'Save the Festival' Initiative for 2009 Encounters South African International Documentary Festival

An appeal from the Encounters festival director:

Since we made the public aware of the current funding crisis for the upcoming Encounters Documentary Festival (www.encounters.co.za), numerous individuals have approached us with consoling words and offers for help. It is truly encouraging to see how many loyal supporters the festival has!

We can confirm that the NFVF, who have supported the festival for 6 years, will continue to support it this year. Other funders who have committed to the 2009 festival include the British Council, the High Commission of Canada, the French Embassy, Tempest, the Goodman Gallery, Business Arts South Africa, The Times, Exclusive Books, Nu Metro and Cape Town TV. We are still waiting for confirmation of support from the Cape Film Commission.

Of course we would like to make the festival happen as originally planned - without a Johannesburg leg unfortunately, but running for longer in Cape Town from 2 to 19 July 2009 - and we believe that we can with your help.

We would like to encourage you as a friend of the festival to contribute R1000 or more towards the festival budget. Your donation will contribute to cover costs for the South African film screenings at Encounters 2009.
To show our gratitude, we will invite you to the Opening Night on 2 July and in addition issue you 10 complimentary tickets for the festival screenings. Your name and contribution will be listed as one of the “Friends of the Festival” on our website. We believe that this information may ‘challenge’ others to contribute. If, however, you would like to remain anonymous, please let us know.

Please note that in November 2008 Encounters registered a non-profit Section 21 Company - the Encounters Training and Development Institute 2008/026397/08.
It is governed by a Board of Directors, who are:
- Kgomotso Matsunyane – Television Producer (TOM Pictures)
- Dr Susan Levine – Anthropologist (UCT)
- Advocate Dumisa Ntsebeza SC – Chairman, Barloworld Limited
- Professor Ciraj Rassool – Historian (UCT and UWC)
- Mandisa Zitha – Festival Director, Encounters
- Nodi Murphy – Co-Founder, Encounters
- Steven Markovitz – Co-Founder, Encounters

In line with the requirements for a Section 21, the Encounters Training and Development Institute is subject to an annual audit.

Please deposit your donation into the following bank account (and send proof of payment to reception@encounters.co.za or Fax 021 4616964):
Bank: Nedbank
Branch: Gardens Cape Town
Branch Code: 10 100 900
Account Name: Encounters Training & Development Institute
Acc No.: 1010 113518 (Current Account)

If you would like to help but cannot afford a monetary donation, here are a few suggestions of how to show your loyalty to the festival:

1. Are you a hobby Paparazzo? If you take fairly good pictures and have a digital camera, you could cover our opening night and world première events and make your pictures available to us free of charge.
2. Get the word out there: If you have some time on your hands, help us distribute our programme booklets and posters in cafés, libraries, shops and other suitable venues in your area as from 11 June.
3. Hobby Chef needing to be discovered? Maybe even heading your own home catering business? Impress our guests at the opening night or world première functions with your culinary expertise.
4. Do you have an uncle who owns a wine estate? We are looking for a sponsor providing wine and/or other beverages for the opening night and other events.
5. If you own a 3 star hotel or Bed & Breakfast (preferably Waterfront vicinity), how about accommodating any one of our festival guests free of charge for 3 to 5 nights?
6. You’re a budding filmmaker or just enjoy multimedia editing? Please present us your ideas for the Encounters 2009 trailer (30 sec screen advert based on the 2009 Encounters design; includes festival dates, venues, website and sponsors’ logos). This might take up to 3 days of your life….
7. If you have time during the festival to volunteer to work at the cinemas, please let us know.
8. None of the above? Then mobilize your friends and extended family to visit the festival screenings on a daily basis. Encounters is on at Nu Metro V&A Waterfront from 3 to 19 July, you can choose from at least four screenings per evening. Tickets cost R33. Forward the Encounters program to all your e-mail contacts, rave about it on your face book profile and help us get full houses for every screening.

Thank you in advance for your support. For any enquiries please contact Irmgard Schreiber on project@encounters.co.za.

Kind regards
Mandisa Zitha
Festival Director

Posted in: Encounters, Encounters Documentary Festival