FESTIVAL PROGRAM
VISUAL CONVERSATIONS FILM FESTIVAL
19 March '25 | 14h00
VISUAL CONVERSATIONS presented in partnership with Open Window Institute, is a selection of five short films and two feature films that will be screened at the lovely new 130-seater Wilge Theatre in Pretoria.
The programme consists of a super fresh selection of emerging and established filmmaking voices, ranging from incisive documentary to an array of fictional explorations, and covering a very wide range of lived experiences. All of the films have been selected for their ability to spark “visual conversations”.
A panel of moving image specialists (including the makers of some of the films in the programme) will also be present, to facilitate a discussion about the role and possibilities of moving images in South African society, and the evening will end with a Q&A which includes the chance for audience members to participate. The programme is curated by Jaco van der Merwe, HOD of Film Arts at Open Window Institute.
THEATRE DRAMA: WOLF WOLF HOE LAAT IS DIT?
20 March '25 | 19h30
…etenstyd? Of tyd om die skottelgoedwasser te pak? Tyd om swanger te raak? Of tyd om Durbanville toe te ry? Dalk net tyd om stil te bly.
Na 'n vertoning van die 1962 toneelstuk ‘Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf’, kom Johann en Michelle tuis. Beide bietjie suur van teveel wyn en klein-praatjies maak. Die gewig van die stilte in die kar-rit huistoe kom sit tussen hulle op die bank. Johann is moedswillig en Michelle krapperig, hulle moet eers ‘n paar goed uitstryk voor hulle in die bed kan klim, maar hoe meer hulle probeer stryk hoe meer plooie begin wys…
‘n Nuwe donker-drama-komedie uit die pen van Emile Hager met Lana Scott en Emile Hager in die rolle van Michelle en Johann en regie deur Lana Scott.
KLYNTJI PARTY+KIE 2.0
21 March '25 | 12h00
The first Klyntji Party+kie was held in Joburg in 2023, followed by the Klyntji Piekniek in Cape Town in 2024. Klyntji Party+kie 2.0, in collaboration with Wêreld, will take place at Railways Cafe.
The event features a diverse line-up of incredible musicians and poets from all over South Africa, including:
Lynthia Julius (Northern Cape)
Jaco van der Merwe (Gauteng)
Hendriek Bleik (North West)
Modise Sekgothe (Gauteng)
Dierbaar (Western Cape)
Busisiwe Mahlangu (Gauteng)
Fabel (Western Cape)
Louwrens Ferreira (Gauteng)
There will also be a group of writers who will read texts that they have contributed to recent editions of the Ons Klyntji zine:
Nicole Thackwray
Sello Huma
Andre Kluyts
Estee Oosthuizen
Mariska Bolleurs
Almerie Kirsten
THEATRE DRAMA: WOLF WOLF HOE LAAT IS DIT?
21 March '25 | 19h30
…etenstyd? Of tyd om die skottelgoedwasser te pak? Tyd om swanger te raak? Of tyd om Durbanville toe te ry? Dalk net tyd om stil te bly.
Na 'n vertoning van die 1962 toneelstuk ‘Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf’, kom Johann en Michelle tuis. Beide bietjie suur van teveel wyn en klein-praatjies maak. Die gewig van die stilte in die kar-rit huistoe kom sit tussen hulle op die bank. Johann is moedswillig en Michelle krapperig, hulle moet eers ‘n paar goed uitstryk voor hulle in die bed kan klim, maar hoe meer hulle probeer stryk hoe meer plooie begin wys…
‘n Nuwe donker-drama-komedie uit die pen van Emile Hager met Lana Scott en Emile Hager in die rolle van Michelle en Johann en regie deur Lana Scott.
INNER-CITY HISTORICAL WALK
22 March '25 | 09h30
At this year’s Mogale Festival, led by Jaco Bothma, a city walk through Pretoria's CBD offers an immersive journey into the heart of Tshwane’s past and present. This walk goes beyond just the architecture, delving into the city's transformation under five different governments over the past 150 years. Participants will explore how spaces evolved politically, socially, and culturally, uncovering lost historical landmarks that once defined Pretoria. From colonial structures to apartheid-era buildings, the walk highlights what has been erased or altered in the urban landscape, providing a powerful reflection on the changing identity of the city through time.
THE ARTISTS
ADRIAAN DE LA REY
I am an award-winning filmmaker, lecturer, and artist passionate about exploring philosophical questions and visual poetics in filmmaking. For over ten years, I have made short films, documentaries, and curated programs for festivals including Stellenbosch Woordfees, AVIFF (Cannes), and the Absa KKNK.
