Aida

Cape Town Opera brings Verdi’s powerful Aida to life with an all-South African cast, presenting a futuristic reimagining of this beloved opera

Black Burns Fast

Adorkable and studious Luthando is on track for a normal academic year at the prestigious boarding school she attends on scholarship. The arrival of a new girl in her class ignites Luthando’s suppressed desires which threaten her relationships and everything she thought she knew about herself.

Carissa

A young woman who dreams of leaving small village life to live in the city breaks away from her grandmother's home only to be drawn into the care of her grandfather's mountain rooibos plantation

Lucky Fish

The down and out owner of a sardine-canning factory decides to sponsor a beauty contest to increase sales. It's a pageant that nobody in their right mind would want to enter, let alone win the title of "Miss Pillay Pilchards"

The Heart is a Muscle

A humanist drama about inter-generational healing and a man learning that in order to be a better father, husband and friend, he must first learn to forgive himself.

Feature Films

A Road Out

A Road Out tells the remarkable story of how transformative ideas about community health traveled from apartheid South Africa to the American South

Birth of a Family

Three sisters and a brother, adopted as infants into separate families across North America, meet together for the first time in this deeply moving documentary by director Tasha Hubbard

Fitting In

Young South Africans from all walks of life begin their student experience at the elite University of Stellenbosch

In Darkest Hollywood: Cinema and Apartheid

A documentary overview and ideological critique of the South African film industry and cinema's historical relationship with apartheid.

Normal to Me

At a protective workshop in a small seaside town, a group of extraordinary individuals prove that 'normal' was never the point - belonging is

Pangolin - Journey to Freedom

The inspiring story of Kosha, a pangolin rescued from the illegal wildlife trade in Zimbabwe, whose extraordinary journey challenged everything we thought we knew about her species and redefined the future of pangolin conservation

Sam Nzima:  A Journey Through His Lens

On June 16, 1976, Sam Nzima raised his camera and captured an image that would come to define the brutality of apartheid for the world. Sam Nzima: A Journey Through His Lens tells the story behind that photograph, following the life and career of the courageous photojournalist who risked everything to document a pivotal moment in South African history

The Breastfeeding Warrior

A son searches for answers about the mother stolen from him by apartheid, uncovering a story of courage, sacrifice and the enduring scars of generational trauma.

Vet Vannie Land (Fat of the Land)

In the harsh, mysterious landscape of the Richtersveld, a passionate botanist battles against time and organised crime to save South Africa’s rare succulents - revealing an underground world of greed, resilience and hope

WaaPaKe (Tomorrow)

Dr. Jules Arita Koostachin’s deeply personal documentary unravels the tangled threads of silence suffered by residential school Survivors through truth, freedom and power.

Documentaries

First Nations

Amazeze (Fleas)

A young Zimbabwean boy in a South African township must slip past a xenophobic mob hunting foreigners to reach the communal tap for water, risking his life to keep his gravely ill little brother alive through one terrifying night.

Dears in the Headlights

After a deep loss a grieving woman finds healing in road-kill taxidermy.

Kelsey Grammer

A camper van, a great price, and a story that doesn't quite add up - Philip just needs to keep talking long enough to close the deal before the truth catches up to him

PUNTER

In the high-stakes world of Johannesburg's betting shops, a young boy is drawn into his father's dangerous web of gambling, debt and deception.

RISE

In the slums of Zimbabwe, a resourceful boy on a mission to be trained by a withdrawn ex-boxer discovers that the real fight is for his own sense of belonging

The House That Never Sleeps

When a once-prolific novelist, now reclusive and no longer writing, is interviewed by a fan podcaster about his process and first short story, he must confront the secret behind his prolific work and be reborn as an artist

Umhlaba Wokhokho: Land of My Ancestors

Guided by a prophetic vision, Chief Mabaso leads his rural South African community to reclaim their ancestral land and safeguard its rich biodiversity - fulfilling the true meaning of his name, Zwelihle (Beautiful Land)

Vultures

In the volatile moments after a car crash, before the authorities arrive, a hot-headed yet desperate tow truck driver fiercely protects his tow.

Shorts

Pangolin - Journey to Freedom Q&A

Diana Keam (Producer) and Wayne De Lange (Director) discuss their documentary: the background to the film, the evolution of the concept and what they hope people will take a away from it

Sam Nzima:  A Journey Through His Lens Q&A

An interview with Nhlanhla Mthethwa, director of Sam Nzima: A Journey Through His Lens, conducted by the author of the African Scatterlings blog for the South African Film Festival

The Heart Is a Muscle Q&A

Vet Vannie Land (Fat of the Land) Q&A

Danielle Mcdonald, director of Vet Vannie Land, shares insights into what and who the film is about.

Interviews with filmmakers

Father Dan

The filmmakers chose Father Dan as the protagonist of their film because of his kind heart and gentle spirit. Through his story, they explore how he demonstrates that faith can nurture the spirit, strengthen community and inspire us to uplift others

Puerto Libre

Through the story of Puerto Libre's founder, this vibrant documentary celebrates a community garden built with and for people with disabilities, revealing how shared work, connection and compassion can transform a space — and the people within it

Together for Nature

At Temaikèn, a leading wildlife conservation park in Argentina, young filmmakers explore the people and work dedicated to protecting endangered species, revealing how storytelling can inspire a deeper connection with wildlife and the urgent need for conservation

Two Worlds Side by Side

At an urban ecological reserve in Buenos Aires, an intimate conversation with the coordinator behind its creation reveals the human effort, passion and purpose involved in protecting a vital pocket of biodiversity — and invites us to see the natural spaces in our own communities differently.

Student Competition - Shorts

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