Witnessing the Urgent, Celebrating the Resilient
Encounters 2026 Dates Announced
From 19–29 June 2025, the 27th Encounters South African International Documentary Festival lit up Cape Town and Johannesburg with a programme that didn’t shy away from the pressing issues of our time. Through powerful documentaries, shorts, panels, Q&As and community screenings, the festival explored stories of memory, identity, trauma and resistance; questioned whose narratives are heard and whose are silenced; challenged power, systemic inequality, gendered violence, the climate crisis and colonial legacies—all while also celebrating acts of creativity, survival, ancestral ties and bold hope.
Beyond our main hubs, the Outreach Programme carried curated selections into townships and smaller communities around South Africa—ensuring these stories reached more people, in more places.
We’re pleased to announce the award winners from this 27th edition:
Mothers of Chibok (Joel ‘Kachi Benson) took the Encounters Al Jazeera Award for Best African Feature Documentary. Runner‑up was And She Didn’t Die (Kethiwe Ngcobo). Special mentions included Khartoum and Didy.
Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk (Sepideh Farsi) won Best International Feature Documentary.
The Rock Speaks (Francois Knoetze, Amy Louise Wilson & Joe‑Yves Salankang Sa‑Ngol) won the Ster‑Kinekor Encounters Youth Experience Award for Best African Short Documentary.
The Ronelle Loots Award for Best Edited South African Feature went to And She Didn’t Die (editors Khalid Shamis & Kuti Rashikhuthuma), and the Short went to Never Come Fetch Me.
The Liezel Vermeulen Award for Service to the Documentary Sector was awarded to Miki Redelinghuys in recognition of her long‑standing contributions and mentorship within the documentary community.
We’re excited to share that the full Festival Report, which captures highlights, feedback, statistics and behind‑the‑scenes insights from the 27th edition, is now available and can be found here.
Looking ahead: the 28th Encounters South African International Documentary Festival is set for 4–14 June 2026. We can’t wait to bring you more stories, more voices, and more moments that move, challenge and inspire.
Encounters takes over the European Film Festival in South Africa
12th European Film Festival in South Africa – Save the Date
The 12th EUROPEAN FILM FESTIVAL in SOUTH AFRICA is a cinematic journey in search of love, identity, family and belonging. Opening in South Africa on 09 October and running until 19 October, 10 contemporary European films reflect on the realities of Europe and its place in the world today. Their strong characters in unusual situations, carefully crafted stories and breathtaking landscapes make these films a road trip for the heart and mind.
Live screenings take place at The Labia in Cape Town and The Bioscope and Nu Metro Hyde Park in Johannesburg. A curated selection of films will also be available for online streaming in Southern Africa at www.eurofilmfest.co.za.
The festival is organised by the Encounters South African International Documentary Festival, and sponsored by the Delegation of the European Union, Cineuropa, and the Embassies and cultural institutes of Denmark, Flanders (Belgium), France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom.
Full article here.
UWC x Encounters: ENGAGE / REFLECT / CREATE
The Centre for Humanities Research (CHR) at UWC, in partnership with Encounters, has launched ENGAGE / REFLECT / CREATE — a monthly screening and discussion series at the Iyatsiba Lab (Greatmore Studios, Woodstock).
The programme explores urgent themes through documentary film, followed by conversations and performances that connect art, activism, and scholarship. Highlights so far include a screening of Modern Times with live musical accompaniment by the Proof of Life Trio.
This Month’s Screening:
Albie: A Strange Alchemy by Sara de Gouveia
CHR Iyatsiba Lab, 66 Greatmore Street, Woodstock, Cape Town, South Africa
Friday, 12 September 2025, 18:00 SAST, Free Entry, RSVP – centreforhumanitiesresearch@uwc.ac.za
ARC x IDFA CP3 Delegation 2025: South African Voices Gain Global Spotlight
Zoey Black and Hlumela Matika
For the second consecutive year, Encounters is proud to nominate two South African filmmakers to join the ARC x IDFA CP3 Delegation 2025. This initiative, led by Documentary Africa (DocA), the African Reel Collective (ARC) and the IDFA Bertha Fund, offers African filmmakers access to the 2025 International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA).
We are delighted to announce that Zoey Black and Hlumela Matika will attend as part of the African Delegation, gaining valuable international market exposure.
Zoey Black is an indigenous transgender queer woman of colour living in Cape Town. A “queer renaissance” and culture documentarian, she uses film and photography to tell authentic and engaging stories.
Hlumela Matika is a Cape Town-based filmmaker working in fiction, autoethnography, documentary, and hybrid storytelling. A graduate of AFDA (2016), she earned her MFA at Syracuse University in New York as a Fulbright Scholar. She is an alumnus of Berlinale Talents Durban (2020) and the International Film Academy (2019). Her films have screened at festivals including Le FIFA Arts Film (Canada), Edinburgh Short Film Festival, Leeds International Film Festival, and the New York African Film Festival.
Festival Attendance: Recap
Over the past few months, Encounters has actively strengthened its presence across key industry events, championing African documentary storytelling on local, regional, and international stages. From Durban FilmMart’s dynamic market sessions and FilmMart Africa’s expanding online platform, to the prestigious 82nd Venice International Film Festival and FAME Week Africa’s celebration of impactful stories, Encounters continues to build bridges that unite filmmakers, foster collaboration, and amplify diverse voices in documentary film.
