A community-focused hub for local cinema in central Bloemfontein, CineBa! Film Festival returns for its second year for a three-day film festival from April 26th till April 28th2024. With a blend of subject matter including culture erasure, moral relativity and its complications, ethnic identity, heritage, history and modern ways of living, 2024’s festival theme is “Tempermanence”, a blend of two words “temporary” and “permanence”.
This follows on from 2023’s CineBa! Film Festival, Adisi Public Screenings, various CineBa! Salons and the launch of the CineBa! Film Club, all supported by the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF). This year’s festival is packed with a wider range of films, workshops about filmmaking, music in film and writing about film from South African film industry experts and cinephiles, with an additional festival day as compared to last year’s two-day festival and some exciting Free State-based filmmakers and film enthusiasts.
This year’s line-up includes critically acclaimed and eminent director Makere Thekiso whose films have charmed and graced over 50 esteemed film festivals worldwide and prominent South African radio DJ, TV presenter and actress widely known for her roles on South African Soap Operas BackStage, Generations, Isidingo and Gomora Katlego Danke who teamed up to direct Mbali (Blossom). Set against the backdrop of South Africa’s sociocultural complications with teenage pregnancy, this short film is influenced by true events from rural Eastern Cape and it follows a reserved teenage girl, Mbali. who’s going through a loss-of-innocence journey and is troubled by the risks and consequences of her youthful love affair.
This film is complimented by Call Me Miles, directed by Wynand Dryer, follows the journey of a transgender Afrikaans teen and his family as they seek their identity and happiness amidst challenges.
Free State born director Tankiso Khumalo’s documentary Qwakanda is named after the Qwa Qwa based NPO. Qwakanda follows Lehlohonolo Mabaso as he gathers and organises his NPO and community as they take the initiative to start clean up campaigns and food gardens as a result of the neglected environmental and socioeconomic issues in Qwa Qwa, Free State which see poor and homeless people go to piled up dumping sites in search for leftover food and other valuable items.
Award winning director Jahmil X.T. Qubeka’s You’re My Favourite Place sees four freedom seeking teenage girls commemorate their last day at school with a road trip to the ‘Hole In The Wall’- a coastal landmark with the reputation of harbouring the spirits of the dead.
Directed by Bloemfontein based filmmaker Mpho Tau, Glow In The Dark takes a journey with Morena Berries as he organises as and among artists with disabilities. In this short documentary we follow their childhood, discovering the ways in which they make opportunities for themselves and fellow disabled artists.
Molamu (The Fighting Stick), directed by Bloemfontein’s Monyane Tekateka is a coming of age film that sees a young boy learn about an ancient African martial art from the Basotho culture which involves stick fighting. He brings together their grief and courage, humiliation and valour, and their urban and rural backgrounds to help them discover what it means to be part of something that’s bigger than them.
Venue: 56 Oliver Tambo Road, Bloemfontein Central
The festival doors open at 12PM each day and the screening schedule is as follows:
26 April – Day One
12:00 Doors Open
13:00 Workshop: Introduction to Filmmaking
14:00 Short Film Screening
Mbali (Blossom) (2023) dir. Makere Thekiso, Katlego Danke
15:00 Feature Screening
Call me Miles (2022) dir. Wynand Dryer
16:00 Festival Talks: Film Discussion
17:00 Networking
27 April – Day Two 12:00 Doors Open 13:00 Workshop: Music In Film 14:00 Short Film Screening Qwakanda (2023) dir. Tankiso Khumalo 15:00 Feature Screening You’re My Favourite Place (2022) dir. Jahmil X.T. Qubeka 17:00 Networking
28 April – Day Three 12:00 Doors Open 13:00 Workshop: Writing About Film 14:00 Short Film Screening Glow In The Dark (2024) dir. Mpho Tau 14:30 Festival Talks: Film Discussion 15:00 Feature Screening Molamu (The Fighting Stick) (2021) dir. Monyane Tekateka 16:00 Festival Talks: Film Discussion 17:00 Networking
Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to celebrate and support South African filmmakers and their stories. For more information, go to the festival website; follow on social media – Instagram, Facebook and TikTok; or please contact the festival at festival@cineba.co.za
