Five Unmissable Films Coming To The Joburg Film Festival

The Joburg Film Festival (JFF) kicks off across Jo’burg on 31 January, showcasing some of the finest films from over 35 countries across the globe, including 20 African premieres and 27 South African premieres, until 5 February. Here are just five highlights from the JFF schedule.

Utama

In Utama, an elderly Quechua couple live a tranquil life in the arid Bolivian highlands. While Virginio takes their small herd of llamas out to graze, Sisa keeps house and walks for miles to fetch precious water. When an uncommonly long drought threatens everything they know, they must decide whether to stay and maintain their traditional way of life or admit defeat and move in with family members in the city.

Silence in the Dust

After being diagnosed with advanced staged pneumoconiosis from working in a quartz powder factory in Guangdong, Dazhang returns to his hometown and shares the suffering with his entire family.

2022 Special Jury Prize & Taiwan International Documentary Festival Visionary Award-winning Silence in the Dust is directed by Li Wei.

Shimoni

Shimoni examines the life of a teacher who is sent back to the village where he was raised after being releasde from prison. He’s forced to re-jig his life in a community that he left behind, doing manual jobs that are alien to him.

Music is my Life

Music is My Life provides an engaging account of the life of Joseph Shabalala and his rise to international fame with Ladysmith Black Mambazo, including the group’s contributions to Paul Simon’s Graceland, which, despite breaking defying the cultural boycott, went on to become one of South Africa’s most-loved albums.

The Cloud & The Man

Shot in soulful black and white, The Cloud and the Man explores Manik’s uneventful life. His father passes away one day and he is served a month’s notice to vacate the rented house. Just when the world around him starts to fall apart, Manik meets someone that would change his life for good – a cloud. A unique love story unfolds, propelling Manik on a rollercoaster journey of faith, betrayal, belief & warmth.

What To Expect On DreamWorks Africa In February 2023?

NEW EPISODES:
THE EPIC TALES OF CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS

Based on the epic novels by Dav Pilkey, DreamWorks "The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants" follows the adventures of George Beard and Harold Hutchins, two best friends who’ve bonded through their love of pranking, comic books and being the thorns in Principal Krupp's side. Their fun gets them mixed up in adventures crazier than their comic books, which is when they call on their greatest creation: Captain Underpants!
From Monday 6th of February 2023
Weekdays at 6.30am, 5.30pm, 9.30pm, Weekends at 10.30am, 5.30pm, 9pm

NEW EPISODES:
GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE

Take a vine-swinging ride with George - the undisputed King of the Jungle! A super- strong super-friend with boundless energy and lots of heart, George is no stranger to crash landings. In his jungle playground, every day is a new adventure full of mishaps, mayhem, monkey business and...trees!
From Monday 6th of February 2023
Weekdays at 2.30pm

Insidus Games:
- Bugs Bunny & Lola Bunny: Operation Carrot Patch
- Buzz Lightyear Star Command
- Fix It Fun! Bob The Builder
- Daffy Duck: Fowl Play

MOVIES

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip
Saturday 4th, Sunday 5th, Friday 10th February

Through a series of misunderstandings, Alvin, Simon and Theodore come to believe that Dave is going to propose to his new girlfriend in New York City...and dump them. They have three days to get to him and stop the proposal, saving themselves not only from losing Dave but possibly from gaining a terrible stepbrother.

Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole:
Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th February

Soren, a young owl enthralled by his father’s epic stories of the Guardians of Ga'Hoole, wants to join the mythic band of winged warriors who has saved all from the evil.

The Emoji Movie
Saturday 18th, Sunday 19th, Friday 24th February

Take an adventure in the secret world inside your smartphone to Textopolis, a bustling city where all your favorite emojis live. In this world, each emoji has only one facial expression – except for Gene, who is bursting with multiple expressions. Determined to become “normal”, Gene enlists the help of his handy best friend Hi-5 and the notorious code breaker emoji Jailbreak. Together, these unlikely heroes embark on an epic “app- venture” through the apps on the phone, each its own wild and fun world, to find the code that will fix Gene!

Regular Nick:
- The Twisted Timeline Of Sammy And Raj to rollout on Nicktoons in Africa
- Two current shows from Boomerang rolling out on the Cartoonito block across Africa
- Moonbug Kids To Distribute New STEAM Focused Series, Ocean Explorers
- New Bear Grylls series is coming soon to Da Vinci Kids

VALENTINES STUNT
14th of February
At 4pm and 8pm

Madly Madagascar
Your favourite Madagascar pals go on a wonderful adventure. Alex's favourite holiday, Valentine's Day, brings hilarious surprises and excitement for the entire gang. Get ready to fall in love.

