The Cape Town Recovery Film Festival returns for its 5th year, continuing its focus on films exploring themes of addiction, mental health issues and recovery.
The festival is taking place at the Labia theatre in Orange Street, Cape Town, from Friday September 22 to Monday September 25.
The festival, which has once again partnered with the South African College of Applied Psychology (SACAP), is part of the International Recovery Month initiative.
“Every one knows someone who is negatively effected by substance abuse, whether alcohol or drugs. Process addictions such as sex, gambling, eating problems, gaming and technology are seemingly increasing and the prevalence of stress, depression and other mental health issues across society are hard to deny. The problems are all too evident, and the impacts on every level of society all too obvious. However, the solutions are too seldom celebrated,” says festival organiser, Dougie Dudgeon.
“The Recovery Film Festival can help people understand addiction, and recovery, so we welcome those in recovery, family, friends, health care professionals, carers of all types, policy makers, law enforcement, and most of all anyone who likes good films.”
The festival opens with multi-award winner, The Peacemaker on Friday September 22, at 6.15pm.
The film’s subject, Professor Padraig O’Malley, has strong links with South Africa.
He famously brought both sides in the Irish peace process to Arniston in the Western Cape to a conference hosted by Nelson Mandela in the lead up to the historic Good Friday Agreement which finally brought peace and reconciliation to Northern Ireland.
Prof O’Malley was a long term alcoholic who established his recovery in South Africa and used the tools he learnt for personal recovery into his international peacekeeping work.
Tickets for the festival cost R50. Book through Webtickets.
The full programme can be found at https://southafricanrecoveryfilmfestival.com/cape-town/
The Cape Town Recovery Walk will take place on Monday September 25, which is a public holiday. Meet at the Central Methodist Mission in Green Market Square, corner of Burg and Longmarket streets, from 10.30am.
The walkers will proceed to the Labia Theatre where there will be a free screening of Brought up by Booze, courtesy of the Cape Town Recovery Film Festival, at 12.45pm.
Visist www.recoverywalkcpt.co.za for more information.
