Q. This year’s Silwerskermfees programme brings together established names and exciting new voices. What stood out to you most while curating the 2026 lineup 

And what lineup it is! What really stood out is that the exceptional voices continue to diversify. This year, Zandré Coetzer from 2025’s My f*k, Marelize! brings us Silas en die Ysbeer op Tafelberg, while Nico Scheepers from Hen brings us Landmyn. The fabulous duo Devon Delmar and Jason Jacobs wowed us with Carissa last year and now we get to see their adaptation Al wat ek weet. Besides these seasoned filmmakers, the rising voices are as astounding in variety and clarity, whilst the doccies annually gather momentum and strength. To also have Invisible from Deon Meyer and a second season of the acclaimed international co-production Spinners on our programme, feels world class.  

Q. If you had to describe this year’s Silwerskermfees in three words, what would they be and why? 

Brave. We don’t shy away from difficult stories. Colourful. Our spaces and faces are vibrant with joy.  Vivacious. We are all brimming with enthusiasm and energy, ready to share, connect and celebrate.  

Q. What trends or fresh perspectives are you seeing from this new generation of storytellers? 

Every year just gets better! Lowing taboo themes coming through in a non-performative slice of life way, as in the LGBTQI Drama As ek kon kies, and creative courage shining in an experimental piece like Change, shot form the perspective of a R2-coin. The interesting personal doccie perspective in Rooi van Aard is fun and unapologetic whilst we blend handmade cinema with new technology in Silas en die Ysbeer op Tafelberg.  

Q. This year’s programme includes feature films, documentaries, television previews, industry sessions and community screenings. How do these different elements work together to strengthen South African storytelling? 

At the Silwerskermfees our goal is always to make the festival as informative, educational and memorable an experience as possible. By including various genres, and television content at a film festival, we make the circle bigger to stimulate the entire ecosystem. We aren’t afraid to talk about difficult topics, like how to build a career beyond commissioning work, or how artificial intelligence and artistic integrity can coexist. International and local specialists teach on industry relevant topics and skills, like audience design and festival circuits, and many stakeholders are offered a platform to strut their stuff and speak their mind. The content always speaks loudest and the two award ceremonies are designed to honour craftsmanship, so we can cheer each other on! 

Q. Are there any themes or conversations that naturally emerged across this year’s films, even if they weren’t intentionally planned? 

Thematically, we have quite a few stories dealing with grief. All three our feature films work with this in such surprising ways, and a few of the short films also meandering into this territory with grace. Coming-of-age stories intertwined with life-death-life cycles. It’s profound! On a technical level, this year the composers of original scores in the three feature films are all magicians in their own right. Music to our ears! 

Q. What are you most proud of in this year’s edition?  

We asked the producers to think outside the box and come up with ideas to extend the festival goers’s experience of each title beyond the cinema. We are still curious about how this “Audience design” initiative is to pan out, but I can vouch for an incredible team of creative minds planning a whole lot of parties! Looking forward to spending even more collaborative time in connection with everyone.  

Q. For someone attending Silwerskermfees for the first time, what experiences or moments would you encourage them not to miss? 

The feature films (Silas en die Ysbeer op Tafelberg, Landmyn & Al wat ek weet). These also repeat on the Saturday if tickets to the premieres sell out! Highly recommended also, are the pilot episodes of television dramas (Invisible & Spinners S2) and documentary series (Die Bom, Tweespalt & Meer as warm gloede). And of course the very glamorous award ceremony held at the CTICC on Saturday evening. First we watch the rugby together, then we celebrate each other, and then it’s the biggest party Cape Town has seen in a while.  

Q. Beyond the red carpets and premieres, what do you hope filmmakers, industry professionals and audiences take away from this year’s festival? 

My hope is that they feel inspired, encouraged and refreshed to do what they love and be reminded we’re in this together.  

Q. Why is it so important that local stories continue to be created, celebrated and shared on platforms like Silwerskermfees? 

Stories are medicine. It’s ancient and it stirs us deeper than we can understand with our conscious mind. Coupled with an in-person experience, shared with our peers and fellow storytellers, in a safe and vibrant setting, is invaluable.  

Q. What impact do you hope this year’s Silwerskermfees will have on South Africa’s film and television industry? 

I hope that the festival will remind the industry that content is powerful and worth investing our money and energy in, that the connections made will spark joy and momentum, that the stories will touch festival goers across perceived barriers and that we will go forth and do it all again next year! 

The post In Conversation with Tina Kruger: Celebrating 14 Years of Silwerskermfees appeared first on Film Cape Town.

The films are:  

1. Trilstraat 

2. As ek kon kies 

3. N’ Poppy op die heuwel  

4. Yaardt Queen  

5. Change  

6. Verwerking  

7. Silas en die Ysbeer  

8. Landymyn  

9. Al wat ek week 

10. Spinners Season 2 Episode 1  

Collectively, the projects span a range of genres, including drama, fantasy, family and metafiction, highlighting the diversity and creativity of Cape Town’s screen industry. 

Two of the selected projects, Silas en die Ysbeer and Spinners, were supported through our second Film Fund call, highlighting the fund’s commitment to developing locally produced content and fostering South African storytelling. 

Silwerskermfees takes place from 19 August to 22 August and tickets are available at Quicket.  

More information on each film:  

1. Shortfilm: Trilstraat 

Synopsis: 

On their way to their car after an evening of exciting life decisions, a couple is caught off guard, and their conflicting reactions lead to disillusionments about each other. As they navigate the  dark streets of Observatory, they must find not only a way home, but a way back to each other.

Cast & Crew: 

2. Shortfilm: As Ek Kon Kies  

Synopsis:

During a church service, Kyleigh celebrates her engagement as an affirmation of the life she has chosen: one of faith, family and community. But when Lara, a woman she once loved, quietly enters the room, the mood of the morning shifts. As they make polite conversation, the past starts pressing gently but persistently against the present. As ek kon kies examines how one moment can shatter certainty, and it asks whether the love you choose, is the love you believe you deserve. 

