The Encounters Documentary Festival returns this June with award-winning documentaries, short films, Q&As and screenings in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Pretoria.

The Encounters Documentary Film Festival 2026 returns to Cape Town and Johannesburg with 58 documentaries from 33 countries, ...

The Encounters South African International Documentary Festival started on 4 June and runs until 14 June. The festival had its opening ceremony on Thursday evening in Cape Town. The event features 58 ...

Join the conversation at the Encounters South African International Documentary Festival, where critical discussions emerge from powerful storytelling. This year's festival showcases 58 films from 33 ...

Welcome to Behind the Fest, Backstage’s questionnaire series with film festival figures looking for that next big festival hit. Featuring behind-the-scenes insight from the organizers and programmers ...

This year, it’s the short films stealing the spotlight. “Short documentaries are becoming more popular every year,” said festival director Mandisa Zitha. “They’re no longer just a launchpad; they’re ...

When it was first established back in 2005, the Encounters Film Festival celebrated the oft-overlooked medium of short film. Since then, it has grown into an internationally acclaimed event that now ...