South Africa’s film industry will once again turn its attention to Camps Bay this August as the highly anticipated Silwerskerm Festival returns with a programme that promises fresh voices, compelling storytelling and some of the most exciting Afrikaans cinema currently being made.
The 14th kykNET Silwerskerm Festival, taking place from 19 to 22 August in Camps Bay, Cape Town, has unveiled its official lineup, offering audiences a diverse programme that reflects the depth, evolution and variety of Afrikaans filmmaking.
A showcase of new and established Afrikaans filmmakers
This year’s Silwerskerm Festival 2026 films programme features a total of 22 films, including 17 short films, among them five documentary shorts and four feature films. Established directors and screenwriters return with new work, while emerging filmmakers are given a platform to showcase their talent and enter the world of visual storytelling.
Eighteen films will compete for honours at the festival, with winners set to be announced on Saturday, 22 August. One feature film and two short films will screen out of competition. According to Waldimar Pelser, Director: Premium Channels, Camps Bay is the place to be during the 14th Silwerskerm Festival, “which belongs to young filmmakers, with much to show and say.”
Pelser says new voices take centre stage this year, with documentaries and short films exploring wide-ranging themes through different variants of Afrikaans. The histories woven into several of these stories form part of the fabric of South African storytelling and are expected to resonate with a new generation of viewers.
Love, loss and identity take centre stage at this year’s Silwerskerm Festival
Among the short films are love stories ranging from the quirky and humorous Twee persent to the still-forbidden and socially challenging gay romance explored in As ek kon kies. Death and grief emerge as central themes in Wag ‘n bietjie, where a son pays a stranger to sit with his mother during her final hours, while descendants in ‘n Poppy op die heuwel undertake a midnight burial journey so a loved one can be laid to rest beside her mother.
Violence is examined from different perspectives throughout the programme. Trilstraat follows a couple robbed late at night on the streets of Cape Town, while Verwerking offers a layered exploration of gender-based violence. Themes of identity, acceptance and ambition are explored in Genoeg, Short Back & Sides and Yaadt Queen, while Change reflects on South Africa’s move toward a cashless society and the fading presence of physical money in everyday community life.
Documentary filmmakers ask the big questions
The documentary filmmakers also tackle fascinating subjects. Rooi van aard asks what it means to be a redhead, Druk dit! explores the world of competitive arm wrestling, and Pappa Kitsch follows a collector whose fascination with Vladimir Tretchikoff begins with an online purchase. Historical memory remains a powerful theme in Die grond onthou, which examines the lasting impact of forced removals under the Group Areas Act, while Die gees agter die spiere investigates the mental wellbeing of elite athletes, from rugby players to swimmers.
Pelser says kykNET is proud of this year’s offering. “In a time of increasing pressure and change, the festival remains a steady anchor: a space where films are watched, new voices are discovered, and conversations are ongoing about the future, sustainability and the growth of our industry.”
Several familiar festival names also return. Nico Scheepers brings Landmyn, Jason Jacobs and Devon Delmar present their adaptation of Marita van der Vyver‘s youth novel Al wat ek weet, while Zandré Coetzer returns with Silas en die Ysbeer op Tafelberg. Their previous Silwerskerm Festival entries included Hen, Carissa and My f*k, Marelize!.
Award-winning films return to the festival
The programme also features acclaimed productions that have already earned recognition internationally. Among them is Variasies op ‘n tema from Jacobs and Delmar, winner of the prestigious Tiger Award at the Rotterdam International Film Festival, alongside Dian Weys‘s Aasvoëls and Aadil Dhalech‘s Bosryer. Another highlight is the feature-length documentary From Dust We Spin by Julia Jansch, recently screened at DIFF, which offers an intimate look at spinning culture as both a form of expression and a powerful community-driven subculture.
Tickets, workshops and special screenings
Public ticket sales open on Monday, 22 June through Quicket, including access to the festival’s blue-carpet event at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on Saturday, 22 August. Pelser says the Silwerskerm Festival remains an important opportunity for audiences to support local storytelling.
“These films offer a glimpse into the many ways in which Afrikaans is lived and experienced — captured through the lens of the filmmakers who create it.”
Festivalgoers can also look forward to a programme of panel discussions, workshops and a masterclass presented by writer-director Dian Weys. Applications for the masterclass open on Friday, 19 June, with limited places available. Several episodes of upcoming television series created in collaboration with international partners will also be screened during the festival.
The kykNET Silwerskerm Festival is sponsored by the City of Cape Town, Vuma, the Dagbreek Trust, Village n Life and the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF).