3. ’n Poppy Op Die Heuwel  

Synopsis: When their beloved grandmother Poppy dies, siblings Laila and Josh return to the Namaqualand farm where she spent most of her life. For Laila, the purpose is clear: Poppy must be buried beside her own parents on the land where generations of their family once lived. However, the farm has changed hands, and Laila finds herself at odds with the new owners, who refuse permission for the burial . Unable to accept this, Laila decides to act and fulfil Poppy’s wishes. Thus, the family must decide what it truly means to honour those we have lost, and what it costs to claim a past that no longer has a place for them. 

4. Shortfilm: Yaardt Queen  

Synopsis: On the Cape Flats, dreams rise from every corner to the music pulsing through the streets. Keisha lives a double life: isolated by day under her mother’s watchful eye, and a DJ and rising star by night in the electrifying underground Yaadt scene her father once ruled. But when she uncovers the truth about his death, the music stops being an escape and becomes a reckoning. As beats and buried secrets collide, Keisha and her mother are forced to confront a past that could either break them or set them free.  

5. Short Film: Change  

Synopsis: Cape Town. 2025. Ruan, a managing director of a large corporation, realises he’s being ambushed by a new cashless policy enforced by their mother company in the UK. From the perspective of a two-rand coin, we watch as Ruan tries to stop the inevitable. Along the way, we get glimpses into the lives of city-dwelling South Africans, with each character portraying a different socioeconomic class and perspective on money. The film shows what change represents to the distinct yet connected ensemble of characters and asks: What is the significance of coins in a time when tap to pay is the order of the day? And at what cost are we going cashless? 

6. Short Film: Verwerking  

Synopsis: A screenwriter struggles with a scene centred around gender-based violence. As he sits feverishly typing at his desk, the words begin to distort the reality around him. The word “Mother” on the page causes a woman to appear in the room; the word “Father,” a man to strike her. Spaces and places start collapsing into one another; light and time bend around the writer, and he finds himself confronted by a horrific moment that has haunted him for years.  

7. Feature Film: Silas en die Ysbeer op Tafelberg  

Synopsis: Eight-year-old Silas lives with his mother and beloved grandmother at the foot of Table Mountain, where stories of Dreamland capture his imagination. After his grandmother’s sudden death, Silas refuses to accept the loss and believes she has simply become lost in Dreamland. He journeys into Droomland to search for her, but it no longer looks like the way he remembers it. Silas feels trapped in an endless loop. Meanwhile, his fearless neighbour Willemien and a strange creature named Brommel unexpectedly appear at his side, and a terrifying polar bear starts hunting them. 

8. Feature Film: Landmyn  

Synopsis: For the first time in a decade, siblings Colette, Johan, and Lisa reunite for a winter holiday on the South African coast. Each has built a life elsewhere to escape the instability of their childhood and the long shadow of their mother, Annatjie. The gathering shifts when Colette reveals she has invited her to join them. Annatjie arrives like a hurricane, pulling the family back into patterns of resentment, survival, and unfinished history. As the days pass, Annatjie’s presence collapses the distance the siblings have built, drawing them back into roles shaped by obligation and dependency. Each of them is forced to confront how much of their lives still bends around her gravity, and whether that hold can finally be broken. Written and directed by Nico Scheepers, LANDMYN is an intimate chamber drama about inherited trauma, obligation, and the difficult act of letting go. 

9. Feature Film : Al wat ek weet  

Synopsis: When a car accident kills his mother and his father retreats into a clinic, seventeen-year-old Gabriel Lombard is uprooted from the leafy mountain suburbs and is sent to live in a cramped Woodstock house with his aunt Lotta and grandmother Lenie. Determined not to crumble like his father, he buries his grief behind a cool front, wild lies and an overripe imagination, where a Kaapse Klopse brass band chases him through the streets. In therapy, he meets Sasha and falls for her. To get closer to her, he is strong-armed into the school’s poetry slam. But the nearer the competition comes, the harder his buried grief pushes to the surface, until the boy who runs from everything must finally turn and face it.  

10. Series: Spinners

Synopsis: The Underdogs have become massive spinning stars living a new life in Joburg, but Ethan soon realises he cannot escape his past. It comes calling when Hercules needs him for one last job, and he is confronted by the biggest crime family in Soweto when its troubled son, Sayi, becomes his main spinning rival.

The post Cape Town Productions Selected for the 14th Silwerskermfees Programme appeared first on Film Cape Town.

In this edition of Feature Friday, Zandré reflects on the lessons that have shaped both her career and the production company he helped build. From the importance of collaboration and trust to creating meaningful opportunities for filmmakers, she shares her perspective on Cape Town’s growing reputation as a global filmmaking destination, the untapped potential of South African stories, and the legacy she hopes Nagvlug will leave for the industry.

Q. What has been one of the most defining lessons you’ve learnt throughout your career, and how has it influenced the way you approach new opportunities?

One of the most important lessons I’ve learnt is that delivering a film isn’t the end of the journey, it’s the beginning of creating its value.

When production wraps, it’s easy to think the work is done. In reality, that’s when a completely different phase begins. Festivals, audiences, partnerships, distribution and international opportunities all continue to shape what that film ultimately becomes. I’ve learnt that a film’s value isn’t fixed on the day you deliver it. It’s something you continue to build through the relationships you nurture and the decisions you make long afterwards.

The same is true for the people who make the films. Every project is built on relationships. Relationships with your collaborators, with financiers, with broadcasters, with festival programmers, with distributors, and perhaps most importantly, with the story itself. If you don’t genuinely care about the themes you’re exploring and the people you’re exploring them with, I don’t think the work has the same depth or longevity.

That lesson has changed how I approach every opportunity. I think less about the individual project and more about the relationships it allows me to build. Films come and go, but trust, reputation and shared ambition carry forward into every project that follows. In this industry, I believe relationships are ultimately the most valuable thing you can create.

Q. What was the driving force behind founding Nagvlug, and what gap did you hope to fill in the industry?

People often ask about the moment Nagvlug was founded, but I don’t think a company is defined by the day it’s registered. That’s the easy part. The real work is what happens afterwards.