My films, such as Raw/Rou, engage deeply with themes of memory, history and identity, using the long take to reveal the often overlooked nuances of place and time within South Africa’s rural spaces. This approach is both poetic and theoretically grounded, engaging with time as a living force within the frame.
Currently, I lecture film and television at Open Window Stellenbosch, where I guide students in understanding both the theoretical and technical aspects of film. I encourage students to use film as a medium for personal expression and critical inquiry, helping them find their own voices in a local and global context.
BUSISIWE MAHLANGU
Busisiwe Mahlangu is the author of Surviving Loss, a poetry collection adapted for theatre. She was awarded the Inaugural SA National Poetry Prize (New Contrast, 2020). Her work is longlisted for the Sol Plaatje European Union Poetry Award and has been published in Atlanta Review, 20.35 Africa, Yesterdays and Imagining Realities, Flow (Fic Sci 01), Wild Imperfections, and elsewhere. Mahlangu was a writing fellow at the Johannesburg Institute of Advanced Studies (University of Johannesburg, 2022) and is a graduate of the International Writing Program (University of Iowa 2023). She holds a BA in Creative writing from Unisa. She publishes and shares her work at busimahlangu.com
JACO BOTHMA
Jaco moved to Pretoria from Limpopo in 2009 and has spent over a decade exploring the streets of Pretoria's CBD. Through extensive research and firsthand exploration, he has meticulously mapped the area, gaining in-depth knowledge of its history, culture, and hidden gems. Since then, he has been offering custom tours on a volunteer basis, sharing his insights and passion for the city with others. In addition to his explorations, Jaco has been collecting historical publications and footage of Pretoria, delving deeper into not just the urban landscape itself but also how it has been infused with meaning and identity throughout its history.
LYNTHIA JULIUS
Lynthia Julius was born in Springbok and grew up in Kimberley. She holds a MA degree in Creative Writing from the University of the Free State. She has published two poetry anthologies, Uit die Kroes (2020) and Kinderlê (2024). Uit die Kroes won the Sala Award for first time published author. She received the Jan Rabie and Marjorie Wallace- bursary in 2024. She lectures Creative Writing at Sol Plaatje University.
NICOLE THACKWRAY
Nicole Thackwray is a writer, teacher, and multidisciplinary artist. She is currently teaching young African creatives about the importance of art history, mirror-neurons, and three-point lighting, among other things. She is a recent recipient of a National Poetry Prize and her work has been published widely in South Africa and (less widely) in America. She lives in Gauteng with her tiny dog and not-so-tiny library.
RUSSELL GRANT
Russell Grant is the co-founder and owner of The Bioscope Independent Cinema in Johannesburg, which has been operating for 15 years. He is also the host of the multi-award winning The Video Store Podcast, which focuses on international and local film and television media. He also plays bass for Shortstraw.
TANA PISTORIOUS
Tana Pistorius is a filmmaker and creative producer passionate about pushing boundaries in storytelling. With a focus on experimental and culturally-driven narratives, Tana's work explores the intersections of Afrikaans cinema, trauma and queerness.
ALMI K SMITH
Almi has been involved with informal poetry since 2012. She was part of the group Volkspeler as contributing lyrisist and vocalist, under the stage name Wiekie Vega to, the late Johan Jack Smith. performing at amongst others, the Snowflake theatre in NW, the Freestate arts festival in Bloemfontein and the poetry initiative, Dowe Digters. She lives between Randburg and her farm in Limpopo where she spends most of her time with her 2 Belgian Malinois, her son and her many other animals.
DIERBAAR
Dierbaar is an alternative Afrikaans three-piece from Stellenbosch. They aim to demystify and remystify life through the lens of the alternative Afrikaans youth.
EMILE HAGER
Trained as a classical singer from the age of 9, Emile Hager transitioned into Performing Arts, graduating with a Drama degree from the University of Pretoria in 2010. After launching his career as an actor, he discovered a passion for writing, partly to create more roles for himself. His breakthrough came with Knysna (2014), a feature film in which he played a starring role, achieving box office success. Since then, Emile has built an extensive writing portfolio across various genres. In 2023, he released his first single, writing the lyrics and singing the lead vocal. A familiar face in local television and cinema, Emile continues to pursue writing projects that allow him to blend his dual talents as an actor and writer.
