Founded in 1999, Encounters is the leading Creative Documentary Festival in South Africa and on the African continent, offering ten days of diverse and exceptional programming of relevant, creative documentaries from around the globe, striving to take an innovative approach to developing audiences and building capacity in the local and regional industry. Offering workshops, Masterclasses, filmmaking labs and access programmes, Encounters has become an important site of audience engagement, recently expanding the scope of its programming to encompass new media (Virtual Reality and interactive documentaries) and other forms of non-fiction storytelling, placing an emphasis on a contemporary, cross-disciplinary approach to both documentary reception and production. Aiming to promote access to film and television media, the Festival strives to advance human rights and democracy in South Africa as well as encouraging indigenous filmmaking and film literacy for aspiring and emergent filmmakers. Encounters’ staff and Board believe in the power of film to transform, inform, challenge, support, engage and contribute to mutual understanding and dialogue. Our strategic partnerships with European festivals have created opportunities for South African filmmakers to network with international colleagues, increasing opportunities, business growth and access to global markets that will create sustainable jobs in the sector. The Encounters’ film programme is inclusive and open and pairs award-winning documentaries alongside locally-made student films. As important for the advancement of filmmakers, is the growth of audiences. The Festival also operates an Outreach Programme, which ensures films travel outside the city centres. Our Inreach Programme provides transport and tickets for screenings, workshops and Masterclasses for film students and previously disadvantaged communities, including members of diverse NGO’s.