For me, Nagvlug truly became Nagvlug when Chanél and I made a conscious decision about the kind of company we wanted to build and the values we wanted to build it on. We realised that success wasn’t going to come from chasing individual projects. It would come from continually learning, adapting, refining our strategy and surrounding ourselves with people who challenged and strengthened our thinking.

At the heart of that is a simple belief: we are stronger together.

Every meaningful step forward for Nagvlug has come through collaboration. None of our successes can be attributed to a single person or a single moment. They are the result of writers, directors, producers, crew, cast, financiers, broadcasters and partners all bringing different perspectives to the same table. Our role is often less about having all the answers than it is about recognising good ideas, creating an environment where they can grow, and stewarding them towards something greater than any one person could have achieved alone.

I think that’s the gap we’ve always tried to fill. Not simply making films, but building a company where collaboration is the strategy, not just the process. Where people are empowered to contribute, to challenge each other and to keep evolving. Because the best stories, much like the best companies, are rarely the product of a single voice.

Q. The name Nagvlug is distinctive. Is there a story behind it, and how does it reflect the company’s philosophy and approach to filmmaking?

That’s such an interesting question because, in all honesty, it’s one I’ve only really started reflecting on recently.

Sometimes I’ve found that something can be right in front of you for years before you truly see it. Nagvlug has always been the name of our company, but your question made me stop and ask myself what it actually means to me today.

I realised that, to me, Nagvlug has become a toevlug (refuge).

A place where ideas can find shelter long enough to grow into something meaningful. A place where filmmakers, writers, directors, cast and crew can feel supported, challenged and encouraged to do the best work of their careers. A place where people are trusted, where collaboration is valued, and where stories are given the time and care they deserve.

There’s also something beautiful about the image of light in the darkness. Not a bright spotlight, but enough light to help you find your way forward. I think filmmaking often feels like that. Every project begins with uncertainty. You don’t always know exactly where you’re going, but together you keep taking the next step until a story slowly reveals itself.

If that’s what Nagvlug can be for the people we work with, a safe place to create, to experiment, to learn and to grow, then I think the name has become far more meaningful than I ever realised when we first chose it.

Q. As a woman leading a successful production company, what advice would you give to the next generation of women looking to build careers in film, whether behind the camera or in leadership roles?

I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunities I’ve had, but I don’t think the best advice I can give changes depending on whether you’re a woman or a man.

Anyone who dreams of building a career in film should remember what a privilege it is to wake up every day and spend your life telling stories. It’s easy to lose sight of that when you’re facing long hours, uncertainty or rejection, but the truth is that many people never get the opportunity to do work they genuinely love.

The ability to build a career doing what you’re passionate about comes with sacrifice. There will be setbacks, projects that don’t happen, funding that falls through and moments where you question whether it’s all worth it. But if you remain committed to learning, keep showing up and continue treating people well, those experiences become part of the journey rather than the reason to stop.

I’ve also learnt that this industry is far less about proving yourself than it is about building trust. Your reputation, your generosity, your willingness to collaborate and the way you treat people will often open more doors than your talent alone.

So my advice is simple: stay curious, keep learning, work hard, be kind, and never lose sight of why you fell in love with storytelling in the first place. If you can hold onto that, you’ll build more than a career. You’ll build a life doing something you truly care about.

Q. From your perspective, what continues to make the city such an attractive destination for filmmakers, and where do you see untapped potential?

Cape Town is an extraordinary place to make films, and not only because of its landscapes. We have world-class crews, exceptional technicians and creatives who continue to prove themselves on productions from all over the world. There’s a level of craftsmanship here that deserves far more international recognition than it often receives.

What excites me even more, though, is the city’s growing confidence in telling its own stories.

For a long time, Cape Town was known primarily as a destination where international productions came to shoot. While that remains incredibly important, I think there’s enormous untapped potential in continuing to develop original South African stories that can travel internationally. The world isn’t looking for us to imitate someone else’s voice. It’s looking for stories that could only have come from here.

Cape Town is uniquely positioned to become both a production hub and a creative hub. We have remarkable writers, directors, actors and producers, but we also have stories shaped by a history, geography and cultural diversity that simply don’t exist anywhere else.

For me, that’s the real opportunity. Not just bringing productions to Cape Town, but exporting Cape Town’s imagination to the rest of the world.

Q. What have you learnt about collaboration through co-leading Nagvlug, and how has it shaped the work you produce?

Co-leading Nagvlug has taught me that collaboration isn’t about finding someone who thinks like you. It’s about finding someone who makes your thinking better.

Chanél has been that person for me. She’s my double-check, my lantern in the dark. She has a remarkable ability to ask the question I hadn’t considered, to challenge my assumptions, to celebrate the wins and to keep me grounded when I need it most. I’d like to think I do the same for her. We’re both deeply invested in making the work, and each other, better.

The biggest lesson I’ve learnt is that trust isn’t built through always being right. It’s built through vulnerability. Through being able to say, “I don’t know.” Through apologising when you’ve made a mistake. Through having the discipline to show up every day, and the commitment to tell each other the truth, even when it’s uncomfortable to hear.

I also think alignment is often misunderstood. It’s not about agreeing on everything. In fact, some of our best conversations begin with disagreement. What’s important is taking the time to understand why you disagree. Once you’ve unpacked that, you can move forward with confidence, whether you’re making decisions together or working independently.

That philosophy extends far beyond the two of us. It’s shaped the culture we’ve tried to build at Nagvlug, where ideas are tested, not protected, and where the goal is never to win an argument but to make the work stronger.

Q. What changes have you witnessed over the years, and what opportunities do you think emerging filmmakers should be paying attention to?

The biggest shift I’ve witnessed is that filmmaking has become far more accessible. The tools to write, shoot, edit and distribute stories are now within reach of more people than ever before, and that’s incredibly exciting.

At the same time, I think we’ve unintentionally drifted towards a culture of trying to do everything ourselves. We’ve become fascinated by the idea of the one-person filmmaker or the one-stop shop. While those skills are valuable, I don’t believe they’re where the real magic of filmmaking lies.

Film has always been, and will always be, a collaborative art form.

