2023 Joburg Film Festival Announces Opening Film

The Joburg Film Festival powered by Multichoice, taking place in the heart of Egoli from 31 January to 5 February 2023, is excited to announce the opening film, the Moussa Sene Absa directed masterpiece “XALE”. 

Tickets for the 60+ films being screened across Gauteng are now on sale via the JFF website, www.joburgfilmfestival.co.za.

The festival will showcase some of the finest films from over 35 countries across the globe, including 20 African premieres and 27 South African premieres, and will run until Sunday, 5th February 2023 at various locations across the city.

The opening film XALE follows the life of Awa, a 15-year-old  African schoolgirl who is happily living her teenage years alongside her twin brother Adama, who dreams of Europe. This beautiful Senegalese feature immerses the viewer into a storyline of family values, love, life and betrayal.

The Joburg Film Festival line-up includes films from South Africa, Tunisia, Brazil, Seoul, USA, Japan, Morocco and more, with a mix of feature films and documentaries showcasing stories that cross cultural boundaries.

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Sandton City Shoppers Urged to Donate School Uniforms and Stationery

As part of its commitment to its extended community, Sandton City has launched a school uniform and stationery essentials collection drive, urging shoppers to donate anything from shirts to pants, from socks to shoes, and stationery items to help learners in Alexandra Community start their year off on a high note. Aimed at making learners’ schools journey more meaningful, the centre started the collection with the first 400 sets of stationery and hopes that shoppers will get behind the initiative that has the potential to make a real difference.

Any individual stationery items, such as pens, pencils, rulers, erasers, notebooks and crayons, are welcome. Alternatively, pre-packed sets are available from Checkers and CNA in the centre. The collection boxes are located in front of back-to-school specialists Checkers, Jet and Woolworths and will be emptied regularly until 31 January, when the items will be handed over to the non-profit organisation Rays of Hope, well known for its incredible work focused on uplifting the youth in Alexandra.

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Urchin Makes Waves in Cape Town’s Culinary Scene

The culinary panorama in the Mother City has been elevated with the opening of Urchin Restaurant, located at The Hyatt Regency Cape Town on Buitengracht Street.

There is a complexity to achieving true simplicity in a restaurant setting. It is an art. At Urchin Restaurant it is a beautifully and precisely choreographed ballet in which sustainable fresh fish and seafood are the prima and danseur. The hallmarks of the Urchin elemental ocean dining experience are underpinned by excellent, unobtrusive service, locally sourced and produced ingredients, and world class wine from a carefully curated wine cellar.

The Chef

Throughout his life, Chef Gerard van Staden has strived to achieve greatness within his chosen field, and so far, his personality and inquisitiveness have allowed him to achieve many great things in South Africa and abroad. Growing up in a single parent family in Zimbabwe, Gerard taught himself to cook out of necessity, not knowing that he was following a path which would eventually lead him to becoming acclaimed Chef of the Year on three occasions, alongside South Africa’s Number One restaurant in two different locations.

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Ndlovu Youth Choir “AGT All-Stars” Performance

AMERICA’S GOT TALENT: ALL-STARS – “VTR” Episode – (Photo by: Trae Patton/NBC)

I’ve had the privilege of seeing the Ndlovu Youth Choir live on at least 3 separate occasions at corporate gigs, and each time they blew the audience away with their energy, audience interaction and sheer talent!

Image by Mishkah Roman-Cassiem

From humble beginnings, in the Moutse Valley, in rural Mpumalanga to performances at the 94th Academy Awards (Oscars) and across the globe, South Africa’s ever popular and most loved choir, Ndlovu Youth Choir were recently invited to perform at the America’s Got Talent All-Stars competition in Los Angeles earlier this month. The Choir’s exemplary performance was broadcast on NBC Eastern time in the USA on Monday, 23 January 2023.  Local fans can catch the Ndlovu Youth Choir’s performance tomorrow, Tuesday, 24 January 2023 after the NBC broadcast.  Tune in to YouTube, Twitter and Facebook on Tuesday morning after the broadcast.  Website: https://www.youtube.com/@AGT 

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Gregory Porter Performs in sold out concerts in South Africa

One of the greatest voices of our generation, two-time GRAMMY® Award winning singing sensation Gregory Porter returns to South Africa this month for his first solo concert tour ‘An Intimate Evening with Gregory Porter brought to you by Liberty’. He performed in Cape Town at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens today, Saturday, 21 January 2023.

Johannesburg concerts take place at Montecasino’s Teatro on 23, 24, 26, 27 and 28 January 2023 at 8pm.

Brought to you by Liberty and Showtime Management in association with Cape Talk and 702, the SA concert tour dates, including two additional Johannesburg shows, sold out within days of going on sale.

Cape Town based South African singer, actress, storyteller, playwright and inspirational speaker, The One Who Sings (Zolani Mahola) is the opening supporting act at Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden and local musician, composer, producer and curator Msaki is the supporting act for the Johannesburg concerts.

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