JACO VAN DER MERWE
Jaco van der Merwe has performed original audiovisual creations since 1998, as lyricist, vocalist, instrumentalist, poet and songwriter, winning two SAMAs (South African Music Awards) for Best Alternative Albums in 2011 & 2015 with his electro rap band Bittereinder. Jaco is currently Head Of School at Open Window Film Arts, with a Masters degree in Audiovisual Communication (cum laude) from UJ. Creative Director of the Pendoring Awards in 2022 and 2023. Film festival coordinator of Woordfees Film Festival in 2023 and 2024. Many other multidisciplinary and collaborative projects as filmmaker, lecturer, workshop-host, presenter, director,
editor, curator, always seeking to empower others on their creative journeys.
Founded a South African spoken word collective called WALKIE TALKIE in 2013. Founded an artist collective which has evolved into a platform for multi-disciplinary creative projects called WERELD in 2015: www.instagram.com/wereld_sa
MARISKA BOLLEURS
After completing her BA degree in Language and Literature Studies, Mariska obtained her Honours degree in Afrikaans Literature from North-West University. Her research focused on Instagram poetry as a rising subgenre of poetry and a rebellious teenager of literature. During her studies, she dabbled as an amateur journalist and translator, Aardklop reviewer, as well as co-editor of a poetry and short story anthology. In 2023, she worked in Pieter Odendaal’s team to bring the BUA! Poetry Slams to North-West University for the first time. She currently lives in Pretoria, working as a coordinator of student affairs, and writes in between her grown-up responsibilities.
SELLO HUMA
Sello Huma is a spirited and musically inclined Poet from Limpopo.His poems and songs are the books of our ancestors focusing on issues related to African unity, culture, history,futures and justice for people of color.alongside his stage performances, his work can be found in the Japa Fire: Anthology of poems on African & African Diasporic migration UK,Brittle paper,Tampered press,Ons Klyntji,New Coin,Agbowo, Afritondo and elsewhere.He is currently embarking on a Spirited Poetry tour-(A calling from ancestors) which explores the indigenous elements of poetry with modern spoken word.The tour kickstarts on the 22 March at Bridge books in Marshalltown JHB.
ANDRE KLUYTS
André Kluyts is a multifaceted writer whose work explores the interplay between light and darkness, identity, and the beauty of the outsider's perspective. A co-creator of the South African music magazine, NepTunes, in 2009, André wrote stories on numerous local bands, capturing the raw energy and spirit of the alternative music scene at the time. During the same period he played in a rock band, Surrender To Someday, and later created a dark melodic Afrikaans punk project, Vermis Teen Skemer, releasing the EP 'Die Uil Psalms' in 2014.
In 2018, André published his debut novel, Vonken Staal, a high-octane, genre-bending adventure set in a wild, alternative version of South Africa known as Die Republiek. André's short stories 'Hartseer Somer' and 'Plattelandse Possession' were published in Ons Klyntji (2022 and 2024), showcasing his talent for blending gothic aesthetics with existential themes and a touch of humour.
Lately, André has been exploring dark and gothic portrait photography set against a backdrop of hauntingly beautiful natural landscapes, a visual extension of his fascination with the melancholic and the sublime. His work draws audiences toward hidden meanings and to embrace the strange and beautiful interplay of light and shadow.
ST BLUE
ST Blue is an artist from Johannesburg
which blends poetry, artworks and performance to express the depths of the human experience. With published works and a presence in the South African spoken word scene, ST's poetry is both personal and universal. As an artist, ST's live artwork reflects the same intensity and sensitivity found in her writing. Through her craft, ST aims to inspire, provoke and uplift, always pushing the boundaries of creative expression.
LANA SCOTT
Lana Scott is an accomplished performer whose versatile talent has captivated audiences across stage and screen. With her magnetic presence and nuanced performance style, Lana has built a distinguished career that showcases her exceptional range and artistic vision. Recent performances have included stage shows, television series, short form digital media.
Classically trained and educated at the University of Stellenbosch, Lana now takes on the dual role of director and performer yet again in her latest theatrical venture, "Wolf wolf, hoe laat is dit?" written by Emile Haager, bringing her unique perspective and creative experience to this exciting new production.
Throughout her career, Lana has demonstrated a commitment to projects that challenge conventional storytelling, earning critical acclaim for her ability to bring complex characters to life. Her work is characterised by meticulous attention to detail and a passion for collaborative artistic expression.
FABEL
Fabel is a storyteller with a passion for change, whether it is in the Afrikaans music world or in our own country, South Africa. Her mission is to be a voice for South African women, and to say things that are often not shared in a comfortable way around the barbecue. She wants to put the unspoken conversations on the table, which affect the human experience, not only in African communities, but across all borders. Fabel is a partner in the movement to find ourselves again, to believe in ourselves, to believe in the future, and to believe in the strength of Afrikaans and the Afrikaner community. She believes not only in the power of words, but also in the action that follows when people really start to believe in the change they want to see.
