Encounters, considered as one of the leading documentary festivals on the African continent and a major event on the film circuit calendar, will take place from 12-29 August 2010 in Cape Town and 18-29 August in Johannesburg. The festival will feature 50+ films, many award winning titles, fresh from international festivals, eight of which will make their world première.
South African themes
The organisers have selected the best films that portray the South African landscape and its peoples. Young international directors present an outsider's view of South African political history and a look at life in the underbelly of the urban sprawl and age-old traditional rituals and three South African documentary filmmakers Clifford Bestall, Rehad Desai and Jo Menell present the South African view.
- RFK In The Land of Apartheid - A Ripple of Hope US 2009
- Comrade Goldberg Germany 2010 - world première
- On The Other Side of Life Germany 2009
- Promised Land US 2010
- The 16th Man SA 2010
- The Battle for Johannesburg SA 2010
- Thembi SA 2010 - world première
- Afrikaaps SA 2010 - world première
- Afrikaner Afrikaan SA 2009
- Earthchild SA 2008
- Here Be Dragons SA 2010 - world première
- Unhinged: Surviving Jo'burg SA 2010
African continent's best
- Congo in Four Acts DRC/SA 2009
- State of Mind Directed DRC 2009
- Driving with Fanon SA/Sierra Leone 2010
- For the Best and for the Onion! Niger/France 2008 - multi-award winner
International fare
- And now for something completely different - Monty Python: Almost the Truth (The Lawyer's Cut) UK 2009
- Winnebago Man US 2009 - multi-award winner
- The Yes Men Fix the World US/UK/France 2009 - award winner
- Of Heart and Courage: Béjart Ballet Lausanne Spain 2009
- Genius Within: The Inner Life of Glenn Gould Canada 2009
- City of Photos India 2005
- The Oath US 2010
- Videocracy Sweden/Denmark/UK/Finland 2009
- Sins of My Father
- Columbia/Argentina 2009 - award and nomination
- Pax Americana and the Weaponization of Space France/Canada 2009
- Petition France/China 2009
- The Sound of Insects 2009 - award winner
- Tapped US 2009
Venues
In Cape Town, the festival will run at the NuMetro, V&A Waterfront and the Labia on Orange, 68 Orange Street. In Johannesburg it will be held at The Bioscope Independent Cinema, Main Street Life, 286 Fox Street, Maboneng Precinct in the CBD.
Sponsors
The National Film and Video Foundation is the primary sponsor of the festival. Further support comes from the Cape Film Commission, provincial government of Western Cape, The Times, NuMetro, Tempest Car Hire, Out In Africa Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, Pro Helvetia, The Swiss Arts Council, French Embassy, British Council and Cape Town TV.
Go to www.encounters.co.za for full details on the films.
