#EncountersDoc
Industry Events
ALL INDUSTRY EVENTS WILL BE LIVE-STREAMED ON ENCOUNTERS FACEBOOK AND YOUTUBE CHANNELS.
You can also find our Industry Events playlist, at the bottom of this page.
Encounters Talks
Encounters Talks offer high quality industry discussions presented in partnership with Documentary Filmmakers Association, Wesgro, Swiss Films, DOK.fest Munich, Electric South, UCT Centre for Film and Media Studies, University of the Western Cape Centre for Humanities Research and FNB.
This year’s programme focuses on critical and urgent issues facing the documentary industry. From navigating the landscape during Covid19, online platforms, alternative distribution strategies, effecting social change through the genre and deep-diving conversations about the craft.
We introduce you to our expert speakers, leaders in the field, who will offer insights, including awards-winning producers, film influencers, VR artists, festival programmers, funders, government stakeholders and filmmakers.
We welcome; Mathieu Béjot, Director of Strategy & Development (Sunny Side of the Doc); Charlotte Cook, Co-Creator and Executive Producer (Field of Vision), Brian Newman, Founder (Sub-Genre), Thandi Davids, Executive Producer and Head of Development (StoryScope); Stéphane Riethauser, (MADAME), Sharon Ryba-Kahn (DISPLACED), Monica Rorvik, Head of Film and Media Promotion (Wesgro) and Caitlin Robinson, Creative Producer and Entertainment Strategist (Scatter & Electric South).
This year, the programme takes place online with free access to all.
Fri 21 Aug
2pm – 4pm
VIRTUAL ENCOUNTERS: Why choose VR, what to expect and how to adapt as a non-fiction storyteller.
Dylan Valley
Director and Lecturer of Film and Television Studies, University of Cape Town
Nyasha Kadandara
Freelance Journalist and Documentary Filmmaker
Jumoke Sanwo
Storyteller, Cultural Producer, VR Film Director. Creative Director at Revolving Art Incubator.
MODERATOR: Caitlin Robinson
Creative Producer and Entertainment Strategist at Scatter & Electric South.
Mon 24 Aug
2pm – 4pm
KEY NOTE INDUSTRY EVENT: View of documentary in a Covid and post-Covid-society.
Brian Newman
Founder at Sub-Genre
Thandi Davids
Executive Producer & Head of Development at StoryScope
Mathieu Béjot
Director of Strategy & Development at Sunny Side of the Doc, courtesy of IFAS.
Moderator: Monica Rorvik
Head of Film and Media Promotion Unit at Wesgro
Tue 25 Aug
10am – 11:30am
FNB EMERGING FILMMAKERS AND “HOW TO FINANCE” WORKSHOP
Bank accounts and conduct thereof, how to register a company, run a bank account ect. Within the presentation FNB will speak about the tools on their banking app to assist creatives with accounting/invoicing etc.
Thabani Gumede
Business Manager at FNB
Tue 25 Aug
2pm – 4pm
IN CONVERSATION with SWISS filmmaker Stéphane Riethauser, Director of MADAME
Stéphane Riethauser
Director of MADAME
INTERVIEWER: Peter Machen
Writer, Artist and Film Curator
Wed 26 Aug
11am – 12:30pm
HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE REPRESENTATION OF AFRICA
How can films exploring human rights abuses within Africa challenge both stereotypical representations of the continent as well as inherited models of justice, modernity and culture? A discussion on Maia Lekow and Chris King’s THE LETTER.
Steve Akoth
Scholar and Activist, Centre for Humanities Research, University of the Western Cape
Valmont Layne
Next Generation Scholar, Centre for Humanities Research, University of the Western Cape
Christie van Zyl
Deputy Secretary, Ubombam’ Luvuyo Traditional Healers’ Forum
Maia Lekow
Co-Director, THE LETTER
Christopher King
Co-Director, THE LETTER
MODERATOR: Francois Verster
Director, Producer
Wed 26 Aug
2pm – 4pm
WOMEN IN DOCUMENTARY: Exploring barriers, opportunities and representation.
