Thanks to a special pre-screener last week, I was lucky enough to be one of the few to see it first and words can’t describe how amazing it is with heartbreak and all kinds of emotions evoked whilst watching, such is the power of the overall story that most people in the cinema were crying and watching in disbelief. The film has been dubbed the “sleeper hit” of the year by critics internationally who did not foresee the remarkable success that it has achieved at the American and European box offices.

During the weekend of 21 – 23 July, Sound of Freedom outperformed Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One, according to Rotten Tomatoes, taking third place in earnings behind the “Barbenheimer” behemoth in America. In the weekend prior to that, it outgrossed Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. 

Sound of Freedom is based on the real story of Tim Ballard, a former U.S. Department for Homeland Security agent who conducts sting operations to rescue a young brother and sister from human trafficking in Colombia. Jim Caviezel, who portrayed Jesus in Mel Gibson’s 2004 movie, “The Passion of the Christ,” plays Ballard in the movie.

The film’s production house, Angel Studios launched an unconventional, grassroots “Pay it Forward” initiative to help people get to cinemas to see the film, and help spread awareness for the cause globally. This initiative will be running in South Africa. Caviezel explained the intent behind the call to action at the end of the trailer for the film, and at the end of the film is to help people “hear the story” of trafficking children. 

“Our goal is to inspire two million people to attend the film’s opening weekend to represent the two million trafficked children around the world,” he said. “Angel Studios set up a pay it forward program where you can pay for someone else’s ticket who might not otherwise see it. If the ticket price is preventing you from attending, claim your free ticket.” So far the two million goal has been exceeded and is on four million and counting.

The film’s South African distributor, Gravel Road Distribution Group, have set a target to raise 10,000 tickets from everyday South Africans and corporates, for those who cannot afford to see the film in cinemas, through their #PayItForwardAngels campaign. As the population dynamics and circumstances are somewhat different to the USA, some of the funds raised will also go towards covering the cost of transport to get certain communities to and from the cinemas.

South African audiences can go to this website for more information on how to donate, or claim a ticket locally.

Benjamin Cowley, CEO, Gravel Road Distribution Group shared his anticipation about the film’s release: “Sound of Freedom tells an important story, one that all too often is hidden in alternative media. Child trafficking is a worldwide phenomenon and it is estimated that there are more people in slavery today, than ever before. I hope that through the film’s release, we can help raise awareness of the magnitude of the issue and contribute towards positive change”

I described it as the movie of our lifetime and probably one of the most important pieces of content one can invest their time in watching as well as going a step further by getting involved in the fantastic #PayItForwardAngels campaign. Sound of Freedom is a powerful example of how storytelling can be used to drive forward and bring awareness to real issues. If I could I would ensure that it stays on the circuit for many more years because of it’s main premise.

Now, a new film, aptly titled The Princess will release as a Cinema Premiere on DStv BoxOffice on 18 October, revealing new layers to the monarch’s life and circumstances. Crafted entirely from immersive archival footage and free from the distraction of retrospective voices, this hypnotic and audaciously revealing documentary takes a distinctive formal approach, allowing the story of the People’s Princess to unfold before us like never before.

The Princess is produced by the Academy-Award and Emmy winning producers of Man On Wire, Searching For Sugar Man and LA 92, and directed by the double Academy-Award nominated director of Black Sheep and Tell Me Who I Am, Ed Perkins.

More than a documentary that recaps pertinent moments in the royal’s much celebrated life, The Princess goes to the heart of public adoration and tells a subtle story of public scrutiny, that is both nuanced and compelling. It is also one of the last productions where audiences will get to see footage from the notorious “Panorama” interview which the BBC has since confirmed will not be made available to films in future.

“Few women in the world command as much fascination as the late Princess Diana” said Benjamin Cowley, CEO Gravel Road Distribution Group. “The Princess not only sheds new light on her extraordinary life, but also lays bare the toxic relationship between the public’s insatiable appetite and the press that fed them,” he added.

The competition includes three elimination stages, including entries, shortlisting and a final round, culminating in an in-person pitch to a panel of industry professionals in South Africa’s filmmaking capital, Cape Town. Along the way, entrants will receive constructive feedback, support and input from industry professionals, to ensure that the initiative adds value to each finalist’s creative process.

Entries are now open and an extension has been provided to give entrants more time. The dates for each round are as follows:

Round 1: Entry (Now extended)

• Submit a formal pitch deck – Deadline 15 April 2022. This deck must include plotline, character bible, treatment and short synopsis.
• 6 shortlisted projects will be announced on 3 May 2022

Round 2: Shortlist

• Shortlisted projects to submit a completed screenplay by 13 May 2022. These will be independently evaluated by international readers.
• 3 finalists will be invited to participate in the in-person pitch. These finalists will be announced on 3 June 2022.
• Script notes will be shared with the 3 finalists, who are required to submit revised drafts by 24 June 2022 for the judging panel to read ahead of the finale.

Round 3: Finale

• In-person pitches to panel take place on 7 July 2022 in Cape Town.
• Each project team will participate in a closed 1-hour pitch session, where they will present their project to the panel, which will include a question and answer session with the judges.
• The winning project will be announced on 11 July 2022.

