For the first time since its establishment seven years ago, the prestigious Annual Jozi Film Festival 2018 was officially opened in Alexandra at the Olive Tree Theatre on 27 September to 30 September 2018.
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According to Lisa Henry, founder and organiser of the Jozi Film Festival, the event was created in 2012 with an aim to provide a platform for local filmmakers, to reach audiences under-serviced by traditional cinemas and to develop an audience for South African films. “Our focus has been mostly on local films. We began accepting entries from around the world in 2014 and are now firmly established as one of the subcontinent’s leading film festivals.
“Our motto remains the same from day one: We love Jozi. We love film. The Jozi Film Festival is proudly independent, and a supporter of independent films.
“We’ve been in Soweto and other townships in the past few years and this year we decided to bring the event to Alexandra because some of the filmmakers and actors also come from this township.”
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This year’s film festival kicked off with a screening of Shameela Seedat’s 86-minutes long film, Whispering the Truth to Power, which portrays the life of the former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela and her last days as head of the Chapter 9 institution, sister and a mother of two.
This year’s winners are:
- Best South African Student Film: Skin Diver directed by Katya Abedian
- Best South African Short Fiction Film: Mma Moeketsi directed by Reabetswe Moeti
- Best International Short Fiction Film: Kyenvu (Uganda) directed by Kemiyondo Coutinho
- Best South African Documentary: Whispering Truth to Power directed by Shameela Seedat
- Best International Feature-Length Documentary: The Oslo Diaries (Israel/Canada) directed by Mor Loushy and Daniel Sivan
- Best South African Short Documentary: Dula directed by Jasyn Howes
- Best International Short Documentary: The Black Mambas (US) directed by Bruce Donnelly
- Audience Choice Award: Supa Modo (Kenya) directed by Likarion Wainaina.
