Earl Kopeledi’s Klawerjas Heads to Joburg Film Festival

Earl Kopeledi’s new short film Klawerjas will be screening at the 8th edition of the Joburg Film Festival, shortly after being nominated for Outstanding Emerging Filmmaker at the Directors Guild of South Africa Creative Awards.  

Klawerjas is a Cape Town favourite card game, often played at family gatherings, amongst friends and passed down through generations.  

This film explores a gathering of Old-university friends for a day of cards and catching up. The presence of a younger brother of one of the friends, exposes cracks in relationships while also providing fuel for the conspiracy theories of another. 

Klawerjas stars an ensemble cast that includes 2-time SAFTA winner Jarrid Geduld (Indemnity), Merlin Balie (Arendsvlei), Sherman Pharo (Breekpunt), Damian De Villiers (Tuiskoms), Karlé Briedenhann (Sewe) en Lester Walbrugh (2 Thirds of a Man) 

Earl Kopeledi smartly uses the game as a lens to examine society, power and privilege, while at its core the film celebrates enduring friendships and the safe spaces they create for courageous conversation. 

“I wanted to have fun with this project. The topics of conspiracy, race, culture and intimate relationships can often be seen as off limits for discussion. Art allows us to explore these themes in a safe environment and bring to it a sense of vulnerability and humour’ said director Earl Kopeledi 

Kalwerjas will screened on Saturday 7  March at 12pm at the Forge in Braamfontein. Tickets are available through Webtickets shorturl.at/XICp4 The Joburg Film Festival (JFF) presented by MultiChoice Group, a CANAL+ company, will return for its eighth edition from 3 to 8 March 2026. This year’s edition will run under the theme Feel the Frame