Emthonjeni launches film festival for local kasi film makers

By Thomas Cedrick

With the assistance of The National Film and Video foundation (NFVF) Presidential Employment Stimulus

program (PESP) The Emthonjeni Heritage Film Festival will be hosting its first annual film festival from the 30th

of April to the 4th of May 2021 in Cape Town locations. The festival was established in 2020 due to lack of film

opportunities and platforms for township based filmmakers. Over the past years we have seen the rise of

filmmaking in the townships of Cape Town. These filmmakers do not have access to film festivals and yet have

continued to produce amazing films.

Emthonjeni is an IsiXhosa word loosely translates as spring natural source of water.

The aims of the festival is to create an awareness on the importance of heritage, issues of identity, language,

customary issues, leadership and historical relevant issues. Nothing can convey or affirm that message than

the medium of film, paying homage to all those who have prepared our future through sacrifice, sweat, and all

the memories that have shaped our consciousness. Emthonjeni Heritage Film Festival wants to magnify the

role played by heritage and history in our lives, and that we could use them as points of reference in changing

our condition for the better.

Lizo Makambi who is the founder and a festival director says the purpose of the film festival is to revive the

cinematic culture back into existence in our areas and create a viable township based independent film

industry, in assisting aspirant and emerging filmmakers to produce their own films, establish institutions that

will exhibit and distribute their own content.

We will be screening different genres of films across the board in the Western Cape. The films varies from

politics, culture, environment and social justice. These films are produced by emerging and established

filmmakers. Emthonjeni Heritage film festival’s opening will be in Gugulethu, J.L Zwane Memorial Church on

the 30th of April 2021. 1st of May 2021 will be in Langa Monwabisi Recreational Centre commonly known as

love life centre. 2nd of May will be at Makukhanye Art Room in Site B Khayelitsha. On the 3rd and 4th of May

there will be workshops seminars in which both will be held in J.L Zwane, Guguletu Township.

Filmmakers themselves as members of society have a historical mandate and a cultural obligation to fulfil, play

a part in restoring the nation’s pride and unity also to influence positive moral, socio cultural values using the

film as the vehicle for change.

(Covid rules and regulations will be enforced and adhered to during the festival)

Contacts:

Name: Zozo Mohoto or Oscar Mabece

Organization: Emthonjeni Heritage Film Festival

Address: No’17, NY150, Gugulethu, 7750, Cape Town

Phone: +27-76-808-7307 or +27-72-803-4446

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