The projects that stay with us are rarely the product of one person’s brilliance. They’re the result of people bringing different skills, different experiences and different ways of thinking to the same story. That’s where ideas are challenged, refined and ultimately become stronger.

So if I could encourage emerging filmmakers to pay attention to one thing, it would be this: build your community. Find people whose strengths are different from your own. Invest in those relationships. Learn to trust, to listen and to collaborate generously.

The technology will continue to evolve. The platforms will change. But the ability to build meaningful creative partnerships will always be one of the greatest advantages a filmmaker can have.

Q. What is one aspect of producing that audiences rarely appreciate but is essential to bringing a story to life?

The honest answer? The finance plan… and the final audit! They’re probably the least glamorous parts of filmmaking, but they’re absolutely essential.

People often think a finance plan is simply a template you fill in. It isn’t. It’s a business strategy. The amount of thinking that goes into it is enormous because you’re not only figuring out how to finance a film, you’re designing the entire lifecycle of that project. From development and production through post-production, distribution and sales, every decision has a knock-on effect somewhere else.

And then you still have to bring that plan into existence.

This is where collaboration becomes essential. At Nagvlug, the finance plan goes through more iterations than I can count between myself, Chanél and Martin. Each of us brings a different perspective, constantly challenging assumptions and stress-testing the strategy until we’re confident we’ve considered every stage of the journey.

Martin, in particular, is our closer. He’s our anchor and our fail-safe. While the rest of us are already dreaming about the next story, he’s the one who carefully shepherds the project through its final audit, making sure every detail has been accounted for. I’m incredibly grateful for that because it’s a reminder that the strongest teams aren’t made up of people who can all do the same thing. They’re made up of people who know their strengths, acknowledge their weaknesses and trust each other to carry different parts of the load.

When a film works, the audience should never notice any of this. They should simply become immersed in the story. But behind every film is a team of people making thousands of thoughtful decisions, many of which have nothing to do with cameras, and everything to do with giving that story the best possible chance to succeed.

Q. What kind of legacy do you hope Nagvlug leaves, not only through the films it creates, but through the impact it has on the people and industry around it?

More than anything, I hope Nagvlug leaves behind people who are better for having worked with us.

Of course I hope we’ve made films that endure, but films eventually become part of history. People carry their experiences with them for the rest of their careers.

One thing we’ve always felt strongly about is that no one should simply be a number on a call sheet. Every person on set, regardless of their role, is a collaborator. Every contribution matters. We trust our crew, we respect them and we believe people do their best work when they’re treated with dignity.

That also means creating healthy working environments. We fiercely protect our crew because making a film should never come at the expense of the people making it. Long hours are sometimes unavoidable, but they should never become a badge of honour. We want people to go home proud of the work they’ve done and still have something left of themselves for the people waiting for them at home.

The same philosophy extends beyond our sets. I hope we’re remembered as a company that shared knowledge, gave opportunities, celebrated other people’s successes and understood that a healthy industry is built by healthy companies that care for healthy people.

If someone leaves a Nagvlug production feeling more confident, more valued, more capable and more excited about the future than when they arrived, I think that’s a legacy worth striving for. The films are important, but they’re never more important than the people who make them.

Q. Looking ahead, what is the one story you still dream of bringing to life, and why is it the one that has stayed with you?

There’s one story that’s stayed with me for years. I won’t say too much about it because I still hope to bring it to the screen one day, but it’s an eight-part science-fiction mystery set in a small Karoo town.

What has kept me returning to it isn’t the science fiction. It’s the question at its heart:

What if the next great scientific leap isn’t something we have yet to discover, but something we’ve forgotten?

I love stories that begin with an intimate human mystery and slowly unfold into something much bigger. I’m fascinated by ancient knowledge systems and the idea that the people who walked this earth long before us may have understood things we’ve since forgotten. There’s so much we can still learn from them. Stories like these invite audiences to question the way they see the world without ever losing sight of the people at their centre.

This particular story weaves together forgotten knowledge systems, language, science and memory into a slow-burning investigation that gradually reveals a truth that has been hiding in plain sight all along. It’s ambitious, unsettling and, I hope, deeply human.

Perhaps that’s why it has stayed with me for so long. The older I get, the less interested I become in stories that simply provide answers. I’m far more interested in stories that ask questions worth living with. Those are the stories that continue to evolve long after the credits roll.

The post Nagvlug’s Journey in South African Film with Zandré Coetzer appeared first on Film Cape Town.

As virtual production continues to reshape the way stories are brought to life, Cape Town’s 3PEAK Studio is helping filmmakers push creative boundaries without leaving the studio floor. From immersive LED volume technology and live streaming to large-scale commercial productions, the studio combines innovation with practical problem-solving, giving directors and producers greater flexibility while complementing traditional location filming.

This week, we catch up with Graeme Lay, from 3PEAK Studio, to chat about the studio’s journey from a pandemic-born idea to one of Cape Town’s leading virtual production facilities.

Q. What inspired the creation of the studio, and what gap did you see in the local production landscape?

The idea for 3Peak Studio was born out of COVID. At the time corporate companies needed some way to stream live to their client base. The first version of 3Peak Studio wasn’t what it is today, but the need for professional live streaming with an LED wall started the whole thing.

Q. How has your LED volume and capabilities changed the way productions approach storytelling and problem-solving?

Productions can be shot a lot quicker because we don’t need to move from location to location. Depending on the script most or all the scenes can be shot in a LED wall studio. From a Producer point of view it creates far fewer logistical headaches and reduces the chances of things going wrong in a production environment. It certainly solves weather problems as we can proceed regardless of the outside conditions. We have even done shoots set in the opposite season to when it is being shot.

Q. Is there a particular project that challenged your team creatively or technically, and what made it memorable?

We shot a production for a large vehicle tracking company & they needed to shoot with a large Scania truck in front of our LED wall. The truck is almost 4m in height & I was worried about how we would even get it into the studio. An expert driver was brought in & parked the truck parallel to the LED wall & we had moving content behind it making it look like it was driving on a road. 

