Sponsors

Messages from our sponsors

Since that brave, visionary decision in 2011 to celebrate films in Afrikaans in Prince Albert, the kykNET Silwerskerm Film Festival has grown into a prestigious platform for feature film premieres, a showcase for the best short films in the industry, and an incubator for film talent. Every year, numerous feature films debut here, work that often pushes boundaries. The short films project has given dozens of writers, directors, producers and actors their first chance to show what they’ve got and to shine on the silver screen. While mentors for these short film teams often came from the kykNET stable, many directors who debuted with a short at the festival, went on to become renowned filmmakers and mentors themselves, or ventured into television. Some of them, whose work was seen for the first time at the Silwerskerm Festival, went on to create some of the most popular shows on kykNET. In 2023, the festival broadened its approach to include documentary, linear television and streaming content. This has opened up exciting opportunities for the festival to reach out to an even wider audience. The first kykNET Silwerskerm Awards for Film and Television prize-giving ceremony at the CTICC ended the festival on a high and glamorous note. This year, we are building on this new approach with its broader scope in terms of platforms and content. We are looking forward to experience a stunning variety of exciting new work and the celebration of the best of these offerings at the second Silwerskerm Awards for Film and Television to be broadcast on kykNET (DStv Channel 144).

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

The City of Cape Town is delighted to welcome film fans from far and wide to the Mother City for the 2024 instalment of the kykNET Silwerskerm Film Festival. This is an event no serious movie buff will not want to miss. Known for bringing exceptional quality Afrikaans film productions to the Camps Bay festival, Silwerskerm has also served as a springboard for the careers of countless local filmmakers, not to mention the wealth of workshops and film master classes on offer during the festival. As Cape Town’s globally-acclaimed film industry goes from strength to strength, cementing our place among the top film cities of the world, we owe a debt of gratitude to the Silwerskerm organisers and participants for their huge contribution to filmmaking in the Mother City.

– Geordin Hill-Lewis, Mayor of Cape Town

Openserve: Connecting you to the stories that connect us We’re excited to partner with this year’s kykNET Silwerskermfees, demonstrating our commitment to seamless connectivity and the opportunities it creates for individuals, businesses and the South African economy. Wherever you go, our broadband and telecoms infrastructure keeps you talking, discovering, entertained and informed. Openserve is South Africa’s largest telecommunications infrastructure provider, with the biggest fixed broadband network in the country. We pride ourselves on offering innovative solutions that cater to the diverse needs of individuals and businesses. Through our robust network, our nations’ profound stories spread far and wide, captivating local and global audiences. Openserve has always prioritised connecting more South Africans to broadband, to create more opportunities for progress in every sphere of our society. Our partnership with the Silwerskerm Festival is a celebration of the power of connectivity in bringing our stories to life.

– Phila Dube, Chief Operating Officer: Openserve

Afrikaans content is on a roll on Showmax, with shows like Donkerbos, Spinners, Trompoppie and Koek winning acclaim even beyond their core Afrikaans target market, both locally and abroad. If Afrikaans content is delighting more South Africans than ever, then the Silwerskerm Film Festival deserves a lot of the credit for the way they’ve introduced a wealth of new talent into the film industry through their mentorship project. So many of the filmmakers we’re now working with at MultiChoice and Showmax made their first short films with support from Silwerskerm, or debuted their first films here, or first connected with a commissioning editor at the festival. Silwerskerm plays a key role in bringing the industry together, simultaneously creating spaces for new voices. It’s both a celebration of how the Afrikaans industry keeps raising the bar, and one of the driving forces behind that. So, Showmax is very proud to be a sponsor for this year’s festival, and to have two feature films – Die Bloedhonde and Gebokste liefde – as well as the feature length documentary – The Station Strangler – screening in such a strong line-up. Hats off to all involved.

-Nicola Van Niekerk,  Acting Head of content: Showmax

Dagbreek Trust has long been a proud supporter of kykNET’s Silwerskerm Film Festival. We enjoy the energy this project unleashes in the industry, challenging and entertaining us on TV screens and in theatres. It builds confidence, develops skills and talents and sets standards for the Afrikaans film industry. From established storytellers to newcomers, everyone can learn and take away something valuable from the programme. These few days of exciting performances and discussions forge new bonds and inspire new works. We look forward to rubbing shoulders with everyone who has made a name for themselves or aims to do so, and we wish Waldimar and his team success with this important initiative.

-Astrid de Vos, Executive Director: Dagbreek Trust

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is delighted to be one of the sponsors and partners of this unique Afrikaans film festival. The Silwerskerm Film Festival has been a great festival for showcasing local talent, and incredible shooting locations in South Africa, while offering master classes and production workshops that are unmatched in quality. As the NFVF, it gives us great pleasure to partner with this festival that aligns with our mandate of growing and strengthening the diverse audio-visual sector in the country. To all the film lovers who will be making their way to this year’s edition of the festival: enjoy the cream of Afrikaans film productions and the beautiful views over Camps Bay!

-Onke Dumeko, Head of Operations, NFVF