Afda honours film "Winterslaap" wins gold at Loeries

The film has garnered many awards since it started on the festival circuit earlier this year. So far, it's won the Simon "Mabhunu" Sabela Award for Best Student Film, it won the Best South African Student Film at the Durban International Film Festival, and has completed the trifecta with the Gold Award at the Loeries on Friday night.

The writers/director of the film, Leandros Brown and Daniel Howells, had this to say about their most recent win. "We are extremely grateful and excited about winning the Loeries Gold Award, and we humbly thank the Loeries for the recognition. We would also like to dedicate this win to the entire staff at Afda Durban for being so accommodating and supportive of us throughout the years."

Afda Durban dean, Dr Janet van Eeden, was equally pleased. "Once again, we're so pleased to see this quality production winning yet another award," she said. "It's most gratifying that our little Afda Durban Campus has shown that even though we are small, we produce works of great quality. This is testament to the dedication and exceptionally hard work of the students. It shows what hard work, integrity and discipline can do. I'd also like to commend the staff, especially the head of Post Graduate Studies, Arushani Govender, for mentoring the students through the sometimes turbulent process of production. I'm beyond proud of them all."

The full cast and crew are writers/directors Leandros Brown and Daniel Howells, Chloe Iacovou, Shushmita Naidoo, Samantha Faure, Acacia Anthony and Anele Ngcobo.

The Loeries has been rewarding creativity for 45 years. As Africa and the Middle East's premier award that recognises, rewards, inspires and fosters creative excellence in the advertising and brand communication industry, winning a Loerie is the highest accolade for creativity and innovation across our region. The Loeries, a proudly not-for-profit company, promotes and supports creativity by helping marketers, agencies and consumers appreciate the value of fresh thinking, innovative ideas and outstanding execution.