The Joburg Film Festival, now in its fifth year, will be screening some of the best movies from around the world, in multiple Sandton locations this week.
- The Joburg Film Festival runs from January 31 to February 5, 2023.
- The line-up includes films from South Africa, Tunisia, Brazil, Seoul, Brazil, USA, Japan, Morocco and more.
- Venues in Sandton include Ster Kinekor Theatres and the Theatre on the Square.
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Following a two-year hiatus, the Joburg Film Festival returns in 2023, to host a six-day celebration of filmmaking and storytelling, with over 60 films to be screened across multiple venues. Set to showcase some of the finest films from over 35 countries across the globe, audiences can expect 20 African premieres and 27 South African premieres, to form part of the cross cultural line-up.
With a long list of notable titles including the multi-award winning 2022 feature film UTUMA, set in the Bolivian highlands and tenderly portraying an elderly Quechua couple going through the difficulties of everyday life, the festival also features a screening of the 2021 feature MISS OSAKA, shot in Denmark, Norway and Japan and with a touching storyline that follows a young lady as she searches for the answers to life and finds herself along the way.
A true coming of age story, A FAR SHORE, is a 2022 Japanese film about a poverty stricken, underage mother dealing with an abusive husband.
South African documentary MUSIC IS MY LIFE offers an engaging account of the life of Joseph Shabalala and his rise to international fame with his band Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Another notable local feature is SURVIVING GAZA, which follows the life and struggles of Phuzi and his friends living in the lawless Gaza, who dream of Kwaito stardom.
Another highlight will be the premiere of the locally produced feature film TIME SPENT WITH CATS IS NEVER WASTED. This 172-min long feature is a stark piece of slow cinema that captures one man’s battle with the world around him.
Joe, a small-town abattoir worker, leads us on an allegorical journey as his dream to fly compelled him to construct his own helicopter. It’s a ramshackle assembly of scrap and found objects and when an art buyer offers to purchase the flamboyant creation, it is a mixed blessing that has caused chaos in his small community that unjustifiably demands a stake in the potential spoils.
UNDER THE FIG TREES, shot in 5 countries including Tunisia, France, Switzerland, Germany and Qatar, follows the lives of young women working the summer harvest.
ROLE, a South American documentary tells the story of on-going Brazilian protests that have taken place in malls across the country as young people protest against the violence of security guards and shopping mall employees.
OINK, is an animated Dutch feature film about 9-year-old Babs who receives a pig named Oink as a present from her grandfather. She manages to convince her parents to allow her to keep it, however her grandfather has an ulterior motive and is secretly taking part in the sausage competition.
The festival also promises to 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.
Tickets are available via Quicket. For a detailed line up, check out the latest 2023 JOBURG FILM FESTIVAL SCHEDULE.
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