The programme of the 11th European Film Festival has been finalised

The lineup includes two Oscar nominations; the select selection of 14 films presents numerous award winners that cover a wide range of topics under the overarching theme of “Complicated Freedoms”.

Cinema screenings will take place in Johannesburg at Ster Kinekor, The Zone in Rosebank and in Cape Town at The Labia. Eleven of the films will be available in free online streaming throughout South Africa during the festival period.

Click here to see the films…

The festival opens with the Oscar-nominated film by Italian director Matteo Garrone. Io CaptainIt tells the epic journey of two teenagers from Senegal as they travel across Africa in search of a dream called Europe, and is based on real-life accounts of people who have undertaken these arduous modern-day odysseys.

Amidst the numerous dangers of the desert, the sea and hostile gangsters along the way, Io Captain is ultimately a journey of hope and heroism. This film goes beyond the numbers and gives a very human face to the migration issues that continue to pose a tragic challenge to the world, especially to African countries. It raises issues of inequality and racism, but also shows the presence of humanity and compassion in unexpected places.

The Portuguese film Baan Director: Leonor Teles embodies the pensive restlessness of 21st century youth. It's an innate search for freedom and belonging that ultimately becomes a journey of ongoing self-discovery when L. meets the elusive K.

This exploratory and beautifully shot film comes from one of the most promising young filmmakers currently coming out of Portugal – he wrote the screenplay, directed the film and shot the film.

The Swiss film, Blackbird Blackbird Blackberrydirected by Elene Naveriani, is about a 48-year-old woman in a Georgian village who falls passionately in love with a man and is suddenly faced with the decision whether to continue the relationship or continue her independent life.

The film is a powerful statement about ageism, sexual awakening and self-empowerment. Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry was awarded the prize for best film at this year’s Swiss Film Awards.

From Georgia, Citizen Saint is a stunningly filmed black-and-white classic by Tinatin Kajrishvili that tells the story of a mining town where the disappearance of a revered statue of a saint coincides with the arrival of a mysterious stranger.

A series of miracles causes more chaos than good and controversial decisions must be made. This rather satirical film was Georgia's entry for this year's Oscars.

From Germany, the often comedic Die Directed by Matthias Glasner, the dynamics and dysfunctions between the very different members of the Lunies family are revealed: the demented father, the sickly wife, the son who is an orchestra conductor, and the radically hedonistic daughter.

We see that dying is one thing, but living is the real difficulty… Die was awarded Best Film at this year’s German Film Awards.

The Ukrainian film Grey beesdirected by Dmyto Moiseiev, is about the last two remaining residents of a small village in the no man's land between loyalist and separatist forces in the Donbass region in the days before the Russian invasion.

The beekeeper Sergitsch is Ukrainian, Pashka is Russian, and circumstances have brought the two together in a stubborn and sometimes hostile camaraderie. Grey bees is a striking testimony to human solidarity that transcends our differences in times of need.

From Great Britain, kneecap by Rich Peppiatt offers a stirring insight into a hip-hop trio in Belfast who, through rapping in their native Irish, become the unexpected figureheads of a civil rights movement to save their native language.

In this highly original sex, drugs and hip-hop biopic, Kneecap plays themselves and raises a global rallying cry in defense of indigenous cultures. The film won the coveted Audience Award at Sundance this year.

From Belgium, Love according to Dalvadirected by Emmanuelle Nicot, is a beautiful portrait of friendship, recovery and identity through the story of a young girl's childhood sexual abuse.

Nicot's poignant film explores the consequences of abuse with deep sensitivity and grace in Dalva's journey to reconstruction and hope. This film deals with a highly sensitive subject, but one that is relevant in South Africa, where child abuse is very common. The film won a remarkable seven awards at Belgium's Magritte Awards, including Best Film.

From the Netherlands, Sweet dreamsdirected by Ena Sendijarević, is a bold story about the delicious downfall of colonialism on a remote Indonesian island. In a satirical and sometimes surreal tone, personal ambitions play out against a backdrop of workers' uprisings, lust and deep intrigue.

Winner of the award for best film in the Netherlands, Sweet dreams was also this country’s contribution to this year’s Oscars.

In Spanish film Vice versa Directed by Jonás Trueba, a filmmaker couple decide to split up and come up with the idea of ​​throwing a party to celebrate the breakup. It's a very contemporary comedy-drama that draws funny and highly believable performances from the cast and offers insightful insights into how relationships work… or don't.

From Poland, The farmersdirected by Dorota Kobiela Welchman and Hugh Welchman, is a comic, tragic and thoughtful story about a woman's longing for independence in a 19th-century Polish village.

Full of ornamental songs and enchanting dances, the performances are meticulously painted, frame by frame, by more than 100 oil painters, in a unique form of animation reminiscent of the film. Love Vincentby the same director couple. This film was Poland's entry for this year's Oscars.

In Irish film The quiet girlDirected by Colm Bairéad, a young girl is sent from her broken home to live with relatives, where she blossoms over the summer and discovers a new way of life. It is a story about childhood and the transformative power of love and human kindness that is at once genuine and deeply compassionate.

The quiet girl was nominated for an Oscar at the 2023 Academy Awards, making it the first Irish film ever to do so.

From France, The taste of things is directed by Trần Anh Hùng and stars Juliette Binoche and Benoît Magimel.

Set in 19th century France, the film is a touching love story centered around gastronomy that you simply don't find in modern food-themed films and TV series. This sophisticated cinematic masterpiece won the Best Director award at Cannes and was France's nominee for the 2024 Academy Awards.

Women’s stories play a major role in this year’s line-up, especially in the Danish film festival Unruly. Director Malou Reyman's unflinching and sensitive portrayal of young women battling patriarchy and the suppression of their rights in a 1930s women's institution is a deeply personal example of how women's voices cannot be silenced. It is also a powerful reminder that achieving emancipation is an ongoing process even today.

For more information visit www.eurofilmfest.co.za.