This past week, Matabeleland had the immense honour of making its African premiere at the 2025 Encounters South African International Documentary Festival and what a powerful homecoming it’s been.

We screened in both Cape Town and Johannesburg, and in each city, we felt the love from the audience who deeply resonated with the film’s themes. The reception has been so encouraging that Matabeleland was selected as one of the Best of the Fest, earning us a bonus screening in Cape Town on the very last day of the festival.

Our Cape Town premiere at Ster-Kinekor V&A was well attended, with a post-screening Q&A that saw director Nyasha Kadandara reflecting on memory, healing, and the journey behind the film. The festival also organized a free screening of the film at Bertha House, which created a more intimate atmosphere where audiences engaged meaningfully with Nyasha in conversation after the film.

In Johannesburg, our screening at The Zone @ Rosebank was also incredibly well received, with a strong turnout especially from members of the Zimbabwean community who showed up in such heartwarming numbers to support. The screening was followed by a meaningful conversation that reminded us just how urgent and necessary these dialogues remain across Southern Africa.

Beyond the screenings, Nyasha also joined a powerful industry panel hosted by Encounters CT Industry 2025, titled Wounds and Whispers: Narratives Shaped by History and Healing. Held at 66 Greatmore Street in Woodstock. The panel brought together remarkable voices including Fabienne Steiner, Shari Eppel, and moderator Shameela Sedat for a deep, thoughtful conversation on how stories of the past shape the world we’re building next.