Wits alumni Brad Katzen and Durban filmmaker Shaun Naidoo will have their short film, The Beginning, shown at Cannes, the oldest film festival in the world. Katzen, who wrote, directed and edited the film, and Naidoo who produced it, are working a new full-length feature film which they plan to release next year.

Wits University graduate Brad Katzen, writer and director of The Beginning, will be walking the red carpet at this year’s 68th Cannes Film Festival which starts today in France.

The Beginning, produced by Durbanite Shaun Naidoo, is a short film featuring well-known South African actors Tumisho Masha, from The Wild and Letoya Mangezi who had a stint on Isidingo.

The storyline follows the life of Lisa, a mother who is forced to deal with the death of her young child. With the help of a man named George, Lisa journeys through various emotional stages in which she faces her own mortality.

In an article published by Wits University, Katzen is said to have graduated from the institution with three distinctions and continued his studies at the AFDA Film School.

According to the article, Katzen’s short films won him numerous film-making accolades. He was also said to have written and directed films for large corporates and was head writer for the sit-com J-Bay and children’s series Madiba’s Magical Folktales.

Producer of The Beginning, Naidoo told Big Up Africa that “The Beginning is a short film which in itself can be very tricky. You have a limited amount of time to tell a story so every detail is vital to doing that”.

Naidoo added that the film explored “some deep human themes and introduced a perspective on life, which we think is unique.”

Naidoo and Katzen are said to be on the lookout for funding for their next “big project” at the festival.

The Beginning will be featured throughout the Cannes festival which runs until May, 26.

Watch a trailer for The Beginning.