{"id":24296,"date":"2025-10-23T18:44:39","date_gmt":"2025-10-23T16:44:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/?p=24296"},"modified":"2025-10-23T18:44:41","modified_gmt":"2025-10-23T16:44:41","slug":"unmissable-jewel-finding-optel-comes-to-showmax-fresh-from-bfi-london-film-festival","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/blog\/2025\/10\/23\/unmissable-jewel-finding-optel-comes-to-showmax-fresh-from-bfi-london-film-festival\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8220;Unmissable jewel&#8221; Finding Optel comes to Showmax, fresh from BFI London Film Festival"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>Finding Optel<\/em> premieres on Showmax this Friday, 24 October 2025, fresh from its European premiere last weekend at the BFI London Film Festival (LFF), billed by&nbsp;<em>Variety<\/em> as \u201cawards season\u2019s international launch pad.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/showmax.png?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"450\" height=\"159\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/showmax.png?resize=450%2C159&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-20947\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/showmax.png?w=450&amp;ssl=1 450w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/showmax.png?resize=300%2C106&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Teenager Claire Abrahams runs a lost and found service where she locates anything and everything that has been misplaced. When Optel, the community dog, goes missing, Claire must confront her brother\u2019s painful disappearance in order to solve her biggest case yet.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Made as part of the Showmax\u2019s first-time director slate to open up the industry in partnership with Joburg Film Festival, <em>Finding Optel <\/em>is co-directed by 25-year-old Mikayla Joy Brown and her 30-year-old brother Jesse Brown, who were inspired by <em>Am\u00e9lie<\/em>, Wes Anderson and their childhood memories of their grandparents\u2019 home in Montevideo on the Cape Flats.<br \/><br \/>LFF describes <em>Finding Optel<\/em> as \u201cheartwarming \u2026 a quirky detective story that skilfully tackles childhood grief,\u201d while <em>Huisgenoot<\/em> billed it as \u201can unmissable jewel.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Finding Optel<\/em> had its South African premiere at the kykNET Silwerskerm Festival in August, where the whimsical detective story received a standing ovation, a nomination for Paul Guyeu\u2019s cinematography, and the Best Production Design award for Sumaya Wicomb.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mikayla Joy stars as Claire, supported by an all-star cast that includes award winner Oscar Petersen (<em>Joe Barber<\/em>) as her father, SAFTA nominee Zenobia Kloppers (<em>Fiela se Kind<\/em>), Rodney \u201cRotas\u201d Goliath and Sherman Pharo (both <em>Arendsvlei<\/em>), Maurice Carpede and Euodia Samson (both <em>Summertide<\/em>), Elton Landrew (<em>Spinners, Carissa<\/em>), and Omar Adams (<em>Barakat<\/em>, <em>The Umbrella Men<\/em>).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Award winners Quanita Adams and Dominique Jossie produced through Blended Films, which won four Silwerskerm awards last year for <em>Hier.Na<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Finding Optel | Trailer | Showmax Original\" width=\"750\" height=\"422\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/qqsRB5ap4OY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>We caught up with the siblings to find out about their trip to one of the world\u2019s most prestigious film festivals.<br \/><strong><br \/><\/strong><strong>What did it mean to you personally for <\/strong><strong><em>Finding Optel<\/em><\/strong><strong> to be selected for LFF, and to have the festival host you in London?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jesse:<\/em><strong> <\/strong>It\u2019s an incredible privilege to be selected. This is one of the world\u2019s top film festivals and a place we hadn\u2019t imagined seeing so early on in our film careers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The LFF team has been incredibly hospitable and made it clear that our film has a special place in this year\u2019s festival. It\u2019s surreal and beautiful, and a testament to the phenomenal storytelling work of our cast and crew.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We really felt supported and sent by family and friends. The film touches on the importance of community and we were so happy to be living out those themes on our travels. I appreciated the video calls and encouraging messages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Who did you see at the festival that you were already a fan of?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Mikayla Joy: <\/em>Channing Tatum! Jesse and I watched the premiere of his new film, <em>Roofman<\/em>. I didn\u2019t get to meet him personally but it was so cool listening to the director, Derek Cianfrance, and the cast, which included Kirsten Dunst, in person.