David Wicht

David Wicht
Born	(1955-10-28) October 28, 1955 (age 69)
Nationality	South African
Occupation(s)	Film producer, writer

David Wicht (born 28 October 1955 in Gqeberha) is a South African film producer and writer who founded 'Film Afrika', a film production company.[1]

Early life and career

Born in Gqeberha, grew up in Robben Island, Saldanha Bay and Cape Town, Wicht returned to South Africa in 1994 to begin film production. According to him, it initially took time to "reassure the international film industry that it was safe to make films in South Africa".[2][3]

Since then, he has been credited as a producer for Mandela and de Klerk,[4] In My Country, The Breed (2006), Slipstream (2005), Dracula 3000,[5]

Awards

Wicht co-produced Mandela and de Klerk,[6] Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and Inside (1996).[7] Wicht has been documented in the British Film Catalogue's The Fiction Film, edited by Denis Gifford.[8]

List

• 2004 Daytime Emmy Awards nominated for the Outstanding Children's Series, Scout's Safari.[9]
• 2010 Chairman’s Award Imbongi Lifetime Achievement Award.[10]

Other ventures

Wicht is the founder/CEO of Film Afrika,[11] a film production company based in Cape Town, South Africa. Film Afrika has co-produced films with BBC, French channel France 2, and Hallmark.[9] He said it was challenging and those "years of persistent forging relationships with international producers and studios and overcoming skepticism about South Africa" later became his work.[12][13] He served on the advisory panel of the Department of Arts and Culture and the Cape Film Commission.[14]

References

1. Armes, R. (2008). Dictionary of African Filmmakers. Bloomington, Indiana, US: Indiana University Press. p. 306. ISBN 978-0-253-35116-6. Archived from the original on May 21, 2024. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
2. Bormann, Mixie Von; The Associated Press (May 5, 2009). "Out of Africa". The Hollywood Reporter. ISSN 0018-3660. OCLC 44653726. Archived from the original on September 5, 2023. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
3. Nwajiaku, Vivian Nneka (April 9, 2022). "Why South Africa is Attracting Foreign Filmmakers". Afrocritik. Archived from the original on July 28, 2022. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
4. Downer, Leslie. "Nelson Mandela: the movie". www.independent.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
5. Browning, John Edgar (2014). Dracula in Visual Media. Picart. p. 68. ISBN 978-0-7864-6201-8. Archived from the original on 2024-05-21. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
6. "Who's shooting who". The Mail & Guardian. January 10, 1997. Archived from the original on August 30, 2023. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
7. "Snippet Review of "Inside"". TV World. 19 (7–12): 41. 1996 – via Book.
8. Gifford, Denis (October 24, 2018). Gifford, Denis (ed.). The British Film Catalogue: Fiction Film, 1895–1994. Oxfordshire, England, UK: Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers (now Routledge). doi:10.4324/9781315825151. ISBN 978-1-315-82515-1. OCLC 41018260. Archived from the original on May 21, 2024. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
9. Breach, Jo (March 18, 2004). "Emmy nomination for Cape Town film company". Independent Online. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
10. "Imbongi Awards 2010 winners". Screen Africa. 2010-03-09. Archived from the original on 2022-07-31. Retrieved 2022-07-31.
11. Vourlias, Christopher (2014-05-19). "No Longer Exotic, South Africa Attracts More Productions". Variety. Los Angeles, California, US. ISSN 0042-2738. OCLC 60626328. Archived from the original on 2022-07-31. Retrieved 2022-07-31.
12. Jager, Christelle De (2004-04-12). "Destination: South Africa". Variety. Los Angeles, California, US. ISSN 0042-2738. OCLC 60626328. Archived from the original on 2022-07-31. Retrieved 2022-07-31.
13. Punter, Jennie (2015-11-04). "Blue Ice Launches Largest Production Company in South Africa (EXCLUSIVE)". Daily Variety. Los Angeles, California . ISSN 0042-2738. OCLC 60626328. Archived from the original on 2022-01-27. Retrieved 2022-07-31.
14. "Solitaire goes Hollywood". Mail & Guardian. Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa: M&G Media Ltd. 1999-05-21. Archived from the original on 2022-06-28. Retrieved 2022-07-31.

Further reading

• Botha, Martin (28 August 2007). Marginal Lives and Painful Pasts. South Africa: Genugtig! Uitgewers. p. 25. ISBN 978-0958488099.
• Botha, Martin (1 January 1992). Images of South Africa: The Rise of the Alternative Film. HSRC Publishers. ISBN 9780796913197.

External links

• David Wicht at Rotten Tomatoes
• David Wicht at IMDb