The Juba Film Festival ended on Saturday with an awards ceremony at the Nyakuron Cultural Centre, drawing diplomats, government officials and figures from South Sudan’s film industry.
The annual festival, which also featured European Cinema Days at the Notos Art Centre, showcased films by local and international filmmakers and concluded with prizes recognising achievement across several categories.
Yes, We Can, a documentary highlighting disability as ability, won best script and was named best film of the year. The Plight of the Nomad received the Best Peace Film Award, while Charles Sebit and Gloria won best actor and best actress, respectively.
German Ambassador to South Sudan Gregory Bledjian, the guest of honour, presented the best film award and thanked festival partners, filmmakers and sponsors, including the European Union. He said cinema had the power to reflect society, challenge perspectives and imagine the future.
Presenting the Peace Film Award, Lothar Jaschke, deputy head of mission at the European Union Delegation to South Sudan, said the prize was particularly significant for the EU, which he described as “a peace project.”
“The EU is proud to support the Juba Film Festival,” Jaschke said, noting that the bloc had provided funding and contributed five European films, including co-productions from Burkina Faso, Senegal and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Simon Bingo, managing director of Juba Films Limited, praised filmmakers for documenting South Sudan’s story despite numerous challenges and urged them to promote a more positive image of the country internationally.
“If we don’t tell our own story, nobody else will,” he said.
Central Equatoria State Information Minister Patrick Nyarsuk, himself a filmmaker, commended the German Embassy, the European Union and other sponsors for supporting the creative industry. He encouraged filmmakers to improve production quality, embrace digital platforms and collaborate more widely.
Nyarsuk also said the Equatoria Broadcasting Corporation was now fully operational and invited filmmakers to submit their work for a special programme dedicated to South Sudanese cinema.
As part of the festival, the EU Delegation screened five films during European Cinema Days at the Notos Art Centre, which concluded on Friday with the Maltese film Carmen.
The EU has been a leading partner of the Juba Film Festival for the past six years. The festival is held annually, with films screened across venues in Juba and judged for awards presented at the closing ceremony.