Inaugural Visionaries of Freedom Film Festival Successfully Concludes in Graaff-Reinet, Honouring Robert Sobukwe’s Centenary with Powerful Social Justice Narratives
GRAAFF-REINET, Eastern Cape, South Africa – June 8, 2025 – The historic tourist town of Graaff-Reinet hosted the inaugural Visionaries of Freedom Film Festival this past week, drawing filmmakers and creatives from across the country for a powerful three-day cinematic celebration honouring the centenary of struggle icon Mangaliso Robert Sobukwe.
Held from 5 to 7 June at various venues, with the Rupert Theatre serving as the main hub, the festival championed films aligned with Sobukwe’s legacy of fighting for social justice.
The festival commenced with a compelling screening of “Mother City,” a documentary directed by Miki Redelinghuys and Pearlie Joubert. The film offers a poetic and critical examination of land, power, and inequality in Cape Town, setting a resonant tone for the festival’s theme.
“We filmed ‘Mother City’ over six years, as we sought to understand how change happens – slowly, through patient determination,” said Redelinghuys. “We were profoundly inspired by the activists we followed, and we hope this film, screened here at the Visionaries of Freedom Festival in Graaff-Reinet, inspires audiences to play an active part in building our democracy and unlocking conversations about the just and equal society we all envision, especially in honour of Robert Sobukwe.”
Nkosikhona Swartbooi, a lead character in “Mother City,” highlighted the film’s broader relevance: “The challenges exposed by this film are not unique to Cape Town. As young people, we find inspiration from our struggle stalwarts who fought systematic oppression. Having our film shown in uTat’uMangaliso Robert Sobukwe’s hometown is a powerful reminder that we stand on the shoulders of giants who paved the way for our generation to find its voice and continue the fight for a more just and equal society.”
The festival’s official opening was led by Mariza Matshaya, Director of Seismic Media Eastern Cape, the event organizers, and the ceremony was attended by distinguished guests, including Dr. Beyers Naude Municipality Mayor Cllr. Willem Safers, Eastern Cape Provincial Arts and Culture Council (ECPACC) CEO Monde Nkasawe, and representatives from the Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs, and Tourism (DEDEAT), Nozipho Booi. Also in attendance were members of the community and including young people.
In his welcoming address, Mayor Safers underscored the significance of the event: “Memorials help a nation preserve its history and pass it on accurately from generation to generation. Robert Sobukwe’s legacy reminds us of the power of creative arts as a tool for social change and historical reflection.”
Speaking on behalf of DEDEAT, Booi reiterated the department’s commitment: “We remain dedicated to supporting filmmakers in accessing additional funding through the DTIC Film Fund and promoting the Eastern Cape as a prime film destination. To further build on this success, we’ve introduced a Creative Industries Development Framework that supports music, performing and visual arts, and digital media, aiming to position the province as a creative hub and stimulate job creation.”
Empowering Youth Through Skills Development
The creative industries skills development component of the festival was characterised by various artistic endeavours. The first of which was music production, a workshop facilitated by lauded musician Kamohelo Khoaripe, with the invaluable support of local musical veteran Leon Jaftha. Printmaking, which was facilitated by seasoned visual artist Ayanda Toli, and finally filmmaking workshops, which were facilitated by storyteller and CSI programmes designer Pulane Mpondo, and experienced commercials producer Ofentse Gcwabe.
With only 48 hours to write and produce both music and two short films, the skills development program dedicated itself to celebrating the immense talent and dedication of Graaff-Reinet’s youth.
“I appreciated the dedication shown by the young people here; they were eager to learn and easy to work with. This challenge seems to have ignited a new passion in a lot of them.” Said Gcwabe.
Mpondo said she wishes they had more resources so that “we could really hone their raw talents and see them create more stories about this area, even those of Sobukwe himself. The short films they wrote and produced Erhafu, directed by Latoya Jaftha and The Long Road Cut Short, directed by Solly Mveke, is a clear indication that there is immense talent here.”
Commenting on the screen-print training, which saw the printing of a large volume of Sobukwe prints in such a short time, Toli said that his extensive experience in working under pressure for various national festivals came in handy as he was able to execute the project with little resources and mostly keen minds. He hopes that the young people can join hands “and raise funds to start their own enterprise. There are opportunities for them to create merchandise for local government, businesses, and society as well, including local sports clubs.”
A Lasting Legacy and Future Vision
“The festival was ultimately earmarked to honour and celebrate the legacy of Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe, and we are incredibly pleased with the reception from local government and, especially, the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF); without the NFVF, this event would not have been possible,” said Mariza Matshaya. She emphasized the critical role of the film industry in shaping “African stories through African voices by African filmmakers.”
Seismic Media is optimistic about the festival’s future, anticipating its return in 2026 with increased government involvement. “Projects like these bring a spotlight to this region and motivate young people who are grappling with unemployment. The film and creative industries are powerful economic drivers, given their appeal to youth and the multitude of supporting industries required for even a single project,” Matshaya concluded.
