Joburg Film Festival and Multichoice to showcase talent

The Joburg Film Festival and the MultiChoice Group have embarked on an exciting collaboration to create South Africa’s pre-eminent film festival.

The festival, which is set to showcase the finest films from more than 16 countries, aims to curate, elevate and celebrate the best stars and films from across Africa and the world and runs from November 19 to 24.

Nelson Mandela Square and Sandton City will be the hub of the festival, with screenings at the Auto & General Theatre on the Square and Ster-Kinekor Sandton. Other venues across Joburg include Bioscope in Maboneng, Constitution Hill, Cinema Nouveau Rosebank and Kings Cinema in Alexandra.

Inspired by the establishment of DISCOP Africa, the festival is in its third year and was born out of the desire to create an independent platform that not only tells Africa’s stories, but showcases and rewards the continent’s and international excellence in film.

This film festival is the only one on the African continent that features specially curated content and aims to elevate and celebrate the best stars and films from across Africa and the globe.

The extended Joburg Film Festival programme centres around three important elements: the film programme, industry programme and youth and audience development programme.

Highlights of the festival include:

• All the excitement and Hollywood pizzazz associated with red carpet premieres, screenings and awards as celebrities rub shoulders with filmgoers

• An enthralling lineup of local and international films will be curated by an expert team, led by Pedro Pimenta, a respected filmmaker and member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

• A panel of five industry experts has been constituted to judge the films presented at the festival.

• The films will be judged on elements such as storyline, direction, creativity, cinematography, relevance, execution and technical application.

The jury includes the likes of world-renowned storyteller and SA novelist, Zakes Mda and award-winning actress famous for her role in NCIS New Orleans, CC Pounder, and Femi Odugbemi, West Africa MultiChoice Talent Factory Academy director.

• As part of the industry programme, DISCOP, the continent’s leading market for content, production, acquisition and distribution, provides an opportunity for more than 1 000 like-minded entertainment and media players to connect.

• Seasoned industry professionals from the continent and abroad will participate in the industry programme through a series of master classes and panel discussions.

• To create strong links between young people and the growing film, TV and new digital media industries in Africa, the youth and audience development programme will offer young self-taught filmmakers and those new to the world of filmmaking an opportunity to interact with leading industry players.

• The festival also marks the establishment and launch of the Joburg Film Festival film club – a lifestyle-centred group of people gathered for the enjoyment and appreciation of the cinematic arts.

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