DFM 2025: Impact Cafe: One-on-One (presented in partnership with Climate Story Lab Africa)
Encounters at Durban FilmMart 2025: Strengthening Industry Ties
At Durban FilmMart 2025 (18–21 July), themed “Bridges Not Borders: Stories that Unite,” Tarha McKenzie, Festival Manager at Encounters, actively engaged in the Meet the Festivals programme, representing Encounters and championing African documentary storytelling. This year’s FilmMart centred on collaboration, innovation, and ethical storytelling—critical conversations that resonate deeply across the continent’s growing creative industries.
The longstanding partnership between Encounters South African International Documentary Festival and Durban FilmMart continues to play a vital role in nurturing emerging filmmakers, expanding industry networks, and amplifying African voices on the local, regional and global stage. Together, through collaborative efforts including FilmMart Africa, they fuel the growth of documentary filmmaking as a powerful tool for social change and expression.
Join FilmMart Africa
FilmMart Africa is an online platform initiated by the Durban FilmMart Institute. It connects filmmakers, producers, and film professionals from across the African continent, providing a space to showcase projects, find collaborators, access funding opportunities, and stay informed about industry developments.
We are excited to share that Encounters has officially joined the platform this year, expanding our network and creating more opportunities for collaboration and growth.
Joining is free and easy. Simply visit www.filmmart.africa to create your profile and become part of Africa’s dynamic film community.
Lindokuhle Skosane (AFDA), Dr Carol Van Wyk (DCAS), Ambassador Nosipho Jezile, Cleveland Hopp (UCT), Mandisa Zitha (Encounters), Dr Julia Cain (UCT)
Encounters Champions Global Collaboration at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival
Encounters Festival Director, Mandisa Zitha, attended the 82nd Venice International Film Festival (27 August – 6 September), organised by La Biennale di Venezia to promote cinema globally as art, entertainment, and industry in a spirit of freedom and dialogue.
Mandisa formed part of the South African Delegation led by Dr Carol Van Wyk, Chief Director at the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs. The delegation attended meetings and events with Italian cinema organisations, strengthening connections between Italian and South African producers, creating training opportunities for emerging local filmmakers, and expanding festival collaborations, particularly for Encounters.
The delegation also participated in Africa Calls, an event fostering ties between Italian and African film schools after six years of collaboration. We were proud to see our partner, the UCT Centre for Film and Media Studies, represented by Dr Julia Cain, alongside UCT graduate Cleveland Hopp, who presented his short film Onthou Vi Frido?, previously selected for Encounters’ 27th edition.
We are especially grateful to Her Excellency Nosipho Jezile, South Africa’s Ambassador to Italy, who not only facilitated introductions but also joined us in key meetings and events.
MIP Africa 2025 Documentary Reimagined Panel
Encounters at FAME Week Africa 2025: Celebrating Stories & Impact
FAME Week Africa 2025 lit up Cape Town from 1–6 September, drawing Africa’s creative industries together for a dynamic week of connection and recognition. Tarha McKenzie, acclaimed for her work with Encounters, Climate Story Lab, Electric South and Mother City, played a key role—serving on the Inclusive Lens Awards jury and speaking on the Documentary Filmmakers’ Association (DFA) panel on the evolving role of festivals in documentary storytelling.
Encounters’ influence was proudly reflected in the awards: Onthou vir Fredo? (Cleveland Hopp), winner in the LGBTQIA+ Non-Scripted category, and Facing Forward (Eugene & Melandi Ahlers), winner in the Disability Representation category, were both celebrated titles that screened at the 27th Encounters SAIDF. Normal to Me (Luke Sharland), also part of the Encounters 2025 line-up, was one of the nominations.
The influence of Encounters was also evident at MIP Africa’s inaugural Documentary Night, which featured And She Didn’t Die (Kethiwe Ngcobo) — a film that garnered multiple awards at this year’s Encounters South African International Documentary Festival.
Support the Festival
Encounters 2024 Black People Don’t Get Depressed screening
We invite you to join us once again in making Encounters an unforgettable celebration of documentary, creativity and discourse in the African landscape. Your contribution, whether big or small, will make a significant difference and help us continue to inspire and connect the film community.
To donate, please visit our website at https://encounters.co.za/support-the-festival/ or contact our team at tarha@encounters.co.za. We are also happy to discuss sponsorship opportunities and ways to acknowledge your support during the festival.
Encounters Training and Development Institute is a registered PBO and can issue a Section 18A certificate for tax-deductible donations, within prescribed limits. Thank you for considering our request. Together, we can ensure that Encounters remains a beacon of artistic excellence and a vital platform for filmmakers to share their stories with the world.
Encounters has a rich history, starting as the Encounters Swiss South African Documentary Film Festival in 1999 and growing into the annual Encounters South African International Documentary Festival under the auspices of the Encounters Training and Development Institute. Over the past 27 years, Encounters has become Africa’s premier Documentary Festival, celebrating outstanding documentaries and facilitating engaging discussions on critical issues. With a vision of an inclusive and vibrant African documentary filmmaking community, Encounters aims to advance human rights, democracy, and African storytelling through the power of documentary film. To achieve this, the Encounters Training and Development Institute is committed to promoting documentary cinema as a creative art form, fostering regional collaboration, and developing audiences through year-round festival programmes.
Encounters’ success lies in the curation of programmes that resonate with local audiences and providing a pivotal space for talented documentary filmmakers to showcase their works to the public and the media; as well as an institution of skills and knowledge expansion.
Encounters Training and Development Institute NPC | Mandisa Zitha: Festival Director | Email: director@encounters.co.za | Mobile: +27 76 648 0144 | Address: Bertha House 67 – 69 Main Road Cape Town, Western Cape 7705 South Africa