Possible Oscar for White Wedding?

The South African Academy Award Selection Committee and the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) last month (September 2009) announced the selection of White Wedding for consideration as the South African entry for the 82nd Academy Awards.

If approved by the Oscars Academy Award Selection Committee, White Wedding will then represent South Africa as a nominee in the Foreign Language Category of the Oscars in 2010.

Made possible by Ken Follett, world renowned best selling novelist and executive producer, directed by Jann Turner, produced by Rapulana Seiphemo and Kenneth Nkosi, White Wedding is an appealing, feel-good movie about love, commitment, intimacy and friendship and a host of maddening obstacles that can get in the way of a happy ending. This is a movie that affirms the dream that romance can overcome any obstacle.

The three producers received the news with excitement during the official announcement at the NFVF offices. "We are thrilled! Overwhelmed! Really honoured to represent our country," says Kenneth Nkosi. "Wow," Seiphemo exclaims. A long string of unprintable exclamations and ecstatic noises is uttered by Turner.

To make the submission on behalf of the South African film industry the NFVF is officially recognised by the Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences as the body to represent South Africa. "We are very excited that a very deserving film has been selected to represent South Africa. Eddie Mbalo, CEO of the NFVF and chairperson of the SA Academy Awards Selection Committee says: "This film will resonate with audiences around the world and this is clear from the performance of the film at the Box Offices".

White Wedding was submitted to the South African Academy Selection Committee for consideration. It's a romantic comedy with unique South African story telling. Released nationwide in April 2009, the film boast a proudly South African producing and directing team, the sound track is predominantly in languages other than English, and the key cast members with the exception of Jodie Whittaker who plays an English character, is South African. The story is told in Afrikaans, English, Zulu and Xhosa. The Cinematographer, editor, production designer, costume designer, music composer and sound mixer are all South African nationals.

During its first week of release on circuit the film grossed over R1.1 million at the Box Office. The national success of White Wedding attest to the fact that South Africa is producing high quality films which can compete internationally and meet global standards. The film joins the list of South African films that were previously selected, including the Oscar award-winning Tsotsi (2006), Oscar nominated Yesterday and last year's Jerusalema.


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