The fifth Joburg Film Festival 2023 launches workshop sessions for young filmmakers and Young Voices short film competition to showcase Gauteng townships.

by Thinus Ferreira

The Joburg Film Festival will be taking place again in Johannesburg for a fifth time, from 31 January to 5 February 2023. In the run-up to that, the festival is doing a youth and audience development programme during October and November to help upskill young upcoming filmmakers, as well as Young Voices Short Film competition.

The Joburg Film Festival's development programme is taking place in Gauteng during October in the form of various workshop sessions, where those attending will also be able to network and make new contacts besides learning new skills through mentorships and internship opportunities which might follow from that.

Young people between 18 and 35 who are students or young and aspiring filmmakers from previously disadvantaged communities can enter to take part in the film festival's development programme which covers topics ranging from directing, performance and story conceptualisation to production, editing and animation.

The programme spans across 2 days of filmmaking workshops, as well as a 2-day acting workshop.

The first one is taking place on 8 and 9 October in Sedibeng (Chris Hani Sports Complex, Orange Farm, 10:00 - 17:00), followed by the West Rand on 22 and 23 October (Gauteng Archive Centre Kagiso, Krugersdorp, 10:00 - 17:00), Ekurhuleni on 5 and 6 November (venue to be confirmed, 10:00 - 17:00), and Tshwane on 26 and 27 November (venue to be confirmed). 

The Johannesburg regional session will be taking place in January 2023.

Registration is free and can be done by anyone with a valid matric certificate on the film festival's website at https://joburgfilmfestival.co.za/youngvoices.

The 2023 Joburg Film Festival is also doing a Young Voices Short Film competition under the banner of "What inspires you about your township?"

For this short film competition three winners will be selected from across five regions who will receive a range of prizes and with one filmmaker chosen to get a scholarship. Details to enter the short film competition is also on the festival's website.