Q. What are some of the biggest misconceptions clients have before stepping onto the LED stage?

Some people think it is like shooting with a green screen. I always say comparing a green screen to an LED wall studio is like comparing a bicycle with a Ferrari. A green screen still creates a lot of work in post production & can cause spill onto any shiny surface. Shooting with an LED wall – the background is already in the shot & we place the cast in that environment by also using the art department & props. The LED wall is a light source & the background can be instantly made brighter or lighter. We can also change the contrast instantly & put the content slightly out of focus to help the director & DOP.

Q. How do you see virtual production complementing traditional location filming rather than replacing it?

Virtual production will never replace location shooting, but it can help the production team with difficult shots. If you have scenes that are rooftop, hospital, airport or harbour scenes, getting the logistics or permission to shoot these can be difficult. An LED wall studio can help make these shots relatively easy. I think traditional location filming & virtual production can work together to make an overall production run more smoothly.

Q. Looking back, which project best showcases what 3PEAK Studio is capable of, and why?

We did a production for Ackermans that featured multiple locations & it was all shot inside our studio. There was even a beach scene & we brought in real beach sand & put it onto plastic sheets in front of the LED wall. Then we had moving content with waves coming in & the cast was on the beach. 

Q. How does your team collaborate with directors, cinematographers and producers to turn ambitious ideas into reality?

Often there are technical questions, such as what frame rate to shoot with & what format the content needs to be in to display on the LED wall. I give many online & in person tours of the LED wall for advertising agencies & film production companies, so they can understand what it is like to shoot with an LED wall. 

Q. Beyond the technology itself, what skills and expertise are essential for running a successful virtual production studio, and how has your team evolved alongside the industry?

To listen carefully to what the film production company or advertising agency wants to achieve as the end result. It is important to manage expectations & give them an idea of what is possible. 

Q. What opportunities do you believe facilities like 3PEAK Studio create for local crews, creatives and the broader film economy?

I think creativity can be stretched even further for the end client from an advertising agency point of view, as we can create almost any location without leaving the studio. AI has also been used to create some of the backgrounds on our LED wall – this can create a lot of work for crew working in AI for a custom made background for a specific production.

What’s next for 3PEAK Studio, and what excites you most about the future of filmmaking in Cape Town?

Budgets have been tight in the film industry across South Africa. I would love to see bigger budget productions coming back to SA & I would love the studio to be involved in a big feature film. With bigger budgets we are also able to invest in even more technology. The studio is also acoustically treated so we can shoot with audio, which also makes it perfect for live streaming & hosting brand activations & events.

To view some of the work 3PEAK Studio has done, click here.

The post Behind the scenes with 3PEAK Studio appeared first on Film Cape Town.

Q. You’ve built a career across theatre, television and film, looking back, what first drew you to storytelling, and what has kept you passionate about filmmaking?

I vividly remember the first time I was forced to read a book. I was six years old, a proper Limpopo farm boy, and about to start school. We lived too far out of town for the daily commute and could not afford the hostel, so during the week I moved in with an aunt I barely knew in town. She was my father’s sister, an English teacher at the local school, and one of the best things that ever happened to me.

She told me that the television was broken every afternoon, and that I could either sleep or read. After two weeks of drowsy boredom, I went to the bookshelf and, of course, chose the only novel with a dragon on the cover. The Hobbit was far above a first-grader’s reading level, but to her infinite credit, she put aside her own novel, made space for me on the bed beside her, and we began reading Tolkien together.

Her real magic, though, happened between the words. After every page, she would pause, close the book and ask me questions. “He didn’t tell us the colour of Bilbo’s boots, did he? What do you think they look like?” She trained me to think in story: to observe, to imagine, to describe and to remain curious about everything. For that, I will always be grateful.

A film begins with something invisible in one person’s mind, and through collaboration it becomes a world that other people can enter. Theatre, television and film all offer different ways of doing that, but cinema continues to thrill me because every choice matters: a face, a silence, the movement of a camera, the space around a character. There is always another way to tell the story, and always more to learn.

Q.How do you approach developing an idea from its earliest concept through to the final edit?

This is always one of the most difficult questions to answer, because the process is completely different for something on a stage and something on a screen.

When I am writing or devising a play, I tend to work from the inside out. I build character and theme through dialogue, suggestion, rhythm and breath, inviting the audience to do much of the imaginative work. Theatre is an active exchange. The audience completes the world with you.

With film and television, I work from the outside in. I usually begin with images, spaces, textures or fragments of behaviour, and slowly assemble them into a tapestry for the audience to experience. It is almost as though, when I write prose or theatre, I imagine myself as the heart or spirit inside a thing; when I write for the screen, I imagine myself as the camera. I observe. I decide where to look, what to reveal and what to withhold, and I record those observations in the screenplay.

Once pre-production begins, that private act of imagining becomes collaborative. The screenplay remains the blueprint, but the cinematographer, actors, production designer, costume designer, composer and every other department begin colouring in the world. The idea inevitably changes as it passes through other people’s imaginations, and part of directing is knowing what must be protected and where the work should be allowed to surprise you.

The edit is where I return to the essential story. By then, you are no longer making the film you imagined or even necessarily the film you shot. You are making the best film that exists in the material. It becomes a process of listening: to performance, rhythm, silence and the emotional movement between images. Very often, the final film reveals what the original idea was truly about.

Q. As a filmmaker from Cape Town, how has the city’s creative community and production landscape influenced your work?

I have lived in Cape Town for thirteen years, and I am still struck by its beauty and generosity every day. It is a city of extraordinary contrasts, with an incredible range of landscapes, architecture, languages and communities compressed into a relatively small space. For a filmmaker, that makes it endlessly stimulating. It constantly offers new worlds to observe.

More than anything, though, Cape Town has given me a creative family. My producer and friend, Chanél Muller of Nagvlug Films, has a particular superpower: nobody is better at bringing together teams of people who become family. I have worked with more or less the same crew across Nêrens, Noord-Kaap, Donkerbos, HEN and Landmyn, and I would gladly collaborate with every one of them again on the next project.

They are kind, talented people from vastly different backgrounds who have grown into what we now think of as the Nagvlug family. There is an enormous amount of skill in Cape Town’s production community, but also resilience, generosity and a willingness to make ambitious work with limited resources. We do not get paid enough not to love the process, and on a Nagvlug Films set, that has never been a problem.

