God’s Work, the uncompromising South African feature directed by Michael James, has been selected to screen at the eighth edition of the Joburg Film Festival (JFF), which takes place in Sandton from 3 to 8 March.
Set within an abandoned inner-city building in Durban, the critically acclaimed film confronts homelessness – not as abstraction, but as lived economic exclusion.
‘God’s Work’: ‘Masterpiece of integrity’
Lauded as a “masterpiece of integrity” that blends docu-fiction with raw, emotional storytelling, one can’t help but recall the horrors exposed by the tragic Usindiso building fire, which claimed 77 lives in August 2023.
The Citizen previously reported on the alleged arsonist, Sithembiso Mdlalose, labelling the hijacked building in Johannesburg’s CBD a “slaughterhouse” of dead bodies.
The 31-year-old shared the grim details of how he had beaten and choked a resident of the hijacked building to death while high on drugs at the behest of a Tanzanian drug lord.
Pushed beyond society’s margins
In God’s Work, drug addiction, alongside hunger, fractured memory and systemic neglect, shapes the interior and exterior worlds of five men pushed beyond society’s margins.
Stark social realities collide with surreal psychological landscapes, creating a film that resists easy categorisation.
‘Marvel in cinematography’ – Ismail Mohamed
Director of the Centre for Creative Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), Ismail Mohamed, wrote in his review of the film:
“God’s Work goes far beyond being another attempt to raise our awareness about the complexities of homelessness.
“The film is a masterpiece in its artistry and authentic in its integrity. It is a marvel in its cinematography, meditative with its musical score and hypnotically creative about how it draws you into both the dangerous world and the fragmented lives of the men.
“The film is a celebration of how five men, discarded by society, cling on to human dignity to piece their lives together for themselves and for each other.”
Docu-fiction: ‘God’s Work’ embraces hybrid cinematic language
God’s Work embraces a hybrid cinematic language – blending documentary textures, staged encounters, archival material and symbolic imagery – to question how cinema frames lives that exist outside systems of access and visibility.
“South Africa’s deepening social fractures are no longer peripheral,” said producer Sithabile Mkhize.
“People are being steadily removed from opportunity, recognition and support. God’s Work offers a direct encounter with these realities.”
Stories of the homeless
Director Michael James describes the film as an act of bearing witness.
“This film is ultimately an exercise in empathy. Cinema allows us to dismantle distance – to attempt to see one another without mediation or judgment.”
James wrote God’s Work after he spent time volunteering at the Denis Hurley Centre (DHC) during the Covid-19 lockdown.
The filmmaker said he was so inspired by the stories of homeless men living there that he committed to turning their experiences into a movie.
Some of the homeless men appear as extras in God’s Work, while others served as paid consultants during filming.
The movie features emotionally grounded performances from talented actors Thobani Nzuza, Mbulelo Radebe, Omega Ncube, Siya Xaba, Zenzo Msomi and Nduduzo Kholwa.
Radebe’s character sums up the plight of homeless people in South Africa.
“When you’re on the streets, people look through you. I’m tired of being invisible.”
Cinematography by Jared Hinde captures the textured physicality of the setting, while George Acogny’s haunting score deepens the psychological and emotional tension of the narrative.
WATCH: ‘God’s Work’ trailer
God’s Work is produced by Maverick Entertainment, Amafrika Films and Mojo Entertainment, with support from the KZN Film and Tourism Authority, the Durban Film Office and the National Film and Television Foundation.
- God’s Work screens Sunday, 8 March at 5pm at Artistry, 22 Fredman Drive, Sandown, Sandton. The screening will be preceded by a Q&A session at 4.15pm. Tickets cost R120 and are available through Webtickets.
Joburg Film Festival 2026: ‘Feel the Frame’
Entering its 8th edition, the Joburg Film Festival continues to champion African and global cinema.
Under the theme “Feel the Frame”, the festival celebrates bold storytelling, exceptional talent, and filmmaking excellence. Beyond screenings, the festival culminates in a glitzy awards ceremony, where outstanding filmmakers are honoured with the Nguni Horn – a powerful symbol of strength, heritage, and excellence in African storytelling.
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