South African Film lovers will delight in a six-day celebration of local and global films, which will feature vast selection of various features spanning multiple genres, cultures and countries. 

The Joburg Film Festival will be looking to scale and showcase a slew of global films during its sixty-day run.

The film festival, which has been delivered in association Multichoice, will kick things off on November 19th with the South African premiere of locally produced horror film 8, which will take place at the festival hub on Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton.

Having won best foreign feature at the Idyllwild Film Festival in California in March and a Silver Remi at the Worldfest in Houston in April for their first film, The Recce, Man Makes a Picture brings you their second offering, 8.

The film tells the spine chilling story of an old man who’s fate is bound in collecting souls for eternity. But after trading the soul of his daughter, he seeks atonement. The critically acclaimed picture stars award-winning actor Tsamano Sebe (Of Good Report), Igne Beckmann (Escape Room), Garth Breytenbach (Troy: Fall of a City) and upcoming star, Keita Luna.

WATCH OFFICIAL TRAILER FOR 8 

Between 19 and 24 November, audiences will be able to watch a total of 60 films and documentaries from around the world at six venues (within Auto & General Theatre on the Square and at a free outdoor screening area at Nelson Mandela Square); Ster-Kinekor Sandton City; Cinema Nouveau Rosebank; Maboneng’s Bioscope and Kings Theatre in Alexandra) across Johannesburg.

The Festival will play host to a number of stars, producers and directors, who will participate in Q&A sessions after select screenings across the programme, with daily red carpet premieres giving fans the opportunity to meet the stars themselves.

“The Joburg Film Festival offers a multicultural cinema experience in the heart of Johannesburg,” says Joburg Film Festival Executive Director Timothy Mangwedi. “It’s a cinematic feast that showcases thought-provoking, debate-stoking films from around the world, which we can’t wait to share with the people of Johannesburg”.

MultiChoice Group Executive Corporate Affairs, Joe Heshu, says that the company’s support of the Joburg Film Festival is aligned to its role as Africa’s most-loved storyteller.

“Our platforms have always supported the best in local and international films, with themed pop-up channels dedicated to film festivals. The Joburg Film Festival the physical manifestation of that support of cinema – offering film fans the chance to enjoy interesting, challenging films in the company of key cast and crew and explore their love for movies”.

The Joburg Film Festival line-up includes films from South Africa; Nigeria; Mozambique; Brazil; USA; UK; Morocco and more, with a mix of feature films and documentaries showcasing stories that cross cultural boundaries.

Audiences will also be delighted to know of Idris Elba’s directorial debut, Yardie, which tells the story of a Jamaican immigrant in London who becomes consumed with avenging the murder of his older brother.

Frances-Ann Solomon’s Hero is inspired by the life and times of Ulric Cross whose life spanned key moments of the 20th Century like WW2, African independence, Black Power, the rise of a new brand of Black leadership around the world – all events that have shaped the world today.

Luce, starring Octavia Spencer; Kelvin Harrison Jr; Naomi Watts & Tim Roth sees liberal-minded couple, Amy and Peter Edgar, who are forced to reconsider their image of their adopted son after they discover he has written an extremely disturbing essay for his class at school.

Grace Jones: Bloodlight & Bami delves into the story of larger than life performer and model Grace Jones to discover her as a lover, daughter, mother, sister and even grandmother.

The stage is where her most extreme embodiments are realised and her theatrical imagination lets loose: this is where the musical of her life is played out. Where are you, João Gilberto? sets out in the footsteps of German writer Marc Fischer who obsessively searched for the legendary founding father of Bossa Nova, Brazilian musician João Gilberto, who has not been seen in public for decades.

Fanney Tsimong’s soulful documentary, My Culture, My Music, illustrates how music has always been a powerful tool within South African culture. A host of South African artists narrate what music and culture mean to them: connecting to the body and soul, healing and providing a sense of being.

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