Search for Best South African short documentary on
This is as Ster-Kinekor and Encounters announce the return of this competition aimed at awarding young documentary makers
By CityLife Arts Writer
After a three-year hiatus, Encounters South African International Documentary Festival and the cinema chain Ster-Kinekor welcome back the 4th Ster-Kinekor Encounters Youth Experience (EYE) Award for the Best South African Short Film.
The Ster-Kinekor EYE Award recognises both emerging and established filmmakers and gives them a platform to demonstrate their talents. The winning filmmakers will be awarded cash prizes to assist with their future projects. The 1st prize winner will receive R10,000 and the 2nd prize winner will receive R5,000. Both films will be screened at the awards ceremony over the closing weekend of the Festival.
“The Youth Jury will serve as an inclusive mechanism, bringing documentary cinema to a younger audience and encouraging them to actively participate in the process of the Festival, promoting film literacy and local documentaries to new viewers,” enthuses Festival Director, Mandisa Zitha.
“Using our cinema spaces for more than screening the latest blockbusters is a strategic focus for us. As such, we are excited to be partnering with Encounters once again to present the 4th Ster-Kinekor EYE Award. We are constantly amazed at the incredible young talent in this country, and this is a wonderful opportunity to recognise and reward it in the genre of short film,” says Lynne Wylie, Head of Marketing at Ster-Kinekor Theatres.
“Sitting in a darkened cinema and being transported into other worlds and realities through what is portrayed on the big screen is a wonderful experience. We are looking forward to welcoming new and younger audiences into our cinemas to view, and vote on, the Best South African Short Film at Encounters this year.”
Encounters, in partnership with Ster-Kinekor, will select three jurors who represent leading South African film schools and who will spend three days reviewing cinema screenings of a shortlist of selected films.
The Ster-Kinekor Encounters Youth Experience (EYE) Award was launched in 2017. Winners from previous years include:
EYE Awards 2017 Winners: 1st prize ‘Nanlaban’ by Shaun Swingler, 2nd prize ‘Can I Please Go to the Bathroom’ by Jessie Zinn
EYE Awards 2018 Winners: 1st prize ‘The Art of Healing’ by Rui Assubuji, 2nd prize ‘Masquerading: To Hell and Back’ by Sofia de Fay
EYE Awards 2019 Winners: 1st prize ‘Waves’ by Jessie Ayles, 2nd prize ‘Gereza’ (Hustler) by Shaun Nelson
Submissions can be made via the link below found on the Festival website:
SA/African Entries: https://www.encounters.co.za/submit-african-documentary/
South African film submissions are exempt from paying a submission fee.
The deadline for applications is 10 March 2023. The Ster-Kinekor EYE Award is awarded to documentaries shorter than 20 minutes.