At the heart of Team South Africa’s mission at the 79th Cannes Film Festival is a distinguished group of filmmakers, producers, and industry leaders — the “Architects of the South African Screen.”
Meet Obett Motaung, South African Director representing our country on the global stage and shaping the world’s view of African cinema - one storyboard at a time! 🇿🇦🎬
#LoveSAFilm #Cannes2026
We give thanks to our wonderful consultants this year.
Amil Shivji of @kijiweniproductions fame
Jessica Beshir Ethiopian Mexican American award winning Sundance and Vision du Réel director
Louiza Wanjiku technical director of @nbofilmfest and lead member of @filmeditors_kenya
Sam Soko - who doesn’t know Soko?! - director and founder of @lbxafrica
And by no means least the mighty Mohamed Saïd Ouma founder of our beloved partner @officialdoca@nfvfsa@encountersdoc@docubox_eadff@editorsguildsa
Announcing the 2026 partipants of the African Producers Accelerator! L-R: Abba Makama, Babalwa Baartman, David Franciscus, Khalid Awad, Kofi Owusu-Afriyie & Mimi Bartels.
Selected from 267 applications from 31 countries, we’re excited to begin this journey with them. Link in bio 🔗
The APA is proud to be joined by funding partners Bertha Foundation, CANEX and the National Film and Video Foundation of South Africa.
3 weeks to go 🎬 The second lineup of #Encounters2026 is here.
From stories of resistance and remembrance to journeys of identity, justice, music, and survival.
Featuring:
🎬 My Father’s Son
🎬 American Doctor
🎬 Everybody to Kenmure Street
🎬 The Woman Who Poked the Leopard
🎬 Amilcar
🎬 Life After Siham
🎬 Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror
🎬 All About the Money
A heartfelt thank you to the filmmakers, partners, and funders helping bring the 28th edition of Encounters to life ❤️
🎟️ Tickets on sale now: Link in bio
#EncountersDoc #DocumentaryFilm #AfricanCinema
Thank you for supporting the filmmakers and stories shaping the cultural landscape of South Africa and beyond. #EncountersDoc is proud to be supported by the National Film and Video Foundation @nfvfsa
Through their continued investment in South African storytelling, the NFVF helps create space for bold voices, urgent conversations, and documentaries that move us to look closer, listen deeper, and imagine new futures together.
#Encounters2026 #EncountersDoc #NFVF #SupportLocalFilm
SNEAK PEAK: #MiriamMakeba introducing #SowetoBlues, the tragic song written by #HughMasekela in this RARE archival footage obtained from the the vaults of state archives for "Miriam Makeba, The Voice of Africa" a feature doc in @marchedufilm directed by South African Mandlakayise Dube. #June16 #SowetoUprising #apartheid
58 documentaries. 33 countries. One shared truth: Love, in all its forms, endures
For 28 years, Encounters has celebrated documentary in Africa through stories that move us, challenge us, and bring us closer to one another.
This year, we hold each other.
With open hands and courageous hearts, we gather around stories rooted in memory, loss, resistance, joy, and the radical act of beginning again. #Encounters2026 | 4–14 June
Cape Town • Johannesburg • Pretoria
Tickets on sale now: Link in Bio 🔗
Design by @toby_2shoes
Edited by @ash_da_silva
Animation by @shukry_adams
@nfvfsa Council Chairperson, Mr Leon van Nierop says that Team South Africa’s presence at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, presents a great opportunity for high-value co-productions and SA’s authentic narrative to take centre stage! #ILoveSAFilm #Cannes2026
OPENING NIGHT FILM ✨ We’re proud to announce Truck Mama as the Opening Night Film of #Encounters2026 🎬
Directed by Zipporah Nyaruri, this powerful documentary follows Evaline one of Kenya’s few female long-haul truck drivers, as she navigates dangerous roads, motherhood, ambition, and the emotional cost of life away from home.
A moving story of resilience, sacrifice, and determination that sets the tone for this year’s festival beautifully.
🚛 Opening Night Screening | Invite Only
Book your tickets: LINK IN BIO
JHB:
Wed, 10 June 8:00pm
Rosebank Nouveau + Q&A
Cape Town:
Sat, 6 June 1:00 pm Bertha Khayelitsha + Q&A
Fri, 12 June 3:00 pm Bertha Mowbray
Sat, 13 June 8:00 pm Ster-Kinekor V&A
