MANDELA BAY FILM FESTIVAL 2026
MANDELA BAY FILM FESTIVAL 2026 SET TO CELBRATE FILM, TALENT, AND THE FUTURE OF THE EASTERN CAPE CREATIVE INDUSTRY
The Mandela Bay Development Agency is proud to bring the Mandela Bay Film Festival to Gqeberha and Kariega from 17 – 19 November 2026. Festival partners include the Mandela Bay Development Agency, Afree Cinema, the National Film and Video Foundation, East Cape Development Corporation, the Eastern Cape Provincial Arts and Culture Council, and Mpuma Kapa TV.
Filmmakers, industry professionals, aspiring creatives and the public will come together for three days of film screenings, masterclasses, workshops and panel discussions under the theme of “Elevating African Stories”. Hosted at The Athenaeum, and with additional festival activities taking place at Bayworld and the Nelson Mandela Bay Science & Technology Centre in Kariega, the festival will celebrate African storytelling and create meaningful opportunities for skills development, industry collaboration and greater access to the film and television sectors. The programme has been designed to address both the creative side of filmmaking, and the practical realities faced by filmmakers in developing, financing, producing, distributing and commercializing their work.
Mandela Bay Film Festival Curator, Luzuko Dilima, is committed to creating a sustainable platform that contributes to the growth of the Eastern Cape’s film and creative industries. “The Mandela Bay Film Festival is not only a celebration of films. It is a platform for filmmakers to connect, develop their projects and access opportunities. We want to create meaningful conversations between filmmakers, training institutions, funders, broadcasters, distributors and audiences.”
The Festival’s focus on young people and industry development is particularly important. He continues: “We want young people in the Eastern Cape to see the film industry as a real career and economic opportunity. There are hundreds of careers behind every film, and our responsibility is to expose young people to those possibilities and help build pathways into the industry.” A key component of the 2026 Festival is the My Future My Film Career programme, which seeks to introduce high school learners to career opportunities within the film and television industry. The Festival also aims to strengthen collaboration between training institutions and the professional film industry, creating opportunities for students and emerging creatives to gain exposure to real-world industry practices.
The Mandela Bay Film Festival recognises the rich storytelling traditions and diverse creative talent of the Eastern Cape. Through film screenings and industry conversations, the Festival seeks to create greater visibility for stories and filmmakers from the province while connecting local talent to national and international opportunities. Filmmakers, students, industry practitioners, creative entrepreneurs and members of the public are invited to participate in the three-day programme by completing the registration form for participation.
KEY FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
17 November 2026:
Day 1 sees a programme dedicated to industry development and youth engagement through the My Future My Film Career initiative. This film-industry career and education programme is aimed at high school learners, and it will take place at the Nelson Mandela Bay Science & Technology Centre in Kariega. The day will include film screenings, acting development, film education, television and film training, and information about funding and bursary opportunities.
Participants and programme contributors include AFDA Film School, the Nelson Mandela University’s Media Lab, Mpuma Kapa TV Academy and the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF). The programme is designed to connect aspiring filmmakers with training institutions and industry resources to encourage young people to consider sustainable careers in film and television.
The Opening Night Programme at the Athenaeum will feature the screening of ‘GATEWAY’, directed by Gqeberha filmmaker and cinematographer Tobela Pemba, as well as an industry networking session with live music.
18 November 2026:
Day 2 will focus on story development, directing, funding and special effects. The festival workshops and masterclasses will include screenwriting with film and television practitioner Zolisa Sigwanda, directing with television director Zolani Phakade, and special effects makeup with SAFTAs judge and production designer Nothando Maimane.
A key feature of the day will be a Film Funding Institutions Panel Discussion involving the NFVF, Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) and Eastern Cape Provincial Arts and Culture Council (ECPACC). The discussion will address funding opportunities, application requirements, eligibility criteria, budgeting, development versus production funding, and the challenges facing emerging filmmakers in the Eastern Cape. Another highlight of this day is the African Cinema panel led by Mykel Parish, the president of the African Film Consortium.
The day will conclude with an outdoor cinema programme on the grounds at Bayworld, extending the festival experience beyond traditional screening venues.
19 November 2026
The final day of the festival will focus on broadcasting, distribution, production and long-term film industry development. The programme includes a broadcasting and distribution workshop involving SABC and MultiChoice, a film production masterclass facilitated by actor and film producer Kagiso Modupe, and a film industry development masterclass and dialogue led by Dr Subeshini Moodley from the Department of Media & Communication at Nelson Mandela University.
These sessions will explore content commissioning, broadcaster requirements, distribution pathways, production planning, professional standards and partnerships between academia and the film industry.