The Encounters film festival first began in 1999 and now it's time for its annual call for documentaries for the new year.
The 2024 edition will be happening between 20 and 30 June in Cape Town and Joziburg and it provides filmmakers with in-the-flesh audiences at cinema venues and within townships through the festival's outreach programme.
In other words, if your documentary is selected for screening, you can get it seen with immediate feedback, alongside other South African, African and international films - filmmakers from everywhere can apply. The festival also awards jury prizes in various categories.
This from the organisers about its essence:
Encounters aims to present films that entertain, engage, and inspire; and achieves this with the selection of documentaries spanning a wide array of themes for diverse local audiences.
The festival prides itself on discovering new works by documentary masters and emerging talent from South Africa and the broader African region.
If you'd like to submit a film, this is what you need to know:
The organisers are looking for films of various durations - short, mid-length and feature-length.
They're looking for films that resonate with diverse audiences, encompassing themes of social justice, politics, arts and culture, technology, current affairs, health, environmental and personal stories.
They need to have been completed after
January 2022.
They can be local or international. Applications are free of charge for South African and African applications and international applications are $20.
These are links to the forms for each:
South African/African entries
International entries
Important notes:
The festival will consider works in progress/rough cuts if your film will be ready in time for the Festival itself.
Application deadline is:
Monday 11 March 2024 (11.59PM SAST)