I am eternally grateful to every person who has helped make these stories possible. Whatever is personal in the work may begin with me, but the films themselves belong to the community of people who bring them to life.

Q. The horror genre has been gaining momentum in South African cinema. What opportunities do you think it presents for local filmmakers, and how does HEN contribute to that growing landscape?

Horror gives South African filmmakers an extraordinary opportunity because it allows us to tell culturally specific stories in a language that travels. The genre is inherently cinematic, but it is also flexible enough to hold our history, our anxieties, our folklore and the realities of the country we live in. We do not have to imitate international horror films. The more particular and recognisably South African the story is, the more distinctive it becomes on the world stage.

There is also a practical opportunity. Horror can often be made at a contained scale, without sacrificing ambition, and audiences and festivals are increasingly receptive to bold genre work from places they have not seen represented before.

With HEN, I wanted to contribute something quieter and more psychological to that landscape. It is rooted in a very specific South African world, but it uses horror to explore universal ideas about faith, family, inherited trauma and our instinct to protect a child even when we begin to fear him. I hope the film demonstrates that South African horror can be formally daring, emotionally complex and deeply local, while still connecting with audiences far beyond our borders.

Q. What qualities do you value most when building a creative team, and how do you foster collaboration on set?

Above all, I value teamwork and collaboration. I do not care how talented someone is, what their credentials are or how many awards they have won. If they cannot set aside their ego and work as part of a team, then we will not work together.

My friend and colleague Beer Adriaanse often says, “Oorlewing is ’n spansport”, survival is a team sport. I believe this completely. Filmmaking is too difficult, too exposed and too dependent on trust for anyone to think they are more important than the work or the people around them. This applies to the cast, the crew and, perhaps most importantly, the director.

I want people to feel free to bring ideas, ask questions and challenge something if they believe there is a better way. But collaboration does not mean creating by committee. One of the most difficult parts of directing is having to say no to someone’s idea, especially when it comes from real thought, talent and hard work. The right collaborators understand that this is not a rejection of them. They understand that the director has to steer the ship, and that there is only one king on set: the story.

That trust is essential. It allows people to offer their best without becoming possessive about whether every idea survives. My responsibility is to listen openly, make the decision and protect the film as a whole. Kindness and respect remain non-negotiable. A set has its own emotional ecosystem, and one difficult ego can affect everyone. To put it less delicately: even a speck of shit in a large pot of soup means there is still shit in the soup. 

The best work happens when people feel safe, valued and united by the same goal. That is the environment we try to create.

Q.What was one of the biggest creative or technical hurdles you faced while making HEN, and how did you overcome it?

During the shoot of the second season of Nêrens, Noord-Kaap, we discovered a beautiful abandoned farmhouse. It had no electricity, no running water and was nearly fifty kilometres from the nearest town, reached by a long stretch of badly neglected dirt road. Naturally, we decided we had to shoot there.

Making HEN in that degree of isolation, often in forty-degree heat, was both the greatest challenge and one of the greatest blessings of the film. Every practical decision had to be carefully planned because nothing could be solved quickly. We had to arrive prepared, work with what we had and rely completely on one another.

There was also no cellphone signal, which meant that, during takes, there was nowhere else for anyone’s attention to go. The entire cast and crew were present, focused on the story and on each other. That concentration created an energy you could feel on set, and I believe it found its way into the film.

The isolation stopped being merely a logistical hurdle and became part of the creative process. The farmhouse, the heat, the silence and the sense of being cut off from the outside world all shaped the atmosphere of HEN. In the end, the conditions we had to overcome became inseparable from the film we were trying to make.

Q. Is there a project or experience that fundamentally changed the way you approach storytelling?

Working closely with our local crews, and coming to know and care for them as people, has fundamentally changed the way I write for film and television. It is a lesson I learnt from my producers at Nagvlug Films, Chanél Muller and Zandré Coetzer: care about the people who need to care about your story.

It has not made me less ambitious at the inception of a project, and I never want budget to determine the limits of the imagination. But once the work begins moving towards production, I see it as part of my responsibility as the storyteller to shape the material around the realities of time, working hours and safety on set.

That does not mean compromising the story simply to make it cheaper. It means understanding that every scene has a human cost and asking whether that cost is necessary. By making those decisions on the page, before production begins, I am already contributing to the collaboration and caring for the people who will eventually have to bring the work to life.

I no longer think of compromise as a failure of ambition. Limitations often make us more precise, inventive and creative. Some of the best decisions I have made were born from asking not only, “What would be extraordinary?” but also, “How can we achieve it without exhausting or endangering the people making it?”

Q. What do you think is needed to help local filmmakers continue producing stories that resonate both at home and internationally?

We need a functioning Department of Sport, Arts and Culture that genuinely invests in local artists, infrastructure and long-term industry growth, beyond the important work institutions such as the NFVF are already doing with limited resources.

The collapse of confidence in the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition’s film rebate system has been devastating. It exposed just how fragile the support structure beneath our industry really is. Filmmakers cannot build sustainable careers, companies cannot plan, and international partners cannot invest with confidence when essential funding mechanisms are unreliable.

South Africa has too much talent and too many stories to allow this industry to wither. South Korean films and series are visible across global streaming platforms and cinema screens not because their filmmakers have infinite resources, but because their government recognises the value of culture, storytelling and soft power, and invests accordingly.

South Africa already has the talent, the locations, the crews, the languages and the stories to compete at that level. The creators are ready. The starter pistol is raised. The question is: where is our national government?

Q. What excites you most about the future of South African cinema, and where do you see the industry heading over the next five to ten years?

Variations on a Theme winning the Tiger Award in Rotterdam, Koek being nominated for an Emmy, and now HEN winning at NIFFF all suggest the same thing: the world is ready, and hungry, for South African stories.

What excites me is that these are not enormous, prohibitively expensive productions attempting to imitate Hollywood or European cinema with a fraction of their resources. They are distinctly South African stories, made within South African means.

