Good News

BULLETIN 30 September 

Good afternoon, here is your Good News:

# Imran Hamdulay’s feature debut, The Heart is a Muscle, has been selected as South Africa’s official submission for the Best International Feature Film category at the 98th Academy Awards. The film explores the bonds between fathers and sons and draws on experiences specific to the Cape Flats neighbourhood. The cast includes Keenan Arrison, Melissa de Vries, and Loren Loubser. The film premiered in the Panorama section of Berlin this year, winning the Ecumenical Jury Prize. The Oscars will be held on March 15 next year.

# South Africa’s Emmy Award-winning animator Lesego Vorster is inspiring a new wave of storytellers. He founded the Hidden Hand Studios. With support from the National Video and Film Foundation and the French Institute of South Africa, Vorster’s Kizazi Moto episode You Give Me Heart earned him an Emmy for Character Design. Now an educator at Tshimologong, he is helping Africans access global animation opportunities while showcasing authentic African aesthetics worldwide.

# The 2025 Siyabakhumbula Awards will posthumously recognise a remarkable group of icons whose contributions shaped South Africa’s cultural, sporting, and social landscape. This honourees include poet and writer, Don Mattera, four-time world boxing champion, Jacob “Baby Jake” Matlala, Jazz singer Gloria Bosman, and filmmaker Junald Ahmed. The awards, now in their 15th year, honour those who made remarkable contributions during their lifetimes and have passed, while also celebrating those who continue to make a meaningful impact today. The award ceremony will be at the Gold Rush Dome in Johannesburg on Saturday.

# The Cape Cultural Collective, supported by Artscape, presents its inaugural Sunset Poetry and Jazz Sessions series event, Where Words Meet the Groove. The event will feature 90-minutes of memorable performances, including those by soulful singers, Thami Baba, Babalwa Mentjies and Mel Voegt, and spoken word exponents Eugenia Zantoto, Winslow Schalkwyk and Zizipho Bam. The Mamela band will also perform. The event will take place at the Artscape’s Innovation Lounge in Cape Town this evening.

# And finally: Uber South Africa has launched Women Drivers, allowing female riders to choose female drivers, prioritising safety and empowerment. Drawing on global insights and local testing, the service expands choice for women and creates new earning opportunities for female drivers. The general manager of Uber Sub-Saharan Africa, Deepesh Thomas, says the initiative is integrated with Uber’s safety features and boosts confidence, control, and inclusivity for women.

Stay tuned for more news………….