Former president Nelson Mandela meets hip-hop group Prophets of Da City, as seen in the documentary film 'Notes from the Underground’.
A documentary film is not going to save the world — and that is not necessarily the intention — but it sure can elicit critical conversations.
For almost three decades, these conversations have emerged at the annual Encounters South African International Documentary Festival. The 28th edition of this festival opens this week in Cape Town and Johannesburg, where it runs until June 14.
Encounters, like many festivals globally, celebrates documentary filmmaking as an art form. It connects filmmakers with audiences at film screenings and runs workshops on requisite film industry skills.
Festival director Mandisa Zitha sets the tone: “Encounters is an opportunity to slow down and look behind the headlines to better understand our world.”
