The 13th Encounters South African International Documentary Festival returns to Cape Town and Johannesburg from 9-26 June 2011. This year’s selection has all the hallmarks of an edgy teenager, like a fascination with sex (G-Spotting), celebrity (Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work, a winner at Sundance in 2010 last year), rebellion (LennonNYC), and injustice (Black Power Mixtape, a winner at Sundance in 2011).

Opening up the world to South Africans each year, Encounters is widely acclaimed as Africa’s most prestigious documentary festival. This year’s selection features 37 films from 14 countries and five continents, including 11 world premieres, 19 South African films and 17 international films.

Eye-opening films investigate everything from Robert Mugabe’s reign in Zimbabwe (Whatever happened to Robert Mugabe?) to Middle Eastern falcon traders with links to Osama Bin Laden (Feathered Cocaine) to New Zealand’s preparations for this year’s Rugby World Cup (Cup of Dreams) to the difference between eco-warriors and eco-terrorists in America (If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front, which came second at Miami Film Festival).

Africa’s not left out: When China Met Africa is an award-winning account of the impact and experiences of Africa’s biggest investor.

“We’ve had an extraordinary number of entries this year,” says Festival Director Mandisa Zitha. “Our final selection will keep audiences entertained but also make them relook at the world through new eyes.”

With just over half the programme coming from within our borders, Encounters also reveals the very different worlds South Africans experience within the same country.

Simon Wood’s Forerunners, winner of the Jury Award at The Pan African Film Festival in Cannes, explores South Africa’s emerging black middle class, while Tim Wege’s King Naki tells the story of the Seabiscuit of the Eastern Cape.

Brian Tilley and Laurence Dworkin’s History Uncut is a rare interview with Chris Hani, who’s been called the president we should have had, while Eddie Edwards’ Once Upon a Day profiles Brenda Fassie, the controversial queen of African pop.

Two well-known local writers make eagerly anticipated directorial debuts at the Festival.

Lauren Beukes, whose Zoo City recently won The Arthur C. Clarke Award for the year’s best science fiction novel, will première Glitterboys and Ganglands, the funny and moving story of three hopefuls of the Miss Gay Western Cape competition

Eric Miyeni, who wrote The Only Black at the Dinner Party and was famously fired by SAFM for being too controversial, will screen Mining for Change: A Story of South African Mining, which is sure to generate heated debate. Eric directed the film with Navan Chetty.

Another 10 South African films will have their world premières at Encounters: Jacques de Villiers and Laura Gamse’s The Creators; Khalid Shamis’ The Imam and I; Sara Gouveia, Angela Ramirez and Calum MacNaughton’s Mama Goema: The Cape Town Beat in Five Movements; and Matthew Kalil’s Porselynnkas Dokimenter, as well as the shorts An Intersection (Karin Slater); From B-Boys to Being Men (Tanswell Jansen); Scars (Tiny Laubscher, Chris Schutte); Wellbodi Biznes (Miki Redelinghuys, Kyle O’Donoghue); Li-Xia’s Salon (Omelga Mtiyane); and When We Planted Trees (Shelley Barry).

“There were more South African entries than ever this year,” says Mandisa. “Our filmmakers are expanding their funding resources beyond the broadcasters, which has meant we’ve received better films which are more varied. It’s been a relief to get fewer TV format-style documentaries and more auteur-driven independent ones.”

Encounters runs from 9-26 June 2011 at Nu Metro V&A Waterfront and at Nu Metro Hyde Park and The Bioscope in Johannesburg.

For more information, contact:
Kathryn Chamberlain
project@encounters.co.za
(021) 465 4686

ABOUT ENCOUNTERS

The National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF) is the primary sponsor of Encounters, which is made possible by the further support of The National Film and Video Foundation, The Cape Film Commission, The Provincial Government of The Western Cape, The City of Cape Town, The Times, Tempest Car Hire, Goethe Institut, The Embassy of Sweden, The French Embassy, Rutland Lodge, HCI Foundation, 6 Spin Street Restaurant, Exclusive Books, Business and Arts South Africa, CTV, Mahala.co.za, What’s On and The Callsheet.
Please visit www.encounters.co.za.

MUST-SEE TRAILERS

Watch them – they’re amazing! Then let us know what you think in the Comment box.

Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work

The Black Power Mixtape

When China Met Africa

David wants to fly

Cup of Dreams

Feathered Cocaine

Mining for Change: A Story of South African Mining

Glitterboys and Ganglands

Forerunners

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