Ernest Cole documentary opens Joburg film fest

The 7th edition of the Joburg Film Festival (JFF) is opening next week with the world premiere of a fascinating documentary, Ernest Cole: Lost and Found.

The documentary tells of the life and work of one of South Africa’s most prominent and pioneering photographers, Ernest Cole. During a time when photography was not recognised as a tool for social change, Cole took it upon himself to document the brutal realities of the apartheid era.

Cole’s images reveal unseen struggles of ordinary people under the oppressive regime. Today, his photographs are considered some of the most important and poignant visual records of the time.

A selection of Ernest Cole’s images is on display at the Goodman Gallery in Cape Town. Part of the collection, once hidden in a bank vault in Sweden, has been returned to Cole’s family. However, the identity of whoever covered its storage remains unknown.

Lost and Found is directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Raoul Peck. He is known for Lumumba, which explores the life of Patrice Emery Lumumba, and I Am Not Your Negro, chronicling the legacy of James Baldwin. Peck is attending JFF this year.

The film premiered globally at the Cannes Film Festival in France and won the award for Best Documentary.

The evening is a tribute to both the remarkable life of Ernest Cole and the profound impact of storytelling, as seen through the lens of one of cinema’s most renowned directors.

“This feature explores not only Cole’s incredible body of work but also his tragic and untimely death whilst in exile at the age of 49,” says Nhlanhla Ndaba, curator of the JFF.

“With exclusive access to his photos and a profound exploration of his legacy, this documentary serves as a long-awaited homecoming for a man whose dream was always to return to South Africa.”

The festival, held in partnership MultiChoice, is taking place from 11 to 16 March 2025. It will feature 28 African premieres – spanning fiction and non-fiction genres – and 12 world premieres, including two SA features. The JFF 2025 is spotlighting student films from institutions like AFDA, TUT, UCT, and Wits.

This year’s theme is The Golden Thread, which celebrates the shared experiences and emotions that unite people through the art of storytelling. The festival is showcasing over 100 films from around the world.

Titles confirmed for this year include:

• Bos: A post-apocalyptic thriller set in a future SA, where society is left in ruins, and survivors are forced to confront moral dilemmas and fight for their very survival.
• The Man Died: An autobiographical film based on the powerful prison memoir of Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka. It tells the emotional story of his imprisonment without trial by a ruthless military regime intent on silencing his voice, offering a poignant portrayal of his resilience and defiance in the face of oppression.
• Happy – The True Story of Happy Sindane: A world premiere that tells the moving story of a teenage white boy, raised by a Black family, who embarks on a search for his biological white parents. 
• Old Righteous Blues: SA’s Oscar submission will take centre stage as it represents the nation on the world’s biggest awards platform.
• The Last Ranger: An Oscar-nominee and another festival highlight, this powerful film is in contention for one of the most prestigious international accolades, reinforcing the strength of African storytelling on a global scale.

* To view the full list of films on the Joburg Film Festival, visit the website here.