Encounters Announce Audience Award Winners

Fokofpolisiekar documentary takes top nod from film festival audiences

And the Winner is ... Fokofpolisiekar “forgive them for they know not what they do” directed by Bryan Little!

The Encounters South African International Documentary Festival proudly announced the winners of this year’s Audience Award for the films screened at the 2009 festival.

The winners for the categories are as follows:

The Best South African Documentary: Fokofpolisiekar “forgive them for they know not what they do” directed by Bryan Little. The Film received the highest votes overall.

Best International Documentary winner: RIP: A remix manifesto directed by Brett Gaylor (Canada)

The audience award referee Professor Tim Dunne, Head of Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Cape Town analysed 6245 ballot forms submitted by the Cape Town festival-goers.

“It is evident from this year’s Encounters that there is a recognizable demand for celebrated documentaries in the country. This year we experienced several sold out screenings, and held some of the most interesting Q&A’s and panel discussions” said Festival Director Mandisa Zitha.

The festival experienced financial difficulties prior to its commencement, before embarking upon a public campaign to raise funds for this year’s edition.

Zitha further added that, “the festival funders, partners and Friends of the Festival really made the festival possible. We are grateful that they showed their commitment and enthusiasm for the festival. Of course it would all be in vain without our audience, who attended in large numbers to get their annual dose of the independent non-fiction genre”.

This year’s line-up featured many award-winning films and festival favourites. The final programme of 40 films - including 20 local documentaries, was derived from a record entry of over 600 films from around the world. Of the 8 sold out film screenings experienced during the Festival, four were local ones.

During the festival 10,248 doccie-lovers walked through the Encounters cinemas at the Nu Metro, V&A Waterfront. This is a 25 percent increase on last year’s attendance numbers.

The Top 5 South African Films, as nominated by the audience are:

1. Fokofpolisiekar by Bryan Little
2. Rewind by Liza Key
3. For Which I am Prepared to Die by Lindy Wilson
4. Sea Point Days by Francois Verster
5. The Invincibles by Mark J Kaplan

The Top 5 International Films, as nominated by the audience are:

1. RIP: A remix manifesto by Brett Gaylor
2. Waltz with Bashir by Ari Folman
3. Burma VJ – Reporting From a Closed Country by Anders Hogsbro Oltergaard
4. Music from the Inside Out by Daniel Anker
5. Rough Aunties by Kim Longinotto

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