First Best Editing Award at DIFF 2016
SAGE is excited to announce that the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) has included an award for best editing this year.
The American Cinema Editors (ACE) has over a number of years campaigned for the inclusion of a Film Editing awards category at international film festivals. In support of this initiative, SAGE consulted with the DIFF management team in early 2016, and we are pleased to announce that after this discussion the festival has decided to implement an award for Best Editor for this year’s festival.
We appreciate everyone’s contribution to this success — most notably the American Cinema Editors for their petition for editors’ recognition at top-tier international film festivals. Further support came from the American Motion Picture Editors Guild (MPEG), as well as several other international guilds and societies, presenting an unprecedented alliance for the recognition of the editor in the filmmaking process.
In addition, DIFF has included our vice chairperson Melissa Parry S.A.G.E. as a judge on the South African jury, where she will be able to bring her considerable editing expertise to the judging process.
SAGE members’ contributions to the filmmaking process are recognised through the selection of their films at many international film festivals, including numerous films selected for DIFF.
We are pleased to recognise the work of two SAGE editors in this year’s festival:
Khalid Shamis S.A.G.E. — Unseen and Action Commandant
Nikki Comninos S.A.G.E. — Timelines
SAGE has developed a close collaborative relationship with DIFF since 2012, aiming to further promote editors and the craft of editing at the festival. We value the huge contribution DIFF makes to our local film industry, and look forward to a fruitful relationship going forward.
Advocating for editors’ recognition is an ongoing process and we urge industry players to consider ACE’s online petition for further recognition at other film festivals.
Marina du Toit
