South African storytelling will take centre stage once again at the 14th Silwerskermfees, highlighting a collection of short films and documentaries by talented local and national filmmakers.

The festival, which will take place from tomorrow (19 August) to Saturday 22 August, will be centered at The Bay Hotel and Theatre on the Bay and bring together filmmakers, industry professionals and audiences for a celebration of South African Afrikaans cinema.

The festival awards ceremony will take place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, recognising outstanding performances in South African Afrikaans-language film and television.

This year’s film programme features 34 films and documentaries of which including 11 projects filmed in Cape Town, including the screening of Spinners.

These films cover a diverse range of genres created by both award-winning filmmakers and new local talent.

This year, two of the City’s film fund recipients will be screened at the festival, Silas en die Ysbeer op Tafelberg, and the anticipated season 2 episode 1 screening of Spinners.

Silas en die Ysbeer op Tafelberg follows the story of an eight-year-old boy Silas who 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.

JP Smith, Mayco member for safety and security, said Cape Town’s creative industry continues to thrive because of storytellers who bring the diverse experiences and perspectives to life.

“We are proud to support initiatives like the Silwerskermfees, which not only celebrates the power of South African film, but also creates meaningful opportunities for emerging talent to grow and be seen.”

Alongside the film screenings, Silwerskermfees is running an extensive programme of masterclasses and panel discussions, facilitated by industry experts and filmmakers.

This year, the festival continues its partnership with Sunshine Cinema to provide screenings in communities.

Two free solar-powered community film screenings will take place at the Grassy Park Civic Centre on Thursday 20 and Friday 21 August. Al wat ek weet will be screened on Thursday 20 August at 18:00, followed by From Dust, We Spin on Friday 21 August at 18:00.

The free community filmmaking workshop will also be held in Woodstock on Friday 21 August at 14:00. Free tickets for both the screenings and the workshop can be booked via Quicket.

For booking information, visit kykNET Silwerskermfees 2026 on Quicket.

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