Invasion of Jozi Film Fest 2020

Our friends at Jozi Film Fest cannot be stopped, which is why they are adapting to the times with a movie festival everyone can enjoy in their own way.Here's a word from JFF founder Lisa Henry on what the event will be like this year, just in time for spring, and what to look forward to at this year's iteration of the festival. From prizes and tickets to be won, to event info and contact details, check out the full press release below:

The City of Gold’s longest running multi-genre film festival, aka the Jozi Film Festival,  has, for 8 years, taken place each year over a four-day period at various venues in and around Johannesburg. This year will be different…

From 17- 20 September, the Jozi Film Festival  will be holding its first ever virtual festival alongside limited physical screenings at The Bioscope Independent Cinema where the festival began back in 2012. The Bioscope recently moved from Maboneng to 44 Stanley Ave and it remains Jozi’s only truly independent cinema. One of the major aims of this year’s festival, alongside the usual mandate of showcasing the talent of 2020, is to support The Bioscope during these challenging times.

To that end, one lucky person stands a chance to win a private screening at The Bioscope  (Sunday, 20 September at 12pm) – take a group of friends, your partner or the whole family! Follow Jozi Film Festival on social media to be in with a chance to win.

For the rest of the country, everyone’s invited to this year’s festival and you don’t even need to get a new outfit or have your hair done.

Over 30 films will be available on-demand during the festival weekend (17 - 20 Sept 2020) for one special price of $7 USD (approximately R120). Virtual festival-goers will have four days of unlimited viewings of the official selection. To register and pre-order visit https://jozifilmfestival.vhx.tv/

“While we do not prescribe a theme each year, we do select films that speak to the issues we are facing here in South Africa, and as a global community. 2020 has been unprecedented”, says founder Lisa Henry, “and this is reflected in this year’s selection. If you get a chance to watch a few of our films, you’ll notice a thread of the marginalised and disenfranchised; from the immigrants stuck for years in a refugee camp on Samos (Samos: The Faces of Our Border) to the many left behind in the “New South Africa” (A New Country) to Deleted (UK), a short documentary that follows the last 5 hours of a 59-year-old man before becoming homeless due to bureaucracy by the Dept. for Work and Pensions.

Even the charming animation, Ruby & Roach (SA) about two unwanted slightly soiled sale toys is a story laden with metaphor about prejudice in society, as well as a statement about the mass manufactured generic things we all desire. Having said that, there’s plenty that will entertain too - amongst others, we have selected the quirky “Reptilian" from Hungary and the hilarious “Blast" from Nigeria about a call centre agent with tummy troubles…”

Jozi Film Festival will be running a competition to tweet (@JoziFilmFest) or Instagram (jozifilmfest) a photo of you enjoying one of our films at home. Upload your pic with #jozifilminvasion and the name of the film you’re watching and stand a chance to win a R500 Uber Eats voucher to have dinner on Jozi Film festival!

There will also be cash prizes for the best review of any of the films. Send your review (not more than 500 words) to lisa@jozifilmfestival.co.za by 23 September and the top three reviews will earn their writers R1 000 each.

EasyEquities loves supporting the arts and continuously aims to build the community in support of initiatives like JFF. The Easy team of brand legends looks forward to hosting one lucky winner this year, so make sure to enter the competition. 

For more information, please contact Lisa Henry, lisa@jozifilmfestival.co.za or Edwin Reichel, edwin@flowsa.com.