Film commission seeks funding

Patrick Walton, chair of the Garden Route Film Commission (GRFC), says it's been a struggle to support local industry and filming projects from the get go.

- Michelle Pienaar

"All funds from the Garden Route District Municipality [GRDM] dried up two months ago after the GRDM cancelled their annual funding of the commission they had assisted to establish some years ago," says Walton, who also spearheaded the International Film Festival that has since been canned due to a lack of funding.

Marius Wannenburg, producer of the Ouma Sarie TV series and owner of Garden Route Media.

Not a 'funding body'

Marius Wannenburg, producer of the Ouma Sarie TV series and owner of Garden Route Media, claims the GRFC is giving them no financial support. However, Walton says the GRFC is not a funding body. "It is there to represent the industry as a whole, which is the sum of all parts. On our limited budget we promote the Garden Route as a district to the international and national film community to persuade them to film in the Garden Route.