVisit our website: www.catalinatheatre.co.za

Whew So Much On Around Town.

Ain't Durban Grand :)