Press Release
Press
Release:
5th August 2019 For
immediate release
CAPE
TOWN/ JOHANNESBURG/POLOKWANE: Women’s Power
fuels new sexual harassment awareness campaign set to premiere this Women’s Day
Sisters Working in Film and Television (SWIFT) partnered with MNET to
produce six
public service announcements on sexual harassment for the second consecutive
year. All six one minute films were written and directed by women as a means to empower female filmmakers
who often go overlooked in their male dominated industry.
Following the success of the first series the second instalment is
highly anticipated with six new directors and young women at the helm of
production.
The launch will take place simultaneously in Cape Town and Johannesburg
and will be livestreamed on UCT TV on 8th August 2019.
Cape Town: Cape Town TV, UCT Television Studio , Baxter
Theatre Centre ,Cnr Main Road and Burg Road, Rondebosch
Johannesburg: 8th August 2019,
6:30pm to 9pm. Atlas Studios, 33 Frost Avenue, Braamfontein Werf
The project was filmed
in Gauteng,
Limpopo and Western Cape empowering
cast and crew in all provinces. The #THATSNOTOK
VIDEO SERIES covers a range of scenarios that depict inappropriate
behaviour perpetuated by both men and women in the film industry dealing specifically with the grey areas of abuse - the not
so obvious ways in which abuse manifests.
and aims to generate
conversations about solutions and services available.
The directors of the
PSAs are:
|
Joyce
Nkgapele
|
Limpopo
|
|
Genevieve
Akal
|
Western
Cape
|
|
Londeka Mazibuko
|
|
Maryann
Madishona
|
Gauteng
|
|
Rea
Moeti
|
|
Noma
Khumalo
|
BACKGROUND on SWIFT #ThatsNotOk VIDEOS
SWIFT
(Sisters Working In Film & Television) is a registered NPO run by film
industry
volunteers
with the main objectives to empower, enlighten and connect female
filmmakers
across South Africa.
SWIFT
conducted an anonymous survey in 2017 and the disturbing revelations indicated
that over 66.7% of womxn in film & TV feel unsafe at work. Thus, SWIFT continues
to exert industry pressure and take tangible
action against sexual harassment through a campaign called #ThatsNotOK
The Goals of
the video campaign - based on REAL-LIFE stories of sexual harassment submitted
are:
● To help womxn & men in the industry recognise what harassment is.
● To let them know that they are not alone or imagining harassment.
● To help womxn & men recognise that their abusive behaviour is “NOT
OK”.
● To make womxn aware of the resources and legal assistance available to
them
via SWIFT membership
Funding and Sponsorship
The
funding from MNET ensured that SWIFT was
able to pay crew & cast for their creative and technical contributions.
It also
facilitated film trainees shadowing crew members on all shoot days in all three
provinces.
Plans for the videos
● As with
the previous set of Public Service Announcements released in 2018. We want to have the new videos used as AWARENESS/TRAINING VIDEOS to educate
crew &
cast at
the beginning of every new production. The aim is to get as many Broadcasters
& Production Companies to make this a mandatory procedure.
● To
create a sustainable MENTORSHIP
PROGRAMME for upcoming female
filmmakers,
working with real content.
● To offer
the video concept to Government & the Corporate Sector to highlight
sexual
harassment within their own industries.
DAVID SCHWIMMER #THATSHARASSMENT
The style
of the video campaign is heavily influenced by the #ThatsHarassment
campaign,
produced by Segal Avin, David Schwimmer & Mazdack Rassi and we are
thrilled
to have their endorsement for our #ThatsNotOk video campaign.
SWIFT hopes the campaign will impact the entire Film and TV Industry across
the African continent creating safer workplaces for everyone.
Issued by SWIFT:
Instagram:
@swift_safrica
AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS PSA Executive Producer:
SWIFT Chairperson Sara Blecher
SWIFT Spokesperson Zoe
Ramushu 073 454 8887
SWIFT
Sisterhood Committee Chairperson: Flavia Motsitsi : 083 309 0365
