#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
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

MODERATOR: Francois Verster

Director, Producer

Wed 26 Aug

2pm – 4pm

WOMEN IN DOCUMENTARY: Exploring barriers, opportunities and representation.
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
Head of Industry Development, The National Film and Video Foundation of South Africa (NFVF)
Desmond Mthembu

Senior Manager ISD, Gauteng Film Commission (GFC)

MODERATOR: Milly Mulaudzi
SASFED co-chair and Documentary Filmmakers’ Association (DFA) board member
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).