<br \/><br \/><strong>Who did you meet at the festival that you were a fan of?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jesse: <\/em>I was overjoyed to have met Italian filmmaker Carolina Cavalli, who showcased her second feature film, <em>The Kidnapping of Arabella <\/em>\u2013<em> <\/em>my favourite film experience at the festival. I snapped up the chance to watch it twice and then got to tell her in person that it held up so well on a second viewing. She was very gracious to have a quick chat and she was actually excited to watch\u00a0<em>Finding Optel<\/em> in turn.<br \/><br \/><strong>Tell us about your screening.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jesse: <\/em>We screened our film at the BFI Southbank venue, which seats just over 100 people. The screening had people attending of all ages, which we really appreciated. There were also a number of South Africans, who were grateful to hear some local phrases in a film! We had a lovely Q&amp;A time with host Justin Johnson. The audience were also engaged and had some wonderful questions to ask about the Cape Flats and our use of Afrikaaps.<br \/><br \/><strong>What was the nicest thing anyone said about your film after the screening?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Mikayla Joy<\/em>: One of the audience members is studying film in the UK and she told me that <em>Finding Optel <\/em>is the type of film that she wants to make one day. I was so touched that the film inspired her. That was one of my hopes: that the film would encourage people to create uplifting, whimsical stories. I was even more touched when she asked for my autograph! She and her friends made an \u201cOptel Found\u201d sign and asked me to sign it. It was very sweet.<br \/><br \/><strong>How are you feeling about <em>Finding Optel<\/em> being released on Showmax?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jesse:<\/em> I am so excited to see our film finally finding its home on Showmax. We made this film for families to enjoy together, and now everyone will be able to stream it when it suits them.<br \/><br \/><strong>Why should people here watch <em>Finding Optel <\/em>on Friday? <br \/><\/strong><em>Mikayla Joy<\/em><strong>: <\/strong>It\u2019s a family-friendly film that children, young adults and adults will find entertaining. If you want to start off your weekend with a lekker laugh and a mystery that\u2019ll warm your heart, give <em>Finding Optel<\/em> a watch!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>BONUS QUESTIONS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What were your favourite films at the festival?&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jesse:<\/em> I tried to watch as many films as possible. My favourite film experience this year was <em>The Kidnapping of Arabella<\/em>. <em>Roofman<\/em> was also great fun. On the more serious side, <em>The Voice of Hind Rajab<\/em> was a devastating and important film. It\u2019s a cry for humanity in these polarising times.<br \/><br \/><em>Mikayla Joy: <\/em>My festival favourite would be <em>Roofman<\/em> and <em>The Memory of Princess Mumbi<\/em>. <em>Roofman<\/em> was a fun watch with brilliant performance. <em>The Memory of Princess Mumbi <\/em>was so<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>interesting because it was an African narrative that commented on AI whilst using AI in such a creative way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Did you get to be a tourist?&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jesse:<\/em> I walked around the city a lot to get a feeling of its rhythm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I also watched Manchester United pull off an unlikely win against Liverpool in a British pub. I had a decent fried noodles and beef meal in Chinatown. There were also great burgers for sale at a night market near the London Eye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I will be checking out some art galleries now that the festival is over. There are some paintings from British artists such as Sir John Everitt Millais that I\u2019ve admired and look forward to seeing in person.<br \/><br \/><em>Mikayla Joy:<\/em><strong> <\/strong>I really enjoyed walking everywhere. We got to explore Waterloo and Soho and find all these quirky places. Near one of the stations, there\u2019s the most beautiful Paddington Bear wall mural.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My favourite meal would probably be this Mediterranean dish with chicken, veggies and lots of hummus. I didn\u2019t think I\u2019d be so healthy on this trip but that dish was too good!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>London is also a funny place. On the bus, I\u2019d carry around my journal and write down the interesting interactions I\u2019d see between people. I remember I was walking through Trafalgar Square and in the same space, there was a man having a heavy argument with an authority figure, a man preaching the gospel and another man fabulously doing&nbsp;karaoke. There\u2019s definitely never a dull moment in London.