In celebration of African film and culture, the Africa on Screen Film Festival, featuring 24 films and 10 South African premieres, runs from 23 to 29 May at five different venues in Johannesburg and Cape Town, including free screenings at Museum Africa. A special programme will run from 19 May.

This 3rd annual festival, which aims to showcase the best in new and quality African films within mainstream cinema environments, while also reaching out to audiences with educational and classic African films, is presented by SABC Africa in association with Amarula. Other sponsors include Africala (Belgium), DHL, SABc3, The French Embassy, Gauteng Film Commisison, Museum Africa and the City of Joburg and Sci Bona.

The 10 South African premieres comprise films from across the continent, including Stephanie Blacks’ Africa Unite, Darrell James Roodt’s Zimbabwe, Pierre Yves Borgeaud’s Return to Goree, Cheick Camara’s Clouds over Conakry and Abdoylaye Diallo’s Sur les traces du Bembeya Jazz (On the Heels of Bembeya Jazz). Among the other films to be screened included Julian Shaw’s Darling: The Pieter-Dirk Uys Story; Florence Ayisi’s Zanzibar Soccer Queens; the Mauritian film The Cathedral; Michael Rix’ claymation satire Tengers; Newton Aduaka’s FESPACO winner Ezra; and Anamazing Workshop’s series of five-minute animated films, Backyard Shorts.
Screenings will take place at Cinema Nouveau screened by Jameson Rosebank and Cavendish; Ster-Kinekor Junction Maponya Mall and Festival Mall; and Museum Africa.

A number of themed workshops will take place at Museum Africa. These include topics such as the state of African cinema, xenophobia and migration, and animation in South African film.

Sci Bono Discovery Centre in Newtown will host Science & Technology film screenings and career workshops hosted by celebrities from popular TV shows together with industry experts. On Sunday, 25 May there will be a free concert at Mofolo Park in Soweto with an outdorr screening of Africa Unite.
For full screening programme visit www.sterkinekor.com