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- Apartheid photojournalist Sam Nzima's story will be told in the 'Life Through His Lens' documentary at the Joburg Film Festival.
- Nzima, famed for taking the iconic photo of Hector Pieterson carried by Mbuyisa Makhubo and his sister, died in a Mpumalanga hospital in 2018.
- Several other cinematic gems from more than 30 countries are also expected to keep viewers captivated during the festival.
A 90-minute documentary, Life Through His Lens, into the life of celebrated apartheid photojournalist Sam Nzima will form part of the line-up at this year's coming Joburg Film Festival.
Famed for taking the iconic photo of Hector Pieterson carried by Mbuyisa Makhubo and his sister on 16 June 1976, Nzima died in a Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, hospital in 2018.
Life Through His Lens forms part of the more than 60 titles screened in the festival's 2024 edition, which kicks off on Tuesday, 27 February and wraps up on Sunday, 3 March. This year, the festival promises to captivate audiences with its cinematic gems, including through-provoking documentaries, gripping drama, and inspiring narratives from more than 30 countries.
Another documentary to look forward to is uMkhonto weSizwe – Mandela's Secret Army, which chronicles the lives of its former members. It serves as an intergenerational reflection of a group who gave up on their lives and future to risk death for the dream of a free South Africa.
Following the screening, attendees can look forward to a panel discussion with the director and uMkhonto weSizwe cadres.
OTHER STANDOUT SELECTIONS ON THE 2024 LINE-UP:
Perfect days: This 2024 Oscar Best International Feature finalist tells the story of Hirayama, a toilet cleaner in Tokyo. He seems content with his simple life. He follows a structured everyday life and dedicates his free time to his passion for music and books. Hirayama also has a fondness for trees and photographs them. More of his past is gradually revealed through a series of unexpected encounters. A meditative portrait with an incredible soundtrack as only Director Wim Wenders can portray, a poignant follow-up to his well-known incredible documentaries, Buena Vista Social Club (1999) and Pina (2011).
Evil Does Not Exist: The 2023 Venice Festival-winning film is about a single parent named Takumi who lives with his young daughter in the forest. Their simple life is about to be disrupted by the construction of a glamping site, offering city residents a comfortable escape to nature.
Mami Wata: The visually stunning award-winning black and white fantasy thriller was co-produced between Nigeria, France, and the United Kingdom. CJ Obasi is very poetic with his directorial skills in this film. In the Iyi village, villagers worship the mermaid deity Mami Wata. When children begin to die and disappear with the village under new control from a warlord, two sisters plot to save their people and restore Mami Wata's glory to Iyi.
Under the Hanging Tree: A 2024 Oscars entry, this Namibian film is centred around a troubled police officer in the stark desert landscape of the Kalahari as she battles to keep her small town from being ripped apart by a horrific murder and the ghosts from a colonial past. (Both director Perivi Katjavivi and lead actress Girley Jazama are festival guests. Jazama is also seen in another festival offering titled Measures of Men).
Snake: This is a tale about a luminous stranger arriving on a farm where Stella's father stays sober and her mother begins to laugh again. But the man with the silver cross has not come to save them. As Jerry slithers into their hearts, his dark wounds start to show. Stella must shut up and watch him strangle her family or use the truth to fight for their lives.
Bye Bye Tiberias: An insightful coming-of-age documentary that follows a young native Palestinian lady leaving her village to pursue her dream of becoming an actor, leaving behind her mother, grandmother and sisters. She later returns with her daughter to explore her mother's choices and family influence.
READ | Unpacking how an image of Mbuyisa Makhubu carrying Hector Pieterson in his arms became iconographic
Yellow Bus: Set in 4 different countries, this movie is set against the backdrop of a sand-swept city in The Arabian Gulf, following the trials and tribulations of a young mom having recently lost one of her children and battles with a bus company adamant about keeping the truth from surfacing.
Tiger Stripes: This Grand Prize in Critics Weeks at Cannes 2023 is an eight-country co-production between Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore, France, Germany, Netherlands, Indonesia and Qatar. A coming-of-age werewolf movie follows an 11-year-old girl who discovers a terrifying secret about her body and learns to embrace herself when ostracised by school friends.
The festival will also host several local and international film stars, producers, and directors, some of whom will participate in Q&A sessions after selected screenings across the programme. In addition to daily red-carpet premieres, attendees will have the opportunity to meet some of the filmmakers and cast members themselves.
