For three days in November, Nelson Mandela Bay will welcome filmmakers, industry professionals, students and members of the public to the Mandela Bay Film Festival (November 17-19).
The programme promises an exciting mix of film screenings, workshops, masterclasses, networking and industry discussions, all under the theme “Elevating African Stories”.
What makes this festival particularly meaningful is its strong local focus.
All of the films to be screened are local productions, while the experts leading the masterclasses and workshops have close ties to our city and province.
This is an opportunity to put our own talent into the spotlight and create connections that can help grow the industry here at home.
Our festival partners, including Afree Cinema, the National Film and Video Foundation, the Eastern Cape Development Corporation, the Eastern Cape Provincial Arts & Culture Council and Mpuma Kapa TV, share an understanding of what the creative industries can contribute to the Eastern Cape.
Beyond the cultural value of film and storytelling, there is real potential to generate economic activity and develop local skills in all aspects of filmmaking.
One of the highlights of the opening day’s programme is “My Future My Film Career”, an initiative for high school pupils, which will take place at the Nelson Mandela Bay Science and Technology Centre in Kariega.
The programme will introduce young people to the many career possibilities in film and television, with opportunities to learn about different roles and hear directly from people working in the industry.
It is important that young people understand that a career in film does not begin and end with acting or directing.
There are opportunities in screenwriting, camera work, sound, editing, production, lighting, animation, broadcasting and many other areas.
Giving pupils a chance to see these possibilities could make a real difference to how they think about their creative futures.
The festival will be hosted mainly at the Athenaeum in Central, with activities also taking place at Bayworld and the Science and Technology Centre in Kariega.
Over three days, discussions and activities will cover various aspects of the industry, from screenwriting and directing to production, funding, broadcasting and distribution.
Just as importantly, the festival will give local filmmakers a chance to meet to exchange ideas and connect with people and organisations that can help them take their work further.
The MBDA is looking beyond the festival itself, pursuing the establishment of a Film Hub at the Athenaeum and in that respect, we issued a request for proposals in October 2026, for its conceptualisation, design, management and operation.
A film hub would make it easier for local talent to access industry networks and opportunities that are often concentrated elsewhere in the country.
In time, this could help attract more film and television productions to Nelson Mandela Bay, bringing with them investment, skills development opportunities, and work for local businesses and allied professionals.
The film festival also gives Nelson Mandela Bay an opportunity to reflect on the wider contribution of arts, heritage and culture to the development of our city.
The SA Cultural Observatory’s research estimates that the country’s cultural, creative and sports industries contributed R271.2bn to GDP in 2023, or approximately 3.9% of the national economy.
This is a clear indication that culture and the creative industries are an important potential source of jobs, enterprise and economic opportunity.
Supporting the creative economy is therefore an important part of the MBDA’s work.
Our approach is based on the understanding that a successful city needs to create economic opportunities, while making the most of the things that already exist within its infrastructure, culture and people.
The contemporary Route 67 on the Donkin is one of the clearest examples of this approach.
Developed around Nelson Mandela’s 67 years of political life, the route brings together 67 public artworks, most created by artists from the Eastern Cape.
We have recently undertaken repairs to selected Route 67 installations, restoring damaged plaques and wayfinding markers, and attending to benches on site that were affected by weather and vandalism.
The same thinking is behind the recent murals along Steve Biko Street, formerly Strand Street.
The first phase of this public art project features 10 portraits celebrating people who have helped shape the political and cultural history of Nelson Mandela Bay.
They include Steve Biko, Athol Fugard, Nomhle Nkonyeni, Patrick Pasha and Feya Faku.
These murals bring important local stories into a space where people encounter them as part of their daily journeys.
Decisions about heritage are never straightforward.
The buildings, monuments and public figures that are preserved and celebrated say something about how we understand our past and raise questions about whose stories we tell.
This is an important conversation for Nelson Mandela Bay.
We have to be willing to engage with our history honestly, while making room for a fuller account of the experiences that have shaped our city.
What encourages me most is seeing how these different initiatives can reinforce one another.
A film festival can create opportunities for young filmmakers and strengthen a local industry.
A film hub can provide the support and connections needed to turn talent into sustainable careers.
Public art can make our streets more interesting and accessible while giving local artists a platform.
Heritage projects can help residents and visitors understand the people and places that have shaped Nelson Mandela Bay.
Properly supported and brought into the life of the city, arts, culture and heritage can help create new opportunities that give Nelson Mandela Bay an identity that is both distinctive and that looks toward the future.
Luvuyo Bangazi, corporate services executive at the Mandela Bay Development Agency
Luvuyo Bangazi
theherald.co.za