The opportunity to experience Brett Bailey and Third World Bunfight’s Macbeth is one of the highlights of the vNAF. Bold and boisterous, Verdi’s opera set in a modern-day Democratic Republic of Congo declares its politics with a brash appeal to “make the Congo great again.” A Balkan orchestra and South African cast bring what critics called “a complete integration of music, text, drama, and politics” to an even wider audience than its initial international tour. From across the border comes another musical gem with the VR traditional dance, theatre, science fiction musical film from Botswana, The Cosmic Egg. Hunters follow an unusual ostrich egg to the future with a soundtrack comprising original compositions and opera. Futuristic is what comes to mind when watching choreographer David Middendorp’s Airman. The technological wizardry which allows one dancer and a fleet of drones to perform in scintillating synchronicity is breath-taking. More than a decade of development has allowed this collaboration between man and machine – a neat solution to social distancing in dance performance. As digital exhibitions and festivals become more commonplace the revised curatorial approaches required are discussed by filmmaker, photographer and TMRW gallery curator Brooklyn J Phakathi.

The opportunity to experience Brett Bailey and Third World Bunfight’s Macbeth is one of the highlights of the vNAF. Bold and boisterous, Verdi’s opera set in a modern-day Democratic Republic of Congo declares its politics with a brash appeal to “make the Congo great again.” A Balkan orchestra and South African cast bring what critics called “a complete integration of music, text, drama, and politics” to an even wider audience than its initial international tour. From across the border comes another musical gem with the VR traditional dance, theatre, science fiction musical film from Botswana, The Cosmic Egg. Hunters follow an unusual ostrich egg to the future with a soundtrack comprising original compositions and opera. Futuristic is what comes to mind when watching choreographer David Middendorp’s Airman. The technological wizardry which allows one dancer and a fleet of drones to perform in scintillating synchronicity is breath-taking. More than a decade of development has allowed this collaboration between man and machine – a neat solution to social distancing in dance performance. As digital exhibitions and festivals become more commonplace the revised curatorial approaches required are discussed by filmmaker, photographer and TMRW gallery curator Brooklyn J Phakathi.