LAYLA SWART
Layla Swart is one of South Africa’s most accomplished film and television producers and editors, celebrated for her ability to craft bold, globally resonant African stories. At 37, she has produced over 10 feature films including critically acclaimed works such as Sew the Winter to My Skin and Knuckle City, both of which were South Africa’s consecutive submissions for the Academy Awards—a historic achievement. As the founder of Yellowbone Entertainment, her work has featured at top-tier festivals including Cannes and TIFF, while her epic series Blood Psalms redefined African fantasy. In 2023, Layla was honored with the 40 Under 40 Award for the entertainment industry, and in 2024, she was recognized by Constitution Hill as one of 30 women who have significantly contributed to transformation during 30 years of democracy in South Africa. In 2025, she was selected for the prestigious EAVE Producers Workshop and is currently in post-production on a highly anticipated Netflix Original thriller. Represented by CAA’s Africa division, Layla continues to champion African narratives, foster new talent, and push the boundaries of the global film industry.
BILLIE BADI
Billie Badi is a director, writer, and producer from Johannesburg. Right after graduating from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, they directed Jenna Bums the Loveseat, alongside their good friend Carter Adkins. The film had its world premiere at the 2020 Garden Route International Film Festival and went on to receive a nomination for best feature screenplay at the 2020 Tampa Bay Underground Film Festival, nominations for best narrative Feature and Best actress at the 2021 Red Dirt Film Festival, and the BFS Bridges Award for Best First Feature from UCLA’s Bruin Film Society.
Their most recent feature, My Cannibal Crush, is currently streaming on Tubi and Amazon Prime in select countries around the world. They run the Joburg Underground Film Festival (formerly SA Underground Film Festival), an event dedicated to showcasing groundbreaking African cinema alongside other great films from around the world.
HENDRIEK BLEIK
Hendriek Bleik, the stage name of Drianco Fourie, is a rising South African musician known for his innovative blend of Afrikaans music with rural post-punk influences. Born and raised in Lichtenburg, he grew up as the son of funeral directors, a background that subtly shapes his artistic perspective. In addition to his music career, he is a skilled graphic designer, bringing a strong visual element to his creative work.
Bleik's music breaks boundaries, infusing Afrikaans sounds with raw emotion and modern energy. His singles, such as Rede Vir My and Reënval (featuring Mike R3ps), showcase his ability to craft deeply atmospheric, genre-defying tracks. His work has gained attention for its unique approach, offering a fresh take on South African alternative music.
With a growing presence on streaming platforms and an expanding fanbase, Hendriek Bleik is poised to make a lasting impact on the Afrikaans music scene.
LOUWRENS FERREIRA
Louwrens Ferreira is a musician and sound artist who traverses the area between electroacoustic and experimental music. His work is rooted in improvisation and minimalist drone, using and array of electronic instruments to craft immersive soundscapes.
MODISE SEKGOTHE
Modise Sekgothe is a writer and performer, interested in the exploration of poetry as it relates to music, theater and visual arts. With a practice driven by cross-genre collaboration and solo exploration, his impulse is to stretch the bounds around how poetry can be written and performed, as well as the contexts within which it can be found. Much of his work is concerned with themes that contemplate the human condition from a spiritual and existential axis, using personal narratives from his own life and the lives of those around him to reflect on the core experiences of love and its entanglement with loss.
Several works have been published in Home Is Where The Mic Is, a performance poetry anthology by Botsotso Publishers. Recently released is an anthology called Race, Revolution and Rapture: Voices Raised For Rights, published by UKZN Press. Modise is also working on a solo collection of poems for print release in 2025.
VINCENT MOLOI
Vincent Moloi is a multi-award-winning filmmaker with an impressive two-decade
tenure within the art, film, and television sectors, where he has consistently delivered pioneering work. He is a member of The Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts Sciences (Oscars). Vincent is currently pursuing his Masters in Fine Art in Film Directing at the South African School of Motion Picture Medium and Live Performance - School of Creative Business (AFDA). In the last few years Vincent showcased an unwavering commitment to advancing his craft and academic prowess giving talks in various Universities; WITS, UJ, UCT & NWU.
Having traversed numerous countries, including Namibia, Nigeria, Lesotho,
Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, America, Denmark, Greece, Germany,
Libya, and the USA, Vincent's global footprint is undeniable. However, his
unparalleled knack for producing independent works sets him apart. Noteworthy is his self-funded great work, the seminal drama series "Tjovitjo," which garnered widespread acclaim, amassing multiple accolades and shattering television viewership records for a weekly drama series.
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