BIYO FESTIVAL 2026

SOWETO FILM FESTIVAL #WeUprising × Eyethu Heritage Hall With Jozi My Jozi & Gauteng Film Commission

A multi-venue film-screening festival across Soweto's most iconic arts and culture spaces, honouring June 16, community, and the stories that shaped us.

Each venue offers a unique experience: film screenings followed by live Q&As with directors, film experts and cultural figures, woven together with local music, performance art and exhibitions.

11-13:30 | EYETHU HERITAGE HALL | 1st Floor, Eyethu Shopping Centre, Machaba Dr, Mofolo Central, Soweto, 1800:

One of South Africa's first Black-owned cinemas was founded in 1969 in the heart of apartheid-era Soweto. A living symbol of Black excellence and storytelling, still telling stories today.

Screening: BEYOND FORGIVING (2013, 28 min) A profound documentary followed by a conversation between Professor Leslie Dikeni and Zulaikha Patel, on a true journey of healing and reconciliation in post-apartheid South Africa. A story of tragedy, forgiveness and hope.

13:00 - 17:30 | SOWETO GALLERY | 533 Maseko Street, Orlando West, P.O Orlando, 1804, Soweto, Soweto, Johannesburg, 1804:

Behind the red-brick walls of a historic matchbox home, a world of art, heritage and creativity opens up.

Screening: UBANI LORE? (2025, 10 min) A wildly original South African surrealist comedy, three odd friends on a bizarre quest for a book that doesn't exist. Celebrated for its grassroots storytelling and national community tour.

17:30 - 21:00 | NATIVE REBELS | Kadebe St, Jabavu, Soweto, 1809:

Closing Ceremony - Philani Brown Retrospective The Closing Ceremony celebrates an established filmmaker whose journey can inspire young storytellers — a reminder that beginnings don't define the future. Through screenings, conversation and reflection, Philani Brown traces the evolution of his voice from early shorts to a bold, celebrated body of work.