From 19 to 22 August this year, the 14^th kykNET Silwerskerm Festival will take place in Camps Bay, promising once again to be a world-class film festival. The programme includes glamorous premieres, feature films, short films, documentaries, exclusive previews of new TV series’ pilot episodes, as well as workshops and panel discussions with industry experts.

Preparations for this year’s festival are already in full swing, and entries are now open for the 2027 Silwerskerm Festival competition for short films and short documentaries. The festival, which annually supports new voices in the local film and television industry, offers an established platform for both emerging and experienced filmmakers.

The competition is divided into three categories:

1. Short films, for which emerging filmmakers may enter.
2. Short films, for which established filmmakers may enter.
3. Short documentaries, for which both emerging and established filmmakers may submit concept proposals.

The festival is looking for diverse and imaginative storytellers who can set the pace in the fast-evolving film and television industry of today and tomorrow. 

The competition spans several phases.

If a short documentary is in your sights, you will initially have to submit the title, documentary genre, story synopsis and themes explored with references to similar doccies. The documentary must be no longer than 30 minutes. Any language may be included, but 60% of the content must be in Afrikaans. Any variant of Afrikaans is welcome.  

The finalists for the second round, to be selected in July 2026, will have to submit a pitch video. This is followed by a third sifting round, which includes a full presentation with a budget plan and director’s vision, among other aspects. This round will determine who the successful candidates are to receive funding and mentorship to turn their documentary dreams into reality.

Short film candidates for the 2027 Silwerskerm Festival will be selected through a similar screening process. The short films can be between 7 and 30 minutes long, in any genre and any variant of Afrikaans. It may also include other languages, but 80% of the dialogue must be in Afrikaans.

If your proposal ultimately gets the green light for funding and mentorship, you might just follow in the footsteps of a host of award-winning South African filmmakers who made their industry debut with a Silwerskerm short film. Among them are Christiaan Olwagen, who went on to win numerous awards for films like Johnny is nie dood nie, Kanarie and Poppie Nongena; trailblazers like Ephraim Gordon and Amy Jephta of Barakat fame and the filmmaking couple Corné and René van Rooyen, known for acclaimed movies like Vaselinetjie, Toorbos and Hans steek die Rubicon oor. Several Silwerskerm Festival short films, such as Vuil wasgoed and Beurtkrag, have also been developed into feature-length films.

Your entry for the first round of assessment must include a concept proposal of 250 to 300 words. The screenplay, director’s treatment and budget will follow later.

Entry forms are available at: https://silwerskerm.tv

Deadline: 19 June 2026

Entry fee: R350

Apply here.

Enquiries: silwerskerm@ideacandy.tv

Do you have a story you think could become a film? Is there a lifestyle, reality or documentary series you believe needs to be made? Well, now is your chance to turn that dream into a reality.

August is the time for the annual kykNET Silwerskermfees in Camps Bay, Cape Town. Short films, feature films and documentaries are on the programme, and for four days everything revolves around fantastic content for cinemas, television and streaming services.

But the focus is not only on content that has already been produced. kykNET’s commissioning producers are also on the lookout for strong new concepts. And that is where all viewers, producers and other filmmakers with an exciting idea are welcome to join this party.

How does it work? Submit an original, creative proposal in any of the following categories:

• kykNET: Reality and Entertainment
• kykNET: Documentary
• Afrikaans Feature Films

Applications open on Tuesday, 5 May 2026 and close on 5 June 2026. After the closing date, all applications will be evaluated by kykNET’s content team. The entrants of the top five concepts in each category will then be invited to present their concept in person to a panel of decision-makers at the Silwerskermfees, which takes place from 19 to 22 August 2026 in Camps Bay.

The dialogue requirement for all proposals is 70% Afrikaans.

Who knows? Perhaps your story is ready to be sold.

Entries closed