Ashleigh da Silva
Director, BLEND
Mamaponya Motsai
Director, ENNIE
Yolanda Ncokotwana
Production & Development Manager – Non -Fiction, NFVF
MODERATOR: Xoliswa Sithole
Documentary Director & Producer, Nayanaya Pictures and Yanaya Gender and Dialogue Film Festival
Thu 27 Aug
11am – 12:30pm
VIRTUAL ENCOUNTERS : Whose Immersive Media? A closer look at IM in Africa – its reach and why documentary filmmakers should pay attention to its impact.
Gareth Steele
Art Director, Eden Labs
Judith Okonkwo
Founder, Imisi3D
Brian Afande
Co-founder and Managing Director, BlackRhino VR
Moderator: Ingrid Kopp
Co-founder and Co-Director of Electric South, renowned expert on VR, interactive and immersive storytelling. Former lead for the Tribeca Film Institute’s digital and interactive programmes. Member of Immersive Africa.
Thu 27 Aug
2pm – 4pm
THE DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKERS ASSOCIATION STAKEHOLDERS ENGAGEMENT: Funding in uncertain times – what’s available and how to fund it.
Funding a documentary film has never been an easy task, but Covid-19 has made this an even greater challenge.
We invite representatives of the NFVF, the GFC, the KZNFC and SASFED to address how filmmakers can access funds, Covid-19 relief funds and the screen sector relief fund.
Yolanda Ncokotwana
Production & Development Manager – Non -Fiction, NFVF
Jacqueline Motsepe
Chief Operating Officer, KwaZulu Natal Film Commission (KZNFC)
Unathi Malunga
Executive Officer & Lobbyist , South African Screen Federation (SASFED)
Kirsty Blackford
Desmond Mthembu
Senior Manager ISD, Gauteng Film Commission (GFC)
MODERATOR: Milly Mulaudzi
Fri 28 Aug
2pm – 4pm
IN CONVERSATION: DISTRIBUTION NOW
“Creative flexibility in pandemic times” with the Marketing, Distribution and Impact Producers behind the Oscar nominated film FOR SAMA.
FOR SAMA, a love letter from a young mother to her daughter, tells the story of Waad al-Kateab’s life through five years of the uprising in Aleppo, Syria as she falls in love, gets married and gives birth to Sama, all while cataclysmic conflict rises around her.
Since lockdown, distributors and impact producers have had to re-imagine access to audiences. On the commercial distribution side challenges include compensating for loss of income due to cinema closure, navigating prestigious awards entries with no cinematic release and deciding which online platforms to use. On the impact side the biggest challenges have been how to arrange synchronous viewing experiences and have meaningful conversations with audiences. Whatever, one thing is clear, how audiences interact with film has shifted and creative teams must find new ways to reach them.
The FOR SAMA team harnessed equally ambitious commercial distribution and impact strategies. All will be revealed.
Sarah Mosses
Founder & CEO, Together Films
Rachael Chadwick
Campaign Co-Director, Action For Sama
Zak Brilliant
Distribution Executive, Republic Distribution
Christelle Randall
Film Publicity Consultant
MODERATOR/CO-ORGANISER: Liani Maasdorp
Senior Lecturer: Film and TV Studies, University of Cape Town
FACILITATOR/CO-ORGANISER: Miki Redelinghuys
Filmmaker, Impact Producer, Co-Chair, DFA
Pre-recorded
Available 24/7
SHORT FILMS: GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES AND CHOOSING A PLATFORM
Charlotte Cook
Co-Creator & Executive Producer, Field of Vision
INTERVIEWER: Simon Wood
Director and Cinematographer, SaltPeter Productions
Industry Events Playlist
Can’t make an event, live? Don’t worry, they’ll all be recorded and put on our YouTube channel, in the Industry Events playlist (which is also embedded, below).