Tourism
76 Hours in Soweto | Day 1: Biyo Festival
A full-day, multivenue film takeover across Soweto’s rawest arts and culture spaces, each spot curated with its own vibe so you have to mission, explore and discover. From hall to gallery to backroom cinema, Biyo turns the township into one big screen.
On show: films that hit hard on June 16, community struggle, everyday organising and human injustice, followed by unapologetic Q&As with directors, thinkers and cultural troublemakers for those who want to go deeper. Every venue layers in local sound, live performance and visual art to turn each screening into a full-blown cultural experience, not just another sit-down movie night.
Event Details
SATURDAY,
13 JUNE 2026
11:00AM to 9:00PM
113 Machaba Street, Mofolo Central, Johannesburg, 1810, South Africa
Age Restrictions:
All ages allowed
Cost:
Free
Location
113 Machaba Street, Mofolo Central, Johannesburg, 1810, South Africa
First Screening | Eyethu Heritage Hall
Perched on the first floor of Eyethu Shopping Centre, the historic Eyethu Cinema – reborn as Eyethu Heritage Hall - was founded in 1969 by Ephraim Batana and Caroline Kinini Tshabalala, and still runs as a proud family operation. One of South Africa’s first black-owned cinemas, it was never just a movie house; it was a nerve centre of black excellence, township storytelling and cultural pride when that kind of dream was meant to be impossible.
Step inside today and the walls talk. A bright, youthful space threads dug up newspaper archives, bold exhibits and music posters into a living timeline, grounding every legend in evidence while celebrating Eyethu’s impact on Soweto’s community, culture and sound.
Screening details
- Saturday, 13 June 2026
- 113 Machaba Street, Mofolo Central, Soweto
- 11h00 to 13h30
Screening: "Beyond Forgiveness" (2013, 28 min) A profound documentary following Ginn Fourie and Letlapa Mphahlele on a true journey of healing and reconciliation in post-apartheid South Africa. A story of tragedy, forgiveness and hope.
We open with the screening of "Beyond Forgiveness", a powerful 28-minute documentary that follows Ginn Fourie and Letlapa Mphahlele on a remarkable real-life journey through tragedy, forgiveness and healing in post-apartheid South Africa. A story that will move you, challenge you, and stay with you long after the credits roll.
The screening will be followed by a live conversation with two of South Africa's most compelling voices:
- Leslie Dikeni - activist, public intellectual and author of the groundbreaking new book Music, Agency and Power, which explores jazz as a site of political struggle and human agency.
- Zulaikha Patel - anti-racism activist, author and founder of Dare To Change, whose fearless advocacy has inspired a generation to stand up, speak out and imagine a more just South Africa.
Together, they will reflect on the film's themes and what reconciliation, resistance and healing mean for South Africa today.
Second screening | Soweto Gallery
Tucked inside what looks like an ordinary redbrick four-room “matchbox” house in Orlando West, Soweto Gallery hits you with a sharp mix of heritage shell and contemporary swagger the moment you step through the door. It’s a township-born space where creativity, culture and community live under one roof, pulling in locals and visitors from across the world.
Inside, the gallery is a live celebration of Soweto hustle – art, storytelling, entrepreneurship and tourism colliding in one charged room. Young and established creatives meet here to swap ideas, build collabs and push the future of the creative industries, while local artists use the space to put their work in front of global eyes and plug into the wider creative economy.
Screening details
- Saturday, 13 June 2026
- 7533 Maseko Street, Orlando West, Soweto
- 14h00 to 17h30
- Screening: "Ubani Lore?" (2025, 10 min) A wildly original South African surrealist comedy, three odd friends on a bizarre quest for a book that doesn't exist. Celebrated for its grassroots storytelling and national community tour.
Third screening | Native Rebels
On the ground floor of Makhetha Shopping Centre, Native Rebels breathes new life into the old Roots Restaurant and Gallery – and if you knew it back then, you’ll recognise the reclaimed wood furniture and Tyrolean-style bar still anchoring the room. The spot keeps its original charm but now leans even harder into that “everyone’s welcome” energy: a laidback eatery and bar serving global flavours with a sharp Soweto soul.
Look around and the attitude is everywhere – a bookshelf shaped like a human head, 70s protest posters, Tshepiso Seleke photographs, trailing plants and unapologetic Jägermeister merch scattered through the space. Inside feels like an Austrian ski lodge crashed into a Joburg lounge, while the outdoor deck could easily belong on a busy Durban strip, making it the perfect base for a film night with serious character.
Screening details
- Saturday, 13 June 2026
- 1345 Kadebe Street, Central Western Jabavu, Soweto
- 18h00 to 21h00
- Screening: Closing Ceremony - Philani Brown Retrospective
The closing ceremony celebrates an established filmmaker whose journey can inspire young storytellers — a reminder that beginnings don't define the future. Through screenings, conversation and reflection, Philani Brown traces the evolution of his voice from early shorts to a bold, celebrated body of work.
76 Hours in Soweto
As South Africa gets ready to mark 50 years since the Soweto Uprising, Jozi My Jozi together with locals, hustling tourism operators and small businesses is putting 76 Hours in Soweto on the map, not on a pedestal. From 13–16 June 2026, this four‑day takeover honours 16 June 1976 while opening real, cash‑in‑hand opportunities for the people who live here.