The Adventures of Puss In Boots - Mermaid
To prove he’s a ladies’ man, Puss rescues a mermaid from a thief who instantly falls in love with Voice Guest: Maria Bamfordas him…and becomes his worst nightmare.

Dawn of The Croods – It Crushes / Rebel without a Paws
The world's first family is back and funnier than ever in this all- new family sitcom! School, slumber parties and elections are some of the hilarious wonders of the modern life The Croods are discovering!

The Peabody and Sherman Show – Favour for Christine / Lady Godiva
Peabody, the smartest dog in the world, and his boy Sherman host a zany late-night comedy show broadcast from their swanky penthouse in front of a live studio audience.

What To Expect On Warner Bros Discovery In February 2023? (Drafted Version) PART 2

Investigation Discovery (DStv channel 171):

- Real Time Crime: In Dallas, gunshots kill a man on the Fourth of July, and detectives turn to a Real Time Crime Center to find the truth; when the smoke clears from a raging fire in Washington, police discover that arson turns to murder.
- The Price Of Glee: Get an inside look at the triumphs and tragedies surrounding the show Glee. Glee's cast and crew reveal surprising truths behind making the series and recount the meteoric rise of a Hollywood hit as well as the tragedies of some of its stars.
- Johnny Vs. Amber: Two-part documentary series with explosive evidence, intimate personal archive and in-depth interviews from both legal teams explores the UK High Court libel case and the important and complex issue of domestic abuse.
- Murder Under the Friday Night Lights: A look at the shocking and tragic cases of dangerous obsessions, brutal violence and even murder surrounding local high school football teams, tarnishing the sport these communities hold sacred.

Food Network (DStv channel 175):

- Bobby's Triple Threat: One hopeful chef competes against a trio of culinary titans picked by Bobby Flay.
- Kids Baking Championship:  Each week, the children compete to make the best dish, and are judged on presentation, taste, and creativity.
- Diners Drive-Ins And Dines: Host Guy Fieri goes on a road trip and visits diners, drive-in restaurants and dive bars that are popular among the locals in the US, and interacts with the owners, staff and the customers.
- Chef Dynasty, House Of Fang: Chef and restaurateur Kathy Fang is ready to expand the business of Fang, the restaurant she co-owns in San Francisco with her father, Peter, while continuing to honor their roots with Chinese fusion dishes.
- Outchef'd: Confident home cooks who think they are arriving for an audition get the surprise of their lives when they find out they're actually about to begin a head-to-head competition against a world-class chef.

DStv Flex:
- NCIS: Los Angeles cancelled after 14 seasons on M-Net
- Brand new seasons of your favourite shows coming to History
- February on The Home Channel
- February on HONEY

HGTV (DStv channel 177):

- Fixer To Fabulous: Home renovators Dave and Jenny Marrs bring old houses back to life in HGTV's "Fixer to Fabulous." With a little love and a lot of talent, the husband-wife duo restores timeworn homes into contemporary living spaces in their hometown of Bentonville, Ark.
- Christina On The Coast: Christina transforms clients' outdated properties into high-end showplaces. Her personal journey after her split with husband Tarek is spotlighted.
- Ugliest Home In America: Retta tours properties that were nominated based on gaudy designs and botched renovations.
- Battle Of The Bling: It follows Todrick and Kim as they tour 15 strikingly properties nominated by their owners as the most ostentatious.

Cartoon Network (DStv channel 301):

- CN To The Rescue: a live-action comedy peppered with animation, in which we follow Tapiwa's adventures into the magical world of his 'Imagination Room'! With crazy adventures and his hilarious family along for the ride, CN to the Rescue has the perfect ingredients for the whole family!
- The Love Bug: A yearly Valentine's stunt featuring brothers Grizz, Panda and Ice Bear.

Boomerang (DStv channel 302):

- Thomas And Friends: All Engines Go!: A younger Thomas The Tank Engine goes on adventures with all of his friends as they work on The Island Of Sodor.
- Thomas And Friends: The Mystery Of Lookout Mountain: After Thomas and Percy are frightened by a suspicious rumbling, the Biggest Adventure Club sets out to uncover the secrets of the old mountain mine.
- Moley: A charming, optimistic young mole who lives deep in a burrow under Windsor Castle, in the hustling, bustling city of MoleTown.
- Looney Tunes Cartoons Valentine's Day Special
- Boomerang's Happy Valentine's featuring Mr. Bean, Grizzy And The Lemmings, Zig & Sharko and Masha And The Bear.

Regular Nick:
- Two current shows from Boomerang rolling out on the Cartoonito block across Africa
- Moonbug Kids To Distribute New STEAM Focused Series, Ocean Explorers
- New Bear Grylls series is coming soon to Da Vinci Kids
- Could Universal Kids be the next channel to close down from NBCUniversal?