“Film pitch competitions are a remarkable entry point for people in an industry that is often difficult to get noticed in” said Benjamin Cowley, CEO Gravel Road Distribution Group. “We hope that this competition becomes a valuable steppingstone, that it will enable promising talent to get exposure and help new film concepts come to the fore in South Africa’s vibrant film industry,” he added. 

Entry is open to South Africans of 18+, provided one has not had a film made of his / her script or concept before. The intellectual property of the film concept will remain that of the entrant. With cash, constructive criticism, mentorship, networking opportunities and other valuable prizes being offered, there are many reasons to enter, including of course, the chance for that dream to become a reality.

Gravel Road Distribution Group specializes in the distribution of independent films in Southern Africa, and the distribution of local films internationally. The company’s slate of film releases this year includes The Last Bus, The Artist’s Wife, Sodium Day, Tubular Bells and the Princess documentary about HRH, the late Princess Diana. 

More information and competition submission details are available here.

Life is a journey and The Last Bus takes old soldier, 90-year-old Tom Harper (Spall) on an epic trip from his home of fifty years, a remote village in the most northerly point of Scotland, back to the place he was born – close to England’s most southerly point. Battling against time, age and fate, desperate to keep a promise to his beloved wife Mary (Phyllis Logan), our intrepid hero Tom embarks on an odyssey, revisiting his past, connecting with the modern world and a diverse, multi-cultural Britain he has never experienced.

Using only local buses, with his pensioner’s ticket, Tom leaves his home in John o’ Groats, a location on Scotland’s northernmost point, and heads to Land’s End in the southwest England (a nearly 1 350 km journey), carrying his late wife’s ashes, to scatter them according to her wishes. Through a series of flashbacks, we learn that the young Mary and Tom (played by Natalie Mitson and Ben Ewing, respectively) left their Land’s End home when an unspeakable family tragedy struck. Wanting to get as geographically far away as possible from their painful memories, the couple headed to Scotland, leaving their aching reality behind. Now, it’s up to Tom to recreate that epic journey in reverse and take Mary to her final resting place, armed with nothing other than maps and a bus pass that might have expired.

Along the way, he meets various colourful characters, and shows that despite his age, he hasn’t lost his character and fervently defends what he believes is right and wrong. His adventures get inadvertently recorded by the people he meets and helps, shared on social media, and by the end of his trip he has unwittingly become a social media celebrity.

“The Last Bus is a road movie, a film about love, loss and the power of the human spirit,” said Benjamin Cowley, CEO Gravel Road Distribution Group. “It touches on the theme of grief and coming to terms with one’s own mortality graciously with a storyline that is gentle, heartwarming and endearing,” he added.

The movie is about the power of love, family and community in the face of hardship. It is also about the magic that can happen when someone who cannot speak with words finds people who can listen with their hearts. The musical drama feature film, directed by nine-time Grammy nominee Sia, was only going to release as a cinema premiere on Dstv Box Office on Friday 12 February 2021. However, due to popular demand, the film will now also release at Ster-Kinekor cinemas nationwide on the same day.

The story begins with a young girl on the autism spectrum who experiences the world through music. Sharing an apartment with her grandmother Millie (Mary Kay Place), Music (Maddie Ziegler) lives in a community brimming with love and support. When her grandmother dies, Music’s safe and structured world is turned upside down and she is left in the care of her estranged half-sister Zu (Kate Hudson).

As a recovering addict on parole, Zu is barely coping with her own issues when she finds herself thrust into the role of Music’s guardian and caregiver. Broke and barely sober, Zu is forced to accept that Music’s neighbours Ebo (Leslie Odom Jnr) and George (Héctor Elizondo) have a lot to teach her about how to care for her sister and the strength that can be found in a loving community.

“Deeply felt, MUSIC is a bold and compelling reinvention of the screen musical and a moving story of how individuals struggle and then come together and create community” said Benjamin Cowley, CEO Gravel Road Distribution Group. “The film is uplifting, light and soulful at the same time” he added.

The channel is hosted exclusively online and is built as a horror on demand TVOD platform, a first of its kind on our continent. Already packed with eighteen films, the platform is now fully operational and will receive constant updates with new content every Tuesday and Friday.

You can expect to find several award-winning titles including The Eyes of my Mother and The Witch in the Window as well as local short film Catch Up. The great news is there are no subscription or membership fees expected of you with feature films costing R25 each and short films costing R15 to rent. For regular updates, teasers and occasional spoilers, you are encouraged to follow Frightfan.tv across social media.

“For too long, audiences haven’t been able to access good films in this genre in South Africa” said Benjamin Cowley, CEO of Gravel Road Distribution Group, and the one of the minds behind Frightfan.tv. “We’re working to source the best films across the horror, thriller and sci-fi genres. Fans are also encouraged to request or suggest films, and we’ll do our best to secure them” he concluded.

There is an opening week special between Friday 22 May at 20h00 and Saturday 23 May at 23h59, with all movies costing only R9,99 or US$0,66 (rest of Africa). Frightfan.tv is a partnership between Contech Media and Gravel Road Distribution Group whereby Contech brings the tech, and Gravel Road the entertainment.