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jesse: <\/em>And tea is cheap here! It\u2019s worth stocking up on good tea if you ever get a chance to travel there.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Having attended Silwerskerm and then London, both for the first time, how do the<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>two festivals compare?&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jesse: <\/em>Silwerskermfees was a whirlwind of a festival: our premiere day had way more paparazzi and news coverage than I could\u2019ve imagined! We had the best time watching the film with local audiences in a packed Camps Bay theatre.<br \/><br \/>In London, we were small fishes in a much bigger pond. Over 200 films screened and it\u2019s impossible to watch everything that the festival has to offer.<br \/><br \/>It was so easy to connect with other filmmakers at this festival. Friendships were formed just by chatting with people while waiting in queues for films we wanted to watch. Being around so many passionate filmmakers also left me feeling quite inspired and excited for future projects \u2013 both home and abroad.<br \/><br \/><em>Mikayla Joy: <\/em>Silwerskermfees showcased features, shorts films, documentaries and had industry discussions.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>LFF was similar but branched out in more areas. There was also an IMAX gaming lounge, multiple screen talks with prominent filmmakers, and many networking events. Some of the networking events were like speed-dating where you would have five minutes to chat to someone in the industry. A bell would ring and you\u2019d move to the next person. I appreciated these networking events because it created a space for emerging talents to connect with more established creatives.<br \/><br \/>I was surprised by the strong cinema culture in London. Towards the end of the festival, it was difficult to get tickets to films because there was so much public interest. People would wait in the standby queue two to three hours before a big film\u2019s premiere.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In South Africa, it\u2019s sad to see so many cinemas closing down. Festivals like Silwerskermfees are so necessary to keep cinema culture alive.\u00a0<br \/><br \/><strong>WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT <em>FINDING OPTEL<\/em>:<\/strong><br \/><strong><em><br \/><\/em><\/strong>\u201cThis is a movie that\u2019s a light in a dark world. It\u2019s fresh, original, and told in such an exciting way. It does cover some heavy themes, but somehow still makes it fun without taking away from the message. From the cinematography to the characters, everything clicks, and the ending is one of the very best. This is one of those movies that will change the future of South African cinema, simply because it\u2019s so unique.\u201d<em> <\/em><strong><em>The Movie Guy<\/em><br \/><em><br \/><\/em><\/strong>\u201cA must watch\u2026 Adventurous, silly and heart-felt.\u201d <strong><em>Annette Havenga<br \/><br \/><\/em><\/strong>\u201cRefreshingly different\u2026 heartwarming\u2026 quirky and funny\u2026. I could swear that every character is someone I have literally encountered over my lifetime.\u201d <strong><em>Bruinou<br \/><br \/><\/em><\/strong>\u201cA cute whodunit with stylistic flair\u2026 A fun watch.\u201d <strong><em>Joel Ontong, News24<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Finding Optel premieres on Showmax this Friday, 24 October 2025, fresh from its European premiere last weekend at the BFI London Film Festival (LFF), billed by&nbsp;Variety as \u201cawards season\u2019s international launch pad.\u201d Teenager Claire Abrahams runs a lost and found service where she locates anything and everything that has been misplaced. When Optel, the community&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/blog\/2025\/10\/23\/unmissable-jewel-finding-optel-comes-to-showmax-fresh-from-bfi-london-film-festival\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">&#8220;Unmissable jewel&#8221; Finding Optel comes to Showmax, fresh from BFI London Film Festival<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":24297,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[110],"class_list":["post-24296","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-film","tag-showmax","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/MikaylaJoyBrown-findingoptel-showmax.jpg?fit=500%2C250&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24296","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24296"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24296\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24297"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24296"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24296"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24296"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}