That does not mean they lack ambition. It means the ambition lies somewhere else: in the specificity of the world, the strength of the writing, the performances, the images and the point of view. Rather than chasing the technical spectacle made possible by monstrous budgets, we are increasingly embracing smaller, more personal things made by human hands.

I believe that is precisely what is drawing the international eye towards us, all the way at the tip of Africa. Over the next five to ten years, I hope we become even more confident in that identity: not asking how we can make films that resemble those from elsewhere, but recognising that the stories only we can tell, made in the way only we can make them, are our greatest strength.

Q. Finally, what’s next for you? Are there any new projects, genres or stories you’re excited to explore in the near future?

We are currently developing several new projects. I am writing my first novel alongside a new drama series set in the Western Cape, and we are preparing my third feature, a contemporary psychological thriller that will be shot at home in the City of Cape Town. At present, we are securing the funding to make it possible.

The fact that my debut feature is a horror film does not mean we only want to make horror films. My second feature, Landmyn, is an intimate chamber drama about a family. The third is a psychological thriller. I hope the fourth is science fiction, the fifth a proper fantasy, and so on and so on until someone finally tells us to stop.

What excites me most is moving between forms, genres and scales without losing the people who have helped shape the work. I never want to repeat the same film simply because it worked once. I want us to remain curious, keep learning and allow every new story to demand a different language.

Whatever genre we tackle next, I want my film family beside me. The worlds may change, but the joy is in building them together.

The post Award winning filmmaker Nico Scheepers reflects on his journey through film appeared first on Film Cape Town.

In a remarkable double achievement, the film also took home the Best Feature Film award at the Vrystaat Arts Festival over the same weekend. 

HEN premiered at kykNET’s Silwerskermfees in 2025. While the film was shot in the Northern Cape, it was directed by Cape Town filmmaker Nico Scheepers and brought to life by a Cape Town-based creative team. The film’s development and post-production were driven by local talent, with Cape Town professionals contributing across editing, sound design, visual effects, colour grading, production management, production design, and countless hours of behind-the-scenes collaboration. 

Reflecting on the achievement, director Nico Scheepers said the award was a testament to the passion, talent and dedication of the South African team behind HEN. 

“This film was made by South African hands, hearts and sweat – and we could not be more proud and excited. What an astonishing honour for us to win at probably the coolest festival in Europe, and the first African film ever to win the award!” said Scheepers  

Synopsis  

Hen is an Afrikaans horror-thriller feature film, shot entirely in black and white. Following a brutal massacre on an isolated farm, a childless couple discover a feral young boy locked inside a wooden chest. They take him in, only to uncover a chilling truth: the child carries an inexplicable affliction, an unseen force that drives those who love him into madness and despair.  

The post Cape Town filmmaker’s Hen becomes first African film to win prestigious Swiss Award appeared first on Film Cape Town.

Instead of waiting until September, applicants in Streams 1, 2 and 3 will now receive their results on 15 August 2026, providing filmmakers and production companies with greater certainty as they plan upcoming projects.

According to the NFVF, the initial assessment and adjudication phases for Streams 1, 2 and 3 have been completed, with the due diligence process scheduled to commence on 13 July 2026.

The Blockbuster funding stream remains in progress. Pitch sessions for compliant applications will take place between 3 and 7 August 2026, with funding outcomes for this category expected in September 2026.

The post NFVF brings forward PESP6 funding outcomes to August appeared first on Film Cape Town.

Before a film reaches audiences, a single image often tells the first part of the story. We spoke to acclaimed motion picture photographer Graham Bartholomew about the craft of unit stills photography, working on major international productions, and why Cape Town remains one of the world’s most sought-after filming destinations.

Having worked on productions for Warner Bros., Sony Pictures, Disney+, Apple TV+, Netflix, Amazon Studios and the BBC, Graham has built a reputation as one of the industry’s trusted unit stills photographers, capturing the images that introduce audiences to a story long before the opening scene.

Q. What first drew you to stills photography for film and television? 

I actually came into it through picture editing, so I’d spent years looking at other photographers’ work before I ever stepped onto a film set with a camera. I should probably mention that I’m a Motion Picture Photographer, or Unit Stills Photographer. People often think that’s the same as behind-the-scenes photography, but BTS is only a small part of what I do. Most of my job is creating the publicity images that introduce a film long before audiences ever see it. I realised I loved being part of the filmmaking process without being in the spotlight. Every production is different, and after all these years I still find it fascinating to watch hundreds of talented people come together to tell one story. 

Q. What makes a great production still? 

A great production still should make you stop for a second. It needs to capture the mood of the film without giving the story away. If it leaves you curious enough to want to watch the film, it’s done its job. 

Q. How do you balance remaining unobtrusive on set while ensuring you capture the moments that matter? 

The best compliment I can get is when people forget I’m there. Film sets work because everyone trusts each other to do their job, so mine is to blend into the background and never interrupt the flow. That’s when people stop performing for the camera and simply get on with making the film. Those are usually the moments worth photographing. 

Q. You’ve worked alongside directors, cinematographers and actors on countless productions. How has collaborating with such diverse creative teams shaped your approach to photography? 

One of the things I enjoy most is watching how different people work. Every director, cinematographer and actor has their own rhythm, and every production teaches you something new. My job is to understand that rhythm as quickly as I can and fit into it, because my photographs should feel like they belong to their film, not mine. 

Q. From your perspective behind the lens, what makes Cape Town so visually unique for productions? 

Cape Town is incredibly versatile. Within an hour you can be in a city, on a beach, in the mountains, in vineyards or somewhere that looks like the middle of nowhere. Add the quality of the crews we have in South Africa, and it’s easy to see why so many international productions keep coming back. 

Q. Is there a particular production you’ve worked on in Cape Town that stands out as especially memorable, and why? 

Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die, which we filmed in Cape Town in 2024. I had the opportunity to work with the brilliant Gore Verbinski, and I had to impress him before I even got the job, so there was plenty of pressure from the start. I actually love that. I love being pushed because it makes me better. It was an incredible experience learning from Gore, cinematographer James Whitaker and a fantastic cast led by Sam Rockwell. 

Q. Film stills play an important role in marketing a production long before audiences see the final film or series. How has the role of still photography evolved in the age of streaming and social media? 

