about the festival
The Visionaries of Freedom Festival is an annual celebration of film, literature, and cultural activism rooted in the indomitable spirit of African liberation. Held in Graaff-Reinet, the birthplace of Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe, the festival is a homecoming for stories that have long deserved the world’s attention.
What began as a singular day of remembrance; the centenary of Sobukwe’s birth on 5 December 2024 has blossomed into a powerful festival of memory and imagination. That day, in the heart of the Karoo, a seed was planted to honour the past and cultivate the future.
from 5-7 june 2025 we gather to bring these stories to life, together
The festival brings together filmmakers, writers, activists, and audiences to engage with stories that challenge, inspire, and awaken. Through powerful films, thought-provoking panels, hands-on workshops, exhibitions, and cultural performances, we honour the struggle for freedom and reignite it for a new generation.