AviJozi ‘25: A Pool of Local Talent and Creatives All In One Place

All images: Courtesey of @avijozi

Connecting passionate creators, storytellers, and individuals together, AviJozi is the go-to place for all things film, animation, gaming and immersive media. Partnering with Chocolate Tribe, AviJozi hosted their 4th annual youth event this year in Johannesburg. Taglined ‘Where Creativity Meets Technology’, the festival was jam-packed with industry talks, portfolio showcasings, panel discussions and stalls.

A toolkit of local talent, AviJozi is a celebration that pools together creatives from across the continent for a weekend of culture, music and insight. If you’re a creator, trying to get in on the industry and get your work out there, AviJozi is the perfect place to share your content and gain a response.

The ‘Show Us Your Reel’ segment was a live session from industry experts of young professionals, providing them with feedback on their style and portfolio. Animation studios like Cabblow Studios were also on site, exhibiting their latest in-house animation series, Rorisang & The Gurlz. Other institutions such as AFDA, The Animation School and Wits’ Digital Arts, were all set up in booths, highlighting their academic courses in the fields of tech, film and animation.

Some of the note-worthy speakers in attendance at this year’s event were Ayana Sithebe and Bonginkosi Khoza, SAFTA Winners, Leo Silly-Pelissier, Oscar-winning animation director, and Karabo Lediga, writer and director of Amazon Prime’s Sabbatical. Karabo Lediga’s talk not only deeply resonated with the audience but grasped onto the baffling topic of what it means to grow up South African. Leo Silly-Pelissier and a panel of animation experts, such as Jenna Gien and Nompi Vilakazi, wrestled with the question, ‘can animation be produced sustainably?’

Alongside the top-notch speakers and attendees were some of the coolest local gaming studios. The ‘Game Expo’, an area for video games, showcasing gaming studios included SpaceSalad Studios, Vetkoek Studios, Disputed Games, Third Eye Games, Digitalkebulan, Four Old Men and SafeDollar Studios. ‘Disputed Games’ displayed their latest releases, such as Super Diski FC, a mobile football puzzle game available on Google Play. ‘SafeDollar Studios’, an indie studio composed of university students, displayed a few of their anticipated prototypes like Sky Isles and The Running Man.

VetKoek Studios geared up the crowd with their fabulous release, Taxi Ranked. SpaceSalad Studios took center stage, hosting esports tournaments including their flagship Hotbunz competition. The event also featured a game jam, opening the floor to students and young professionals eager to showcase their creativity

Between the workshops, masterclasses and panel discussions, there was so much to gain about Africa’s growing video gaming and entertainment industry. Learning from some of the best in SA, AviJozi is an informative and authentic space that allows you to connect with a rainbow of creatives in a fun and non-corporate setting.