It is an honour to welcome you to the 11th edition of the European Film Festival in South Africa. This year’s festival promises to be both thought-provoking and entertaining, with a remarkable selection of award-winning films from across Europe, including two Oscar-nominated titles.
This year’s line-up reminds us that freedom, in all its forms, is a universal pursuit that transcends borders and speaks to the very core of our shared humanity. We’re particularly excited about the global connections evident in this year’s offerings, with films crossing continents and countries—from Georgia to Africa, from Indonesia to Ireland—showcasing the rich tapestry of co-productions and partnerships between European and international filmmakers.
We are excited to make these stories accessible to an even wider audience. And so, whether you choose to experience these films from the comfort of your home or join us in a theatre, we hope the stories will spark conversation, challenge perspectives, and leave you inspired.
I wish to convey my sincere gratitude to our partners, EU Member States for the Team Europe effort as well as other participating embassies, and European cultural institutes in South Africa for your valued partnership. I would also like to thank all the talented artists who have created these films enabling us to exchange and connect over freedom through the powerful art of cinematography.
Welcome to the 2024 European Film Festival. Enjoy!
COMPLICATED FREEDOMS at the 11th EUROPEAN FILM FESTIVAL in SOUTH AFRICA
Filmlovers can look forward to an entertaining and provocative array of new award-winning films from Europe as the European Film Festival returns for its 11th edition in South Africa.
Presenting films from 14 countries, and including two Oscar nominations, the festival is a showcase of high-quality cinema from the film industries in the participating countries of Belgium, Denmark, France, Georgia, Germany, Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.
Exemplifying the increasing cooperation and co-production between countries there is an expansive global touch this year: the Swiss film is set in Georgia, the Dutch film takes place in Indonesia, the Portuguese film floats in and out of Thailand, the Italian film takes place in Africa, while the UK film is an Irish-centred story in Northern Ireland. But intrinsically all 14 films speak to the topic of Freedom in one way or another, from the personal to the political, and often both. Whether it is a developmental journey, a process of unfolding, an illumination, or a result of political changes in the world around us, Freedom comes at times of its own choosing, and one doesn’t always know what it looks like until you get there. The films this year offer a multi-faceted and evocative glimpse of what freedom means to a wide-ranging cast of characters and in an equally diverse range of situations – Complicated Freedoms!
Cinema screenings take place in Johannesburg at Sterkinekor’s The Zone in Rosebank, and in Cape Town at The Labia. Eleven of the films will be available in the free programme of online streaming accessible across South Africa during the festival period. See film pages for more synopses and booking info. Enjoy!!!
Magdalene Reddy and Peter Rorvik