South African doccie “Black People Don’t Get Depressed” has been spotlighted at this year’s Cannes Film Market.
Directed by Sara Chitambo’s, “Black People Don’t Get Depressed” shines the spotlight on mental health issues while investigating the struggles, rituals and triumphs of Africans in an attempt to demystify depression.
“My aim has been to understand the experiences of depression that are a burden so many Africans carry secretly and with shame.
“Whether it’s myself here in Joburg, a poet of immigrant roots in Canada or a healer in Nigeria – we’ve all carried a burden of trauma.
“I want to probe how we process and heal that burden,” says Chitambo.
Commenting on the Cannes recognition, producer Cati Weinek adds: “It’s a great privilege to have been invited on to the Cannes Film Market, showcasing a great social change documentary among our peers.”
With the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, the Cannes Film Market is a hybrid format this year – with meetings, screenings, and workshops taking place both in person as well as online.
Chitambo and Weinek are filling their diaries with potential funders, co-producers, distributors and programmers and other key industry professionals to bring the documentary to life.
After all, film-making is a collaborative enterprise and requires multiple sources of investment.
“Our biggest excitement was when the Presidential Stimulus Fund via the National Film and Video Foundation committed funds to our project. Then I knew it was surely going to happen one way or the way,” said Chitambo.
The filmmakers added that research, filming, and fundraising have been ongoing for the last year but in order to complete the film, more partners must be found to meet the 70% funding still required.
The Cannes market and festival started on Thursday, July 8 and runs till July 13 July in Cannes, France.