The 2025 Silwerskermfees officially begins today in Camps Bay, with the Blue Carpet rolled out in style. To mark the occasion, a newly refined festival statue has been revealed, capturing the magic of cinema. This bronze piece will stand at the entrance of The Bay Hotel, greeting guests throughout the festival.
Why should you attend the 2025 Silwerskermfees?
Beyond its dazzling premieres, TV pilot previews, and cinematic showcases, the Silwerskermfees is also a space for meaningful industry conversations. Each year, festival-goers can join thought-provoking discussions led by experts tackling issues that shape the global film and television landscape. A limited number of tickets are open to the public, making these panels an accessible highlight of the festival.
This year, three dynamic panel discussions will explore the following themes:
Local content, global appeal: Why stories travel
Leaders in the local broadcasting, streaming and film industries are coming together to discuss recipes for success for content that resonates across international borders.
The future of the feature film
Filmmakers, distributors and visionary thinkers discuss the challenges of theatrical releases, creative problem-solving and future predictions about the viability of feature films.
Audience evolution: Understanding today’s spoiled-for-choice viewer
Experts in the fields of funding, scheduling, and contemporary content creation discuss the needs, desires, and habits of the modern viewer – and how to keep these discerning viewers captivated and happy.
Some of the movies to check out
The Heart is a Muscle
The Heart is a Muscle focuses on Ryan, a young father whose son goes missing during a birthday party. What follows is more than just a search for a child – it becomes a negotiation with history and the notion of masculinity, as well as the ghosts we unknowingly carry with us.
Khaki Fever
The bold comedy Khaki Fever , which premieres at this year’s Silwerskermfees, knows exactly what it wants to be: top-notch entertainment. So says SAFTA-winning filmmaker Brett Michael Innes. The director, known for gripping dramatic films such as Fiela se kind and Sink , is entering the field of comedy with his husband and co-screenwriter, Nick Ahlers.
Khaki Fever was filmed over 18 days, with the actors mostly in the shortest shorts imaginable. It’s about a group of game wardens who compete to see who can cage the most tourists during the season. Of course, things go wrong.
Hier
In Hier, director and screenwriter Robert dos Santos delivers an intimate story in which the boundaries of time are bent and the visuals are spectacular. With only three actors, the film explores themes such as time travel, memory and survival, while moving between several genres: romance, suspense, mystery, science fiction, action and drama. Against the backdrop of an epic visual landscape, Here offers a rare storytelling experience within the short film format.