What To Expect On Warner Bros Discovery In February 2023? (Drafted Version) PART 1

Discovery Channel (DStv channel 121):

- Outpack Opal Hunters: Six teams of opal miners from Australia embark on a risky mission to hunt for the most fascinating gemstone in harsh and remote landscapes.
- Wheeler Dealers: Automobile enthusiasts embark on a mission to restore various cars to their original condition and sell them to a new owner.
- Homestead Rescue: Raney Ranch: The Raneys take on the most ambitious project the family has ever attempted as they build a multi-generational homestead on their own 40 acres.
- Sewer Divers: An up-close look at the heroes that keep America's sewer systems running.
- Roadworthy Rescues: Follow Derek Bieri as he seeks out abandoned cars from America's past and gets them running and back on the road where they belong.

TLC (DStv channel 135):

- Mild Manor: TLC's new dating series follows crew of 'hot moms' vying for a chance at love with men half their age.
- Extreme Sisters: Sets of sisters share details of the unique bond they share with each other, some of which may seem extreme and intense by conventional standards.
- House Of Hammer: The definitive inside story of the rise and fall of the notorious Hammer family.
- Say Yes To The Dress: Sales associates, managers and fitters at various stores across Manhattan help nervous brides choose the perfect dress for their wedding.
- 90 Days Fiance UK: Dating across borders becomes possible as several non-American women get a visa to meet their fiances for a short duration. Later, they must decide whether to get married or return straight home.
- Darcey & Stacey: Twin sisters Darcey and Stacey, who have been with each other through major life events, grapple with demanding relationships and family crises.
- Helicopter ER: Documentary series following the life-saving work of the flying doctors and paramedics of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance Service.

DStv Flex:
- NCIS: Los Angeles cancelled after 14 seasons on M-Net
- Brand new seasons of your favourite shows coming to History
- February on The Home Channel
- February on HONEY

Discovery Family (DStv channel 136):

- Street Outlaws: Oklahoma City's street racers participate in a contest to showcase their driving skills and compete against each other to win the title.

TNT (DStv channel 137):

- Dark Night Comedy (Stunt)
- TNT Hit: Edge Of Tomorrow
- Valentine's Day Bromance: White House Down and Rush Hour

Real Time (DStv channel 155):

- Reasonable Doubt: Retired homicide detective Chris Anderson and criminal defense attorney Fatima Silva help desperate families, convinced a loved one has been wrongfully convicted of murder. Each week Chris and Fatima investigate a new case. And each week they are forced to decide whether there's really been a wrongful conviction or whether the family needs to face the bitter truth that their loved one is guilty as charged . "Reasonable Doubt" is a hard-hitting, balanced and emotional look at the US criminal justice system.

DStv:
- MultiChoice might be adding two new catch-up channels
- BBC to close linear channels and move to an internet only digital future
- kykNET Lekker Opened To More DStv Customers For A Limited Time
- What Consumers Should Be Concerned About Regarding SABC's Yet To Be Launched Channels On DStv?

New Series Alert: The Twisted Timeline Of Sammy & Raj Coming Soon To Nicktoons Africa

After running low on fresh content for almost a year and relying on Zulu SpongeBob to stay afloat. Nicktoons which serves as the most popular international feed is set to introduce a new series titled The Twisted Timeline of Sammy & Raj.

With a mysterious time-altering app at their fingertips, Twisted Timeline of Sammy and Raj follows the reality-bending adventures of a pair of cousin-brothers, as they pause, rewind, fast-forward and slow-motion their way into a whole host of rowdy laugh-out-loud exploits.

Nickelodeon International teamed up with Nickelodeon India, a part of Viacom18 that is a joint venture between Paramount Global and Network18, to co-produce The Twisted Timeline of Sammy & Raj.

Insidus Games:
- Bugs Bunny & Lola Bunny: Operation Carrot Patch
- Buzz Lightyear Star Command
- Fix It Fun! Bob The Builder
- Daffy Duck: Fowl Play

The Twisted Timeline of Sammy & Raj was commissioned in September 2020, with animation and storyboards for the new 20 x 30-minute 2D animated series being developed in India, scripting in the U.S. and U.K., and casting being initiated in the U.S.

The new series marks the first collaboration between the top kids’ entertainment brand and the leading Indian kids’ category brand from India’s fastest growing entertainment network.

The series airs weekdays at 16:35 from Tuesday 31 January on NickTOONS (DStv channel 308).

Regular Nick:
- Two current shows from Boomerang rolling out on the Cartoonito block across Africa
- Moonbug Kids To Distribute New STEAM Focused Series, Ocean Explorers
- New Bear Grylls series is coming soon to Da Vinci Kids
- Could Universal Kids be the next channel to close down from NBCUniversal?