The Science Film Festival in South Africa, in collaboration with the Goethe-Institut South Africa, Play Africa, VIAD at the University of Johannesburg, Iziko National Museum of Natural Science in Cape Town, and AFDA film school in Johannesburg, hosted a series of events from October to December 2023. These partnerships facilitated various activities, including film screenings and hands-on activities, aimed at diverse age groups:
Play Africa Collaboration: Highlighted by the SFF Family Day on 28 October with 80 visitors, offering a children’s program of films, scientific experiments, and activities. It also included 18 sessions for 541 children across 9 partner schools/organizations, managed by 62 adults/educators.
Iziko Museum Collaboration: Organized three film screenings tied to Geodiversity Day, World Jellyfish Day, and World Soil Day within the museum’s facilities, with attendance numbers pending confirmation.
AFDA (School for the Creative Economy) Collaboration: Hosted two film screenings at AFDA Johannesburg, which saw limited participation due to coinciding final exams and project deadlines for students, reaching only 10 individuals. This suggests a need for reevaluation of the collaboration or timing.
VIAD (Visual Identities in Art and Design Research Centre of the University of Johannesburg) Collaboration: Featured the event “Intra-actions #4: the Poetry and Politics of Rot” on 29 November, combining an artistic film and a science film to foster dialogue between arts and science, attracting 35 guests.
The festival’s diverse program engaged participants in scientific exploration through film and activities, though some collaborations faced challenges in timing and audience engagement. In total, the Science Film Festival in South Africa reached 586 viewers in 2023.
