Vultures (Aasvoëls), a South African short film written and directed by Dian Weys, Research Fellow in the Department of Art History and Image Studies at the University of the Free State (UFS), has been selected to compete for the prestigious Short Film Palme d’Or at the 78th Cannes Film Festival. Weys said that he and his team are grateful and honoured for this selection.

According to a press release issued by Electronic Roof Films, Vultures is one of 11 short films selected for the main competition out of 4 781 entries worldwide. As such, Weys said, “We are just very thankful to be in the competition and to present the short film to the amazing audiences at Cannes. The actors and crew worked really hard on this short film, so we look forward to sharing their talent and skills on the world stage.”

Significance of this selection

Besides being recognised by what is regarded as the most esteemed film festival worldwide, this accomplishment by Weys makes him only the sixth South African director to be selected for this short film competition. He joins a line of accomplished directors such as Robin Kleinschmidt, whose short film Ongeriewe was the last from South Africa to be nominated in this section in 2006. Therefore, Weys regards the opportunity to represent South Africa an honour. In fact, he said, “We hope that this selection will draw attention to the South African film industry and all the talented filmmakers working here. There are a lot of stories we still need to tell, and I think South African filmmakers can make a valuable contribution to world cinema.”

What the short film is about

According to Electronic Roof Films, the short film is a “15-minute fictional thriller that takes place in the volatile moments after a car crash, before the authorities arrive, where a hot-headed yet desperate tow truck driver fiercely protects his tow. But the situation quickly spirals out of his control.” The project marks Weys’ fourth short film and third collaboration with producer Le Roux Fourie. The film, which was shot in Cape Town, comprises an entirely South African cast and crew, including the following leads: Edwin van der Walt, Jill Levenberg, Albert Pretorius, Oscar Petersen, Ndoni Khanyile, and David Isaacs.