The third annual Jozi Film Festival (JFF) starts on Friday 21 February at The Bioscope in Maboneng Precinct with the South African premiere of the thriller iNumber Number, written and directed by Donovan Marsh, who will speak about the film before its screening.
Los Angeles-based production and distribution company Wrekin Hill Entertainment has acquired the North American rights to iNumber Number, starring S’dumo Mtshali (winner of the TV talent show Class Act) and Presley Chweneyagae (Tsotsi). The story follows an honest undercover cop who, after being cheated out of a promotion, crosses over to become a part of a cash-in-transit heist gang.
JFF also screens The Forgotten Kingdom, which was shot in Lesotho, on Saturday 22 February at Cine Centre Killarney. Directed by Andrew Mudge and produced by Cape Town-based ZenHQ Films, the movie tells of a young man (Zenzo Ngqobe) who travels to Lesotho to bury his estranged father and gets drawn into the mystical beauty of the land he had forgotten. The film also stars Jerry Mofokeng, Lilian Dube and Nozipho Nkelemba.
Other local feature films that will be shown include Shotgun Garfunkel: The Fastest Film Ever Made, Durban Poison and Of Good Report.
For the first time, international films are included in the line-up such as Finding Hillywood, a unique and endearing movie about the pioneers of Rwanda’s film industry; and the local premiere of An American Promise, a movie which follows two African American boys from Brooklyn and their experiences from kindergarten at the prestigious Dalton School through to their high school graduation.
The South African premiere of The Grand Budapest Hotel by director Wes Anderson, which also features as part of the line-up, has one screening only at Ster-Kinekor’s Rosebank Nouveau on Saturday at 20h15.
A number of varied and fascinating local and international short films are also on offer over the festival.
Within walking distance from The Bioscope, a day of master classes and panel discussions will be held at Goethe on Main, during which industry leaders will talk about all aspects of the film business from script development to funding and advances in digital media.
Visit the Jozi Film Festival website for more information.
The weekend wraps up with the Awards Evening on Sunday at The Rand Club where 2014’s winners will be announced. John Vlismas hosts the event while the Soweto Opera Quadro will perform.
Tickets can be booked online at the Jozi Film Festival website or bought at the door for R30 each. However, tickets for The Grand Budapest Hotel are charged at regular Ster-Kinekor rates, and normal concessions apply.
View the line-up for more information about the movies included.
