It’s not every day that you can attend a special preview of the work-in-progress film about the life and work of two of the world’s greatest design legends. Design is One: The Vignellis is a film that looks at the far-reaching impact of Massimo and Lella Vignelli on the world of design. And it’s definitely not every day that the legends themselves will be there, in person, to introduce the film and host a Q&A afterwards.

The Design Indaba Filmfest 2011, running from 18 to 27 February at the Freeworld Design Centre on Cape Town’s Fanwalk, premiers 10 interesting design films to South African audiences for just R30.

Not only can you look forward to great films, featuring names like Javier Mariscal, Jan Kaplicky, Banksy, David Hockney, Buckminster Fuller, and Robin and Lucienne Day, but some of the who’s-who from the South African creative community will be introducing the films.

Grand openings to look forward to is the introduction of the Banksy-directed Exit Through the Gift Shop by artist, curator and the founder of /A WORD OF ART gallery and project space, Ricky Lee Gordon aka Freddy Sam, on Friday 18 February. The film shows again on Friday 25 February and Sunday 27 February.

On Wednesday 23 February architect, illustrator and pattern designer Renée Rossouw, will introduce Javier Mariscal’s first feature-length animation film, Chico and Rita. Or catch it on Saturday 26 February with an introduction by Kevin Aspoas, managing director of Jupiter Drawing Room Cape Town.

While leading architect Anya van der Merwe Miszewski usually has her eye over Cape Town, on Sunday 20 February she will be introducing An Eye Over Prague, an insightful film into Jan Kaplicky’s controversial Prague Library.

Kaplicky is not the only architect to have caused controversy, Space, Land and Time is an indie doccie about renegade 1970s architecture collective Ant Farm. On Tuesday 22 February at 18:30 top South African land artist Strijdom van der Merwe will introduce this film.

Presented by the British Council, Contemporary Days, looks to design power couple Robin and Lucienne Day, and will be introduced by Heather Moore of Skinny laMinx on Monday 21 February while product designer Haldane Martin will be there on Sunday 27 February to preface this film. Viewers at the British Art Programme, also presented by the British Council, can look forward to a film introdution by Art South-Africa editor-at-large and Michaelis lecturer Andrew Lamprecht on Monday 21 February.

The World of Buckminster Fuller, a portrait of the 1970s architect engineer, geometrician, philosopher, futurist and inventor of the geodesic dome, will be introduced by South African product designer Heath Nash on Wednesday 23 February.

Other shows on the programme include the intimately personal L'Amour Fou about fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent on Saturday 25 February and the extravagent The Last Emperor about Italian fashion designer Valentino on Tuesday 22 February.

In addition to great films with great introductions, there is also a superb movie-meal-deal at the Hemelhuijs restaurant at Freeworld Design Centre. See you there!