The Joburg Film Festival makes its way back to the core of South Africa’s entertainment sector from March 11 – 16, offering its seventh installment. Organizers emphasize that this year’s event is crafted to honor “the commonalities and feelings we all share through the power of storytelling.
Drawing inspiration from Johannesburg’s nickname as the “City of Gold,” the event is structured around the concept of a “golden thread” weaving its way through its diverse lineup of approximately 100 full-length and short films and documentaries. This assortment offers a blend of critically acclaimed films from prestigious festivals such as Sundance, Berlin, and Cannes, along with cinematic debuts from the hosting country and the African continent, which will be making their premiere to audiences.
According to Joburg Film Festival curator Nhlanhla Ndaba, he aimed to select movies that would strike an emotional chord and evoke empathy, as a way to underscore our shared global existence and disseminate some warmth amidst the challenges we collectively encounter on a global scale.
The festival begins with the African debut of “Ernest Cole: Lost and Found,” a Cannes-winning documentary by Raoul Peck about the groundbreaking South African photographer who bravely documented apartheid’s evils before moving to New York in the 1960s. Ndaba, inspired by Cole’s powerful images as a child and acknowledging the photographer for sparking his “political awareness,” shares with EbMaster that he eagerly seized the opportunity to return this remarkable film home, allowing South African viewers to delve into Cole’s life story through his own voice.
During the six-day event, you’ll find screenings of 28 African premieres and 12 world premieres. Some noteworthy films are Magnus von Horn’s Academy Award-nominated “The Girl With the Needle,” Mahdi Fleifel’s Cannes Directors’ Fortnight pick “To a Land Unknown,” Titus Kaphar’s Sundance drama “Exhibiting Forgiveness,” and Dominican filmmaker Johanne Gomez Terrero’s “Sugar Island,” which made its debut in the Venice Film Festival’s Venice Days sidebar and is now having its African premiere.
Representing the home country are movies such as Vusi Africa’s “Happy: The True Story of Happy Sindane,” which is making its world debut, Hendrik Cronje and Mari Molefe van Heerden’s post-apocalyptic thriller “Bos,” and “Old Righteous Blues,” by Muneera Sallies, which was South Africa’s pick for the Best International Feature Film Oscar. Notable mentions include the world premiere of “The Man Died,” a film adaptation by Nigerian director Awam Amkpa based on the book penned by Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka.
The festival panel includes Sthandiwe Kgoroge, a renowned South African actress, director, and creative curator; Victor Okhai, a Nigerian producer who is also the president of the directors guild; Muneera Sallies, a successful South African filmmaker; Ahmed Shawky, an Egyptian film critic and the head of FIPRESCI; Melissa Parry, a skilled South African editor; and Yolanda Ncokotwana, who oversees industry development at the National Film and Video Foundation of South Africa.
The Joburg Film Festival coincides with the third installment of JBX, also known as Joburg Xchange – a three-day professional gathering. This event will feature discussions, workshops, debates, and masterclasses. Timothy Mangwedi, director of the Joburg Film Festival, explains that JBX has been designed to provide professionals with the skills they need to adapt in a rapidly changing media environment.
According to Ndaba, these two events complement each other perfectly for African film professionals. He emphasizes that as the festival progresses, authenticity remains crucial. By providing filmmakers with opportunities to interact with potential financiers, he believes we can produce more genuine stories. He also highlights the significance of participating in JBX, which offers chances to broaden networks and foster collaborations for their projects.
At this year’s festival, seven debut films will be screened, which were developed from a pitching event at last year’s JBX. This collaboration between the Joburg Film Festival and Showmax, a pan-African streaming service, highlights the fest’s function in fostering filmmaking and discovering fresh talent, as stated by Ndaba.
Participating in JBX are filmmakers like Peck, who has been nominated for an Academy Award. He will conduct a masterclass during the event. Ndaba emphasizes the significance of Peck’s cinematic contributions, such as his powerful biopic “Lumumba,” about the Congolese revolutionary figure. According to him, this film helped him grasp the experience of being a person of color and the strength that accompanies it.
Considering the current state of global politics,” he points out, “resilience is particularly crucial for us all, as it will help us navigate through the turbulence caused by the Trump era.
The Joburg Film Festival runs March 11 – 16.
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2025-03-11 12:01