Sponsors

Messages from our sponsors

Dear festivalgoer,

Thirteen is a lucky number after all – or rather, we’re making it one this year with this thirteenth celebration of what it means to work creatively in Afrikaans.

Once again, film is the foundation of the festival – a high-quality offering that will charm, shock, make you roar with laughter and artfully find its way into the nooks and crannies of your heart of hearts. The goal? To leave no viewer untouched; to never bore; to push boundaries without alienating; and to experiment together.

As announced here last year, the kykNET Silwerskerm Festival is opening its doors even wider this year to include independent films in the competition, because this reflects what’s happening in the broader film industry. This is an industry undergoing major change – and we’ll be talking about that this week in Camps Bay, because the future will depend, in part, on what happens and what new ideas are hatched in this beach-chic hotel.

Our future will hinge on getting two things right – besides funding, of course. First, to explore themes close to viewers’ lived experiences in fresh ways; second, to blow their world wide open with entirely new ways of seeing and storytelling. After all, no one should ever leave a cinema as exactly the same person who walked in 90 minutes earlier.

Also, buckle up for exciting short films created by up-and-coming new voices, and for a glimpse into what’s happening in the world of kykNET TV.

Film and TV feed our souls – and for countless lucky individuals, they also provide a way of making a charmed living.

Thank you for being here to watch, absorb and dream together about what should come next.

– Waldimar Pelser, M-Net Channel Director: Premium Channels

It’s time again for Cape Town’s favourite film festival, and I look forward to welcoming all our visitors to the 2025 kykNET Silwerskerm Festival!

Every year, the Silwerskerm Festival manages to outdo itself, offering Capetonians an incredible experience that not only showcases the talents of our established and acclaimed filmmakers to the world but also gives the stars of tomorrow a chance to shine. It’s an opportunity for new voices in the industry to learn and grow, and for Cape Town’s film buffs to see the best of our local productions.

I am grateful for everything the Silwerskerm Festival does for Cape Town’s film industry – it’s thanks to contributions like these that Cape Town is now seen as one of the leading film cities in the world.

Enjoy the festival. I have no doubt that 2025 will be the best one yet.

– Geordin Hill-Lewis, Mayor of Cape Town

SA’s #1 fibre network operator keeps people, communities and industries connected.

Even the best movie can be ruined by unreliable  internet, which is why South Africa’s #1 fibre network operator is a proud partner of kykNET’s Silwerskerm Festival – a celebration of South African storytelling at its finest.

Openserve is powering seamless, ultra-fast connectivity for a range of users  and demonstrates its leadership not only through speed, but through its commitment to network reliability, service delivery, customer experience and performance.

From homes to businesses, cities to small towns – our robust infrastructure empowers filmmakers, fuels creativity and ensures that local stories reach screens far and wide.

This partnership celebrates the role of broadband connectivity in bringing our nation’s stories to life.

– Makgosi Mabaso, Chief Commercial Officer: Openserve

Dagbreek Trust cannot wait to see what our local storytellers and filmmakers will surprise us with at kykNET’s thirteenth Silwerskerm Festival. We know it takes more than just heart and soul to capture someone’s truth, someone’s dream on screen in such a way that it inspires, moves and challenges others. Thank goodness for the Silwerskerm Festival, which helps make this possible. We are proud of everyone – kykNET’s team, filmmakers of all kinds, stars, young and old – who continue to dedicate their talents to this precious art form. Do not stop entertaining, provoking and leaving us in awe and wonder.

– Astrid de Vos, Executive Director: Dagbreek Trust

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) congratulates the Silwerskerm Festival on its 13th instalment of showcasing and shaping the best in the South African film industry. Over the years, the festival has continued to grow and has become a significant platform for South Africa’s Afrikaans productions and for highlighting our beautiful shooting locations. We are delighted to once again sponsor and partner with the festival as it aligns with our mandate of growing and strengthening the diverse audio-visual sector in the country. We congratulate all the filmmakers whose productions will be screening at the festival and wish the organisers and those attending a great festival and an enriching experience in the beautiful Camps Bay.

– Acting CEO of the NFVF, Dr Rirhandzu Machaba