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28th edition
Encounters South African International Documentary Festival
Cape Town, South Africa
4 – 14 June 2026
11 days
About Encounters South African International Documentary Festival
Encounters is South Africa's formative documentary festival, held annually since 1999 and based in Cape Town. It screens contemporary South African and international feature and short documentaries alongside Q&As, panels and industry events. The festival also runs the Close Encounters Laboratory, a filmmaker development initiative that has produced 48 films across 10 lab sessions in partnership with SABC and ETV.
Festival details
Location
Bertha House, 67–69 Main Road, Cape Town 7705, Western Cape, South Africa · Cape Town, South Africa
Scope
International
Focus
Documentary · South African Cinema · African Cinema · Short Documentary · Feature Documentary
Duration
11 days
Founded
1999
Awards
Best African Feature Documentary
Award for best feature-length documentary from Africa.
Best International Feature Documentary
Award for best international feature-length documentary.
Best African Short Documentary
Award for best short documentary from Africa.
Best International Short Documentary
Award for best international short documentary.
Best Edited Feature and Short Documentary
Award recognising editing craft.
Special programs
Close Encounters Laboratory
Filmmaker development initiative with broadcaster partners SABC and ETV.
Industry Programme
Industry events with Wesgro, City of Cape Town and FNB.
Live Q&As and Panels
Public discussions with visiting and local filmmakers.
For filmmakers
Submission deadline
2026-03-20
Screening eligibility
FilmFreeway submissions. Fee tiers: Early $10 (19 Dec), Regular $20 (30 Jan), Late $25 (20 Feb), Extended $30 (20 Mar 2026).
Best Documentary Films
Award-Winning Documentaries
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