The FAME Shorts Film Festival Announces 2024 Programme

The FAME Shorts Film Festival returns to Cape Town’s Labia Theatre from 4-7 September, bringing a dazzling array of African cinema. Featuring 31 thought-provoking films, the festival showcases innovative and creative filmmakers from across the continent, offering audiences a rich tapestry of stories from Africa and its diaspora. The eagerly anticipated programme was announced on https://fameshortsfilmfestival.com and bookings are open. 

Open to the public, the festival is a highlight of FAME Week Africa, an annual gathering and trade show for the entertainment industry. Martin Hiller, FAME Week Africa Portfolio Director, shared his excitement about this year’s line-up, “We’re absolutely thrilled with the FAME Shorts Film Festival programme! It’s brimming with personal stories, biographies, and tales of innovation, underscoring the rich diversity of African societies.” 

Over four captivating days, the programme explores themes of drifting through life’s challenges, the growing pains of coming of age, the complexities of love stories, and the preservation of cultural heritage.

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“Breaking Down Borders” – African TV Series Set To Launch on SABC 1

Paul Modjadji’s 10 country African tour is chronicled in an enthralling new fourteen-part travelogue on SABC 1, called “Breaking Down Borders.”

Covering countries including Zambia, Namibia, Tanzania, Kenya, Nigeria and Senegal, the documentary follows Modjadji as he explores Africa’s rich youth and dance culture. Each episode serves up a kaleidoscope of experiences showcasing Africa’s leading landmarks and heritage sites through the eyes of youth activists and artists on home soil.

Modjadji travels with close friends and family — sister Nthabiseng Modjadji, the tour coordinator, Sibusiso Mahlangu a filmmaker and photographer, and dancer Ginger Wensky. The 14-part series culminates with a two-part reunion hosted by Minnie Dlamini.  

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Melrose Arch Set to Become South African Fashion Week’s New Home in September 2024

South African Fashion Week (SA Fashion Week) will be hosted in Johannesburg’s Melrose Arch Precinct in September this year.

The country’s premier designer fashion platform will be moving into its new home for the Autumn/Winter ‘25 Collections from 26th to 28th September 2024, says director, Lucilla Booyzen.

This year’s event will adopt a dynamic new format that will combine runway shows staged in an intriguing “never-used-before” space in Melrose Arch, with a line-up of lifestyle and brand activations throughout the precinct.

“SA Fashion Week’s vision over the past 27 years has been to explore sustainable business models that can leverage fashion’s economic and social influence for the benefit of all the stakeholders involved,” says Booyzen. “We are delighted to be partnering with one of the city’s most exciting lifestyle precincts, in one of its most historical areas, to develop yet another such mutually beneficial venture.”

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Animé Film Festival Coming To South African Cinemas

The popularity of Animé content, known as animation in Japan, has exploded in recent years, with an entire subculture passionate about the film and television series in this colourful and captivating genre. Following on the success of The Boy and The Heron’s release earlier this year in cinemas, Gravel Road Distribution Group is now bringing South African audiences a cinema-first…. a dedicated Animé film festival celebrating the iconic Studio Ghibli, on the big screen, starting this August.

The Japanese Studio Ghibli is one of the most acclaimed animation studios in the world, and the home of some of the most beloved Anime works to have ever released. Founded in 1985 by film directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata and producer Toshio Suzuki, the globally renowned studio has produced twenty-two feature-length films, and won numerous accolades, including two Academy® Awards, a Golden Globe and the coveted Cannes Film Festival honorary Palme d’Or. (The first time in history a company has been bestowed this prestigious acknowledgement).

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Museum of Illusions now open in Johannesburg

The city of gold has added another diamond to its stellar constellation of unmissable attractions. The Museum of Illusions just opened its doors in the vibrant Rosebank node, becoming the 53rd Museum of Illusions in the world, joining the likes of Dubai, Chicago, New York, Paris, Istanbul, Milan, Shanghai, Cairo, Kuala Lumpur and Dallas who are all home to the remarkable experience. The Museum of Illusions Johannesburg is located just above Hamleys, across the bridge from Spur, and next door to EGG.

 

The concept first launched in Zagreb, Croatia in 2015 and soon became a global phenomenon with over 12 million people having visited the museums to date, and it is easy to see why. No two museums are the same, with each facility taking visitors on a memorable sensory journey through mind bending installations that leverage art, science, maths and psychology in a unique way. 

 

Watch a video with a sneak peek of what to expect at the Johannesburg Museum of Illusions here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9JH3reI8CQ

 

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