Africa’s biggest documentary festival Encounters devotes a quarter of a century to filmmaking
23 June 2023
The Encounters South African International Documentary Festival kicked
off its 25th anniversary edition at the V&A Waterfront last night. The City
of Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP
Smith was among the guests for opening night.
Established in Cape Town in 1999, the Encounters South African International Documentary Festival returned to its inaugural venue for its 25th anniversary edition with a line-up of exciting thought-provoking films.
Taking place from 22 June – 2 July 2023 at selected cinemas across the city, Encounters Film Festival celebrates a quarter of a century of explorations of the human condition through gripping documentaries.
Having started with 21 films in 1999, Encounters has become Africa's premier documentary festival with a showcase of 54 films this year.
Showcasing over 1 000 films since its inception, it remains one of only a few documentary festivals in Africa dedicated to the documentary genre.
'The City has been supporting Encounters for over a decade because we understand the value of the platform the festival provides to hundreds of filmmakers to tell their stories to a large audience while also contributing to the film industry as a focal part of cinema worldwide.
'We commend the Encounters organisers who continue to think outside the box to bring the film industry together. The City plays an important role in supporting the Encounters Film Festival as the industry faced testing challenges when the Covid-19 pandemic hit and required organisers to push the boundaries as creatives.
'Encounters has proven itself a resilient event and we look forward to continuing our support to enable increased growth of the film industry in our city,' said Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.
The ultimate biopic experience features a line-up of local, African and international documentaries hosted from 22 June – 2 July at the Labia Theatre, V&A Waterfront Ster-Kinekor and Bertha House Mowbray and The Bertha Movie House Isivivana Community Centre Khayelitsha.
As part of the festival, the City is also continuing its support of the Outreach Programme, bringing Encounters programmes to venues and communities outside the city-centre in partnership with VUMA Pop-Up Cinema.
This year's festival highlights over 50 films serving as authentic voices for untold stories. Some topics under the spotlight include gender-based violence, the beguiling and faceless workings of social media in the heart of Africa, war crimes and child soldiers as well as challenges of securing food for families in Africa and climate change, among others.
The event also focuses on the rising trend in the documentary genre that indicates a spike in interest from audiences who seek entertainment as well as educational and inspirational content.
Apart from the movie screenings, a number of panel discussions, Q&A sessions and networking events are taking place throughout the festival to encourage conversations focused on documentary funding in Africa, filming's impact on sustainability and amplifying the voices of female creatives.
With a stellar lineup of award-winning feature films and short films, get ready to immerse yourself in the world of cinema at its best. For booking information, visit https://encounters.co.za/2023-fest/booking-information/
End
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
