This year’s event aligns with South Africa’s 30 years of democracy and will celebrate industry legends of the last three decades.
By Helena Olori
Africa’s premier film event, Joburg Film Festival, is returning for its sixth edition, scheduled to take place from February 28 to March 01, 2024, at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. As part of the build-up to the event, the festival is extending an invitation to aspiring filmmakers, ages 18-35, to register for its series of workshops, covering the art of storytelling and various areas in filmmaking.
This year’s festival, themed “Inspiring Storytellers“, aligns with South Africa’s 30 years of democracy, and will simultaneously celebrate the legends behind and in front of the camera lenses for the last 30 years. The event will feature activities centred around its four pillars – the Film Programme, Industry Programme, Youth & Audience Development Programme, and the Film Society.
An array of over 60 curated films from Africa, the diaspora, and around the globe have been lined up to screen at the festival, including White Nanny, Black Child, a documentary exploring the lives of Black Nigerian immigrants fostered by white British families; Apostles of Cinema (Tenzi za Sinema), a Tanzanian production, Orah directed by Lonzo Nzekwe, and Kenya’s 2024 Oscars entry, Mvera.
Running alongside the festival is the JBX Content Market which will also return for its second edition from February 28 to March 1, 2024. After a successful inaugural edition last year, more than 500 participants are expected for the 2024 edition. The three-day industry-focused market is tailored to attract key players in entertainment, production companies, media buyers, as well as content distributors, serving as a platform for networking, visibility, and knowledge-transfer opportunities for emerging talents in the industry.
The Joburg Film Festival, organised annually in partnership with MultiChoice Group, is dedicated to showcasing African films in the context of excellent global cinema contributing significantly to cultural tourism in Johannesburg and South Africa as a whole.