The speed has changed more than anything. Images used to appear weeks or even months later. Now they can be shared around the world almost immediately. People are also far more interested in how films are made, so behind-the-scenes photography has become much more valuable. Ironically, the easier it becomes to create images with AI, the more people seem to appreciate seeing how films are actually made. 

Q.What are some of the biggest challenges still photographers face on a busy film set, and how do you overcome them? 

Mostly time! After that, space and light. You’re working around everyone else’s job, not the other way round. The trick is to stay prepared, stay flexible and never become part of the problem. A calm head goes a long way on a busy set. 

Q. Technology has changed dramatically over the years. How has digital photography transformed your workflow, and are there any traditional techniques you still rely on? 

Digital has made everything faster, especially when productions need images on the same day. The camera has changed. The job really hasn’t. Good light, good timing and good composition will always matter, no matter what camera you’re holding. 

Q. Looking back at your body of work, is there a photograph you’re especially proud of? What makes that image meaningful to you? 

That’s a difficult one because every production leaves you with a few favourites. Sometimes I’ll come across an old photograph and it instantly takes me back to that day on set. 

The first-look image of Alicia Vikander as Lara Croft in Tomb Raider is one. The first-look photographs of Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway in Serenity are another. Then there are the behind-the-scenes moments, whether it’s Dave Wilson directing Vin Diesel and Sam Heughan on Bloodshot, or Gore Verbinski working with Sam Rockwell on Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die. I could honestly keep going. Every one of those photographs reminds me of the people I worked with and just how fortunate we are that Cape Town continues to attract this calibre of international production and talent. 

Q. For aspiring photographers who dream of working in the film industry, what skills or qualities do you believe are most important to develop? 

Be reliable. People can teach technical skills, but they can’t teach trust. Listen more than you talk, respect everyone on set and never stop learning. If people enjoy working with you, they’ll invite you back. 

Q. What’s next for you? Are there any upcoming projects or personal photographic ambitions you’re particularly excited about? 

I’ve just completed production on a rather interesting period piece and I start shooting something, that I’m really excited about next week. But like most people in this industry, there are a few projects I can’t talk about just yet! I’m looking forward to what’s coming, and I’m also enjoying exploring behind-the-scenes videography alongside my still photography. It’s a natural extension of what I already love doing. As long as I’m always learning something new, I’m happy. 

The post The art of photographing film with Graham Bartholomew appeared first on Film Cape Town.

Business and Arts South Africa (BASA), in partnership with the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC), has announced the fourth edition of the Debut Fund Programme. 

Under this year’s theme, “From Idea to Market: Building Sustainable Creative Businesses,” the programme will run from July 2026 to April 2027. 

The programme will support 50 South African creatives, aged 18 to 35, from rural and peri-urban communities, helping them develop their business ideas and bring them to market.  

“Debut has grown into a powerful demonstration of what happens when creative potential is met with structured support. Each iteration has strengthened our understanding of what emerging entrepreneurs need to succeed in a competitive and fast-evolving creative economy. We are proud of the progress made by participants in the previous iteration, many of whom have begun taking meaningful steps toward formalising and growing their creative businesses. Debut 4 builds on this foundation with an even sharper focus on market readiness, sustainability, and long-term impact. Our commitment remains to create real pathways for young creatives to build viable, thriving businesses, said Nomkhosi Houghton, Debut Fund Programmes Manager.” 

According to the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, the programme is about more than entrepreneurship, it’s about empowering young creatives to unlock opportunities within their own communities. 

“For the Department of Sport, Arts & Culture, the beauty of the Debut Fund Programme is that it encourages participants to embrace the ‘Asset-based community-driven development’ model, where they find and source opportunities within their communities where they become custodians and representatives of their heritage and an inclusive present and future. At the same time, participants are cautioned on the importance of agility and the need to be globally competitive, even with feet firmly planted in our national and local soil,” stated Dr. Cynthia Khumalo, Director General for the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture. 

Applications must be submitted via: https://forms.gle/3EpcJC36wbAdBSnEA 

Closing date for applications is 17 July 2026. 

The post Funding opportunity opens for emerging South African creative entrepreneurs.  appeared first on Film Cape Town.

“Where can I watch this local film? I can’t find it on any streaming platform.” 

It’s a question we’ve all heard before. 

Now, a new pay-what-you-can streaming platform is making local stories more accessible. 2Thirds.co.za is bringing South African films directly to the communities whose stories they tell, creating access for all. 

Through its innovative pay-what-you-can model, viewers decide what they can afford to pay, with prices starting from as little as R10 per film, making it easier for more people to discover and enjoy local cinema. 

“South African stories should not be limited by geography, cinema access, or affordability. Technology now allows filmmakers to connect directly with audiences, creating a more inclusive and sustainable future for local storytelling.”  – 2Thirds.co.za team  

There are 3 films currently available on the website, all 3 filmed and based in Cape Town. 

2 Thirds of Man  

An emotionally charged feature film exploring identity, belonging, and the complexities of growing up in contemporary South Africa. The film follows a young man’s deeply personal journey as he confronts the circumstances that have shaped his life and his understanding of himself. Through powerful performances and intimate storytelling, 2 Thirds of Man offers a moving portrait of resilience and self-discovery. Winner for best first-time director at the Las Vegas Independent film festival and best first-time screenplay at the LA Film awards this moving drama combines humour and music to show a different side of growing up Coloured in South Africa.  

A Home Is Not A House  

A poignant and socially relevant short film that examines what it truly means to belong. Set against the realities faced by many young South Africans, the film explores themes of family, community, displacement, and hope. Through authentic characters and compelling storytelling, it challenges audiences to rethink the difference between having shelter and finding a place to call home.  

Klawerjas  

A character-driven short drama infused with tension, humour, and distinctly local flavour. Built around themes of chance, loyalty, and human relationships, Klawerjas draws viewers into a world where every decision carries consequences and every hand dealt could change a life. 

Trailers and films available at www.2thirds.co.za

The post New Pay-What-You-Can Streaming Platform Makes South African Films Accessible to Everyone appeared first on Film Cape Town.