Winners and honourable mentions at this year’s Jozi Film Festival

The Jozi Film Festival (JFF), the City of Gold’s longest running multi-genre film festival, traditionally takes place each year over a four-day period at various venues in and around Johannesburg.

This year the festival was a little different. It combined a virtual viewing experience as well as selected film screenings at The Bioscope Independent Cinema.

“JFF allows you to see what’s happening outside of the mainstream and what wonderful, creative work people are capable of doing in film” says our Colin Ford.

We have been involved with the Jozi Film Festival since it’s very first year in 2012. It was initially created to provide a platform for local filmmakers and reach audiences under-serviced by traditional cinemas. The festival began accepting entries from around the world in 2014 and is now firmly established as one of the sub-continent’s leading film festivals.

A special shoutout to this year’s sponsors and partners that helped make the festival possible – EasyEquities, Chubb, and Left Hand Films.

The Jozi Film Festival is proudly independent and a supporter of independent films. The festival showcases both upcoming talent and veteran filmmakers. It is not curated, but relies rather on submissions, which means it is open to all – emerging filmmakers and award-winning directors screen side-by-side during the festival.

We have some exciting new to share, the JFF has extended its access to online viewing.

The JFF2020 winning films (and honourable mentions) are available again until Sunday night. If you purchased a pass last week, it is still valid. A big thank you to the filmmakers for allowing the JFF to extend the viewing access. So, be sure to grab you spot if you missed out last weekend… more details here: https://jozifilmfestival.vhx.tv/

Here’s the list of the category winners and honour mentions from this year’s festival.

SOUTH AFRICAN FEATURE-LENGTH DOCUMENTARY

Winner: Okavango (Derek Joubert, Beverly Joubert)

Honourable Mention: A New Country (Sifiso Khanyile)

SOUTH AFRICAN SHORT DOCUMENTARY

Winner: Beyond the Fence (Tessa Barlin)

Honourable Mention: The Best and Worst of Us (Jasyn Howes)

SOUTH AFRICAN SHORT FICTION

Winner: Opus (Kgosana Monchusi)

Honourable Mention: Ruby & Roach (Erentia Bedeker) uXolile (Portia Hlubi)

SOUTH AFRICAN STUDENT FILM

Winner: You, Me and Everything In Between (Esther Jo Mbulawa)

BEST YOUNG DIRECTOR:

Esther Jo Mbulawa

BEST DIRECTOR:

Sifiso Khanyile

INTERNATIONAL FEATURE-LENGTH DOCUMENTARY

Winner: The Remandee (Denmark) Alexander Lind, Jakob Jakobson

INTERNATIONAL SHORT DOCUMENTARY

Winner: Deleted (UK) Stephan Pierre Mitchell

INTERNATIONAL SHORT FICTION

Winner: Windowless (Switzerland) Samuel Flückiger

CHUBB sponsored the R10 000 prize for Best Young Director 2020. Well done to Esther Jo Mbulawa and her team!

Read other blogs from this year’s JFF here.