Following on the recent announcement of the 60 plus selected films for the next edition of the Joburg Film Festival that will take place from 31 January to 5 February 2023, the organisers are excited to announce the JBX Content Market and JFF Industry programme that will take place from the 1st – 2nd of February at the Sandton Convention Centre and The Theatre on the Square at Nelson Mandela Square.
The JBX market will be positioned as an extension of the Joburg film Festival, taking place alongside the fifth instalment as a B2B in-person platform engineered to fast-track the transformation of Africa’s audio-visual industries through market-access opportunities and tributes to talent, entrepreneurs and luminaries who are propelling these industries forward.
As the African film industry starts to finally gain the global recognition it deserves, African stories and storytellers have become the gold currency of the entertainment world. With all the major streaming platforms actively and aggressively expanding their focus on Africa, more and more investment in Africa’s film and content spaces is taking place. As the roll out of broad-band and internet access expands across the continent, the demand for African stories is only set to increase, and those companies and organisations with strong roots in the sector are ideally positioned to drive the industry forward.
As a market, JBX will therefore take pride in featuring a diverse and rich selection of ‘Made in Africa’ finished content, adaptation rights for scripted and unscripted programs, and solid projects. Additionally, the JBX Conversation programme and JFF Industry Programme will have a strong focus on African stories and storytellers, as well as the new platforms and technologies that are providing new spaces and opportunities for African content to go global. A range of conversations, panel discussions and masterclasses will therefore also highlight the latest opportunities presented by social and streaming platforms, as well as VR and immersive technologies.
This exciting content market and the complimentary industry programme is open to all buyers, aggregators, broadcasters, and streamers who are looking to connect and do business with some of Africa’s top content creators. The JBX Market will include; The Market Area, an exhibiting area with fully customisable and brandable spaces; The Networking Area-JBX Networking Terrace; The JBX Conversations Theatre, and The JBX Connect Lounge.
The Joburg Film Festival Industry Programme will commence on 1 February with a session on Sustainable Business Models in Film and TV: Cost Plus versus Co-Production, followed by The Rise of Documentary, hosted by Steps Generation Africa.
Day 2 will kick-off with a focus on the importance of collaboration with the powerhouse of African film, Nigeria, in partnership with the NFVF and the Nigerian Film Corporation in a session entitled, Nigeria and South Africa Co-Production. The focus on Nigeria continues with an engaging masterclass – In Conversation With Wole Soyinka “Intersection Between Technology and Story.
The importance of international co-productions will also be further spotlighted in the session Cross Atlantic Collaboration: Co-Producing with the USA, hosted and Moderated by Locations Africa.
Friday, the Industry Programme will focus on women in film with sessions that highlight female directors, as well as a session presented by SWIFT, Safety for Women in Film and Television/ Intimacy and Safety Contact Officers, followed by a Women in Film Cocktail party.
A range of other sessions and masterclasses will round out this exciting programme and all information can be found on the website: www.joburgfilmfestival.co.za . Attendance is free for all registered JFF and JBX Market delegates.
