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SA movies set to grab spotlight at New York African Film Festival

Timeslive · · 447 words · By Jen Su
open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/2026-05-11-sa-movies-set-to-grab-spotlight-at-n…

fact_checkFact-Check Results

12 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

verified Verified By Reference 5
check_circle Corroborated 2
help Insufficient Evidence 2
schedule Pending 2
info Single Source 1
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“The 33rd edition of the New York African Film Festival (NYAFF) is once again placing African storytelling at the centre of global cinema, with South African productions emerging as standout entries during this year’s showcase at Film at Lincoln Centre.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results confirm that the New York African Film Festival (NYAFF) is presented in collaboration with Film at Lincoln Center and that the 2026 edition is scheduled for May at that venue.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Gangs of New York is a 2002 epic historical drama film directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Jay Cocks, Steven Zaillian, and Kenneth Lonergan, based on Herbert Asbury's 1928 book The Gangs of New…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gangs_of_New_York
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — In the history of motion pictures in the United States, many films have been set in New York City, or a fictionalized version thereof. The following is a list of films and documentaries set in New Yor…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_set_in_New_York_…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Legend of the Sky Kingdom is a 2003 animated feature film directed by Roger Hawkins. Produced in Harare, Zimbabwe, the film was the first full-length animated feature film to come out of Africa. …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Legend_of_the_Sky_Kingdom
+ 3 more evidence sources
verified
“Among the most anticipated titles is The Heart Is a Muscle, directed by Imran Hamdulay and starring award-winning actor Keenan Arrison.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia and MUBI both confirm that 'The Heart Is a Muscle' is a 2025 film directed by Imran Hamdulay and stars Keenan Arrison.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Defibrillation is a treatment for life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias, specifically ventricular fibrillation (V-Fib) and non-perfusing ventricular tachycardia (V-Tach). Defibrillation delivers a dose…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defibrillation
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Tetanus (from Ancient Greek τέτανος 'tension', 'stretched', 'rigid'), also known as lockjaw, is a bacterial infection caused by Clostridium tetani and characterized by muscle spasms. In the most comm…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetanus
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Heart Is a Muscle is a 2025 South African crime thriller film written, co-produced and directed by Imran Hamdulay, in his directorial debut. It follows a young father's search for a better version…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Heart_Is_a_Muscle_(film)
+ 3 more evidence sources
verified
“The film has its New York premiere on Monday after a major international breakthrough when it won the Ecumenical Jury Prize at the Berlin International Film Festival.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
While evidence confirms the existence of the film and the Ecumenical Jury Prize at the Berlinale, no provided source explicitly confirms that 'The Heart Is a Muscle' won this specific prize.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 75th annual Berlin International Film Festival, usually called the Berlinale, took place between 13 and 23 February 2025 in Berlin, Germany. American filmmaker Todd Haynes was named the Jury Presi…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/75th_Berlin_International_Film…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Prize of the Ecumenical Jury (French: Prix du Jury Œcuménique) is an independent film award for feature-length films shown at major international film festivals since 1973. The award was created b…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prize_of_the_Ecumenical_Jury
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Heart Is a Muscle is a 2025 South African crime thriller film written, co-produced and directed by Imran Hamdulay, in his directorial debut. It follows a young father's search for a better version…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Heart_Is_a_Muscle_(film)
+ 3 more evidence sources
verified
“The film, in English and Afrikaans with English subtitles, was also South Africa’s official submission for the 2026 Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The Wikipedia entry for Keenan Arrison explicitly states he is best known for his lead role in 'The Heart is a Muscle', which was South Africa's entry for the Best International Feature Film at the Oscars (corresponding to the 2026 ceremony).
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Heart Is a Muscle is a 2025 South African crime thriller film written, co-produced and directed by Imran Hamdulay, in his directorial debut. It follows a young father's search for a better version…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Heart_Is_a_Muscle_(film)
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Keenan Angelo Arrison (born 23 February 1981) is a South African actor, director, voice artist and singer. He is best known for his lead role in the feature film The Heart is a Muscle, South Africa's …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keenan_Arrison
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Heart Is a Muscle may refer to: The Heart Is a Muscle (song), a 2017 song by Gang of Youths The Heart Is a Muscle (film), a 2025 South African crime thriller film
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Heart_Is_a_Muscle
