Finalists have stopped wondering, ready for finale

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“While this was Discovery’s first category in the Jozi Film Festival, we were thrilled with the quality and diversity of entries that we received,” says Dilek Doyran, VP of commercial development and country manager of Africa and the Mediterranean. “Our hope was to find films that captured the ethos of curiosity and celebrated the uniqueness that the African continent has to offer and, with films from Namibia, Swaziland, South Africa and Uganda, we are confident the shortlist represents this. We look forward to broadcasting the Top 10 films on Discovery Channel and showcasing the many different ways of celebrating Africanism.”

Finalists

• Discovery, by Manqoba Shongwe from Swaziland – We explore every day but neglect to learn. In this film, Shongwe took the time to pay attention to some of the things he saw in his everyday explorations and shares what he gathered. From Monday 31 July, 13:35.

• Puppetsula, by Michael Rodrigues and Shaun James from South Africa, follows Jabu, a puppeteer who travels to instil joy in all those that witness his fiery performances of traditional dances. From Monday 31 July, 20:00.

• Sithaidi: The Traditional Xhosa Bead Artist, by Caley Kolk from South Africa follows Sithaidi’s journey to work every day: a scenic 6-hour trek in rural Transkei. The story showcases how creativity overcomes seeming human adversity, old age and a lifelong polio condition and how creativity ultimately inspires us to live. From Tuesday 1 August, 13:35.

• The Ascension, by Dieter du Plessis from South Africa – This short documentary follows the journal of a trail runner, with a voice-over that relates life to mountain climbing. From Tuesday 1 August, 20:00.

• The Tragedy of Africa, by Dusty Van Niekerk from South Africa looks at Africa’s beauty inside and out, following the sad reality behind the harsh rhino poaching crisis which South Africa faces. From Wednesday, 2 August, 13:35.

• Mr Ability, by Okuyo Joel Atiku Prynce from Uganda – This is a story of Simon Peter Lubega, a physically impaired, creative artist who wakes up early every morning and works against all odds on his art pieces to raise money to support himself and his family. From Wednesday 2 August, 20:00.

• Egg Slap, by Pressilla Nanyange from Uganda explores a childhood game, football, but with a twist. From Thursday 3 August, 13:35.

• Sjangalala: The New Era, by Siphiwe Phiri from South Africa – This is a documentary about a pastor who is breaking the stereotype surrounding the art of spinning cars. From Thursday 3 August, 20:00.

• Non-People, by Wesley Rhode from South Africa – This documentary celebrates the trials and tribulations of South Africa’s informal recyclers – people that are over looked and ignored. From Friday 4 August, 13:35.

• Another Sunny Day, by Tim Huebschle from Namibia tells the story of how life must be for someone whose skin has no protection from the sun, living in a country that averages over 80% sunshine during any given year. Welcome to Paulus’s life in Namibia. From Friday 4 August, 20:00.

View films in August

Broadcasting began on 31 July and will continue throughout August on Discovery Channel and it will be up to viewers to decide which film should be chosen as the overall winner. That filmmaker wins a cash prize of $5,000 from Discovery Channel to go towards the next filming project.

Each film will be broadcast on Discovery Channel four times throughout the voting period. Voting is now open on the website and closes at 10am on Monday, 28 August. The winning filmmaker will be flown to Johannesburg to receive the prize at the Jozi Film Festival awards ceremony on Sunday, 24 September 2017.