17th OUT IN AFRICA OPENS IN JOBURG

The 17th annual Out in Africa lesbian and gay film festival opened at NuMetro, Hyde Park in Johannesburg, on Thursday night.

The invite-only event was attended by leading members of the city’s LGBT community, filmmakers and celebrities, including openly gay Constitutional Court Judge Edwin Cameron and fashion designer David Tlale.

The festival was opened by Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, a member of the Executive Committee of the Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution (CASAC).

In his speech, Ngcukaitobi spoke about the grave dangers posed by both the pending Protection of Information Bill and proposed Media Tribunal to progressive constitutional freedoms in South Africa.

The audience was then treated to a screening of the Italian film Loose Cannons followed by snacks and drinks.

The festival will be launched in Cape Town on Thursday 21 October by Denis Goldberg, who was sentenced to four life terms at the end of the Rivonia Treason Trial in 1964.

Out in Africa will screen 39 international and South African films during this year’s festival which takes place in Johannesburg (Nu Metro Hyde Park and The Bioscope) until 30 October and in Cape Town (Nu Metro V&A Waterfront and The Foxy Broadway) from 21 October to 7 November.

Visit www.oia.co.za for more details.