The founder and Director of the Juba Film Festival, Simon Lokwang better known by the nickname “Bingo”, has been invited to take in the Visitors Programme of the German Foreign Office in Berlin.

This year’s Visitors Programme “Berlinale” will offer the invited guests from 25 countries around the globe an intense insight view on Germany’s cinematographic history up to the current German Film Industry including the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) which is a film festival that takes place every year in Berlin and is regarded as one of the world’s leading film industry events.

 The films that are successful in the competition are awarded “Gold and Silver Bears” by an international jury.

“I am very happy to be invited by the German Foreign Office to have the opportunity to network with other Film Festival directors, producers and cinematographic professionals,” Bingo said at the German Ambassador’s office in Juba on Tuesday.

South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011, and much in the youngest country is still under development. This includes the film industry.

The Juba Film Festival was established in 2016 by South Sudanese filmmaker Simon Bingo. The festival not only provides entertainment, but also encourages local filmmakers to tell traditional tales and showcase the young country’s culture.

The festival also displays how the South Sudanese hope to live in a society that respects people and their rights.