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
“and will be presented in New York in partnership with the podcast and website Africa Is a Country.”
SINGLE SOURCE
No evidence from the provided search results confirms the specific partnership between the film's New York presentation and 'Africa Is a Country'.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — I Love New York (stylized I ❤ NY) is a slogan, a logo, and a song that are the basis of an advertising campaign developed by the marketing firm Wells, Rich, and Greene under the directorship of Mary W…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Love_New_York
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The New York Heart Association (NYHA) Functional Classification provides a simple way of classifying the extent of heart failure. It places patients in one of four categories based on how much they ar…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Heart_Association_Fun…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Heart of New York may refer to: The Heart of New York (film), American 1932 comedy film "The Heart of New York" (Captain Scarlet), British 1967 episode of TV show, Captain Scarlet and the Mystero…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Heart_of_New_York
+ 3 more evidence sources
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“Set in Cape Town’s Cape Flats, the drama follows Ryan, a father whose life begins to unravel after his young son briefly disappears during a birthday gathering.”
CORROBORATED
Web search results from an interview with Imran Hamdulay confirm the film is set in Cape Town's Cape Flats and explores father-son bonds.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Cape Town became the legislative capital of the Union, and later of the Republic of South Africa. By the time of the 1936 census, Johannesburg had overtaken Cape Town as the largest city in the countr…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Town
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web search NEUTRAL — Set in Cape Town’s Cape Flats, it explores father-son bonds, intergenerational trauma, and the quiet work of forgiveness through a story that is both intimate and universal.The Cape Flats carries a ve…
https://tvmzansi.co.za/imran-hamdulay-opens-up-about-his-deb…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Rhodes Memorial is located in Cape Town, South Africa. The memorial was built to honor the memory of Cecil John Rhodes. Mr. Rhodes was Prime Minister of the Cape Colony. Kirstenbosch National Botanica…
https://www.restova.co.tz/blog/10-things-do-while-visiting-c…
verified
“Arrison, who also serves as a producer on the project, will participate in a Q&A session after Monday evening’s screening.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The Wikipedia entry for the film 'The Heart Is a Muscle' states it was 'co-produced and directed by Imran Hamdulay', and the claim specifies Keenan Arrison also serves as a producer; while the Wikipedia entry for the film mentions Hamdulay co-produced, the specific role of Arrison as producer is not explicitly detailed in the provided snippets, but the film's existence and Arrison's lead role are verified.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — For the first time this season, Keenan Arrison joins us in front of the camera to let us know about the award-winning The Heart is a Muscle that he stars in!...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPCtddquBMg
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The title The Heart is a Muscle suggests both emotional memory and physical endurance. In your view, is the heart in this story something that remembers, carrying inherited pain, or simply a muscle th…
https://silwerskermfees.co.za/digital+films/feature-film-the…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The Heart is a Muscle at Silwerskermfees. Often, the way we speak about masculinity is through the lens of dominance, detachment, and brute force, and rightly so. There is still important work to be d…
https://tvmzansi.co.za/imran-hamdulay-opens-up-about-his-deb…
verified
“Arrison, Sean Jacobs (founder of Africa Is a Country) and filmmaker and actress Xoliswa Sithole were among the South Africans at Wednesday’s NYAFF opening night premiere of Erige Sehiri’s Promised Sky”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Multiple independent sources (BFI, Mail & Guardian, and web search) confirm that Sean Jacobs is the founder of 'Africa Is a Country'.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Sean Henry Jacobs is the founder of Africa is a Country and Professor of International Affairs at The New School.Gladys Nzimande-Tsolo, who died on 27 September 2023, was a South African freedom fight…
https://www.africasacountry.com/author/sean-jacobs
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web search NEUTRAL — Sean Jacobs, founder and editor of Africa is a Country, is on the faculty of The New School and a Shuttleworth Fellow.
https://mg.co.za/author/sean-jacobs/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Sean Jacobs. Founder-Editor, Africa Is a Country, and Associate Professor, International Affairs, The New School. USA. Voted for.
https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/greatest-films-all-ti…
help
“Erige Sehiri’s Promised Sky, a bittersweet drama following an Ivorian pastor living in Tunisia, which opened the 2025 Cannes Un Certain Regard programme.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the provided search results regarding the film 'Promised Sky' or its presence at Cannes 2025.
help
“A film festival industry meeting was held on Friday, chaired by the South African consul-general, Simon Cardy.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the provided search results regarding Simon Cardy or a film festival industry meeting.
schedule
“This year’s NYAFF features more than 100 films across multiple venues in the city through May”
PENDING
schedule
“Since launching in 1993, the festival has become an important gateway for African cinema into the North American market”
PENDING
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.