JEFFREYS BAY – The Reel Ubuntu Film Festival has marked a significant milestone for young creatives in the Kouga region, providing a platform for emerging filmmakers to showcase their talent and storytelling abilities.
Organised by Galaxy Castings, the festival forms part of the Birthing Tomorrow’s Storytellers (BTS) initiative, a three-day youth film bootcamp aimed at equipping young people with skills in acting, directing and scriptwriting.
The programme resulted in learners from local schools producing their own short films, which were screened during the festival on 20 March at King’s College in Jeffreys Bay.
Assistant Producer of Galaxy Casting, Marshall Geswint, said that the event brought together learners, educators, industry professionals and community members, highlighting the creativity and potential of young storytellers from local schools.
Participating film crews included Bosbok Produksies from Paul Sauer High School in Kareedouw, For All Films from Rainbow Skills Centre in Humansdorp, and Buzzing Productions from Hankey Senior Secondary School.
Additional film crews included Buzzing Productions from Humansdorp Secondary School and Regal Kings Films from King’s College.
Geswint said that the festival has had a meaningful impact on young people and the broader community.
“This event created great vision and inspired dreams in a fresh way. It also highlighted the fact that film production can no longer be overlooked and treated as something not important anymore,” said Geswint.
The programme also featured guest speakers, including Kouga Municipality Councillor Shena Ruth, Willem Oosthuizen from SSK, a well-known agricultural business, and Simon Pienaar, Dean of AFDA, who encouraged learners to pursue their creative ambitions.
An awards ceremony was also held to recognise the efforts and achievements of participating film crews.
Geswint said that the festival is not intended to be a once-off event, but rather the beginning of a growing platform for youth development in the creative industry.
“The Reel Ubuntu Film Festival is something we plan and hope to host again in the future. Our vision is to make the Reel Ubuntu Film Festival an annual event that continues to expand, reaching more schools, creatives and communities across the region,” said Geswint.
He said that future plans include increasing participation from more schools and youth groups, attracting larger sponsors and partners, and introducing workshops, masterclasses and industry speakers to further develop young talent.
Ultimately, Geswint said that the initiative aims to create a sustainable creative ecosystem where stories from local communities are continuously told, celebrated and developed, while opening doors for young filmmakers to enter the industry.
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