African-focussed films to feature at Encounters Festival

According to a report on Screen Africa, this year's festival will see eight films with an African focus being showcased.

Films

• The Square (directed by Jehane Noujaim): The ongoing rollercoaster of the Egyptian revolution is explored in this Oscar nominated film which won the audience award at Sundance and Toronto.

• Big Men (directed by Rachel Boynton): A fast-paced look at the high-powered world of African oil deals.

• Finding Fela (directed by Alex Gibney): A politically-charged documentary about Nigerian musician, Fela Kuti, and the 2009 Broadway musical Fela!

• I Love Kuduro (directed by Mário Patrocinio): A look into the Angolan musical and dance culture phenomenon taking the continent by storm.

• National Diploma (directed by Dieudo Hamadi): The story of a group of students in the Democratic Republic of Congo, who are expelled after failing to pay their teachers unofficial bonuses.

• Coach Zoran and His African Tigers (directed by Sam Benstead): The story of an eccentric Serbian who coaches the national soccer team in the world's youngest country, South Sudan.

• The Iranian Film (directed by Yassine el Idrissi): The challenges of filmmaking anywhere in the world are exposed when a Moroccan man, who is passionate about cinema, tries to make his graduation film in Iran.

• Jumping Into Life (directed by Young people from the same social background): The story of an inspirational performing arts school in Kenya, aimed at over 80,000 youths living and working on the streets of Nairobi.

The Encounters Documentary Film Festival takes place from 5-15 June at the Labia Theatre and the V&A NuMetro Cinema in Cape Town as well as the Bioscope Independent Cinema in Johannesburg.

For more, go to www.encounters.co.za.