Encounters 2021: There Is Power In The Collar

Every year since our founding in 2010, The Bioscope has proudly hosted screenings of The Encounters Documentary Film Festival. Always a highlight in our calendar, the festival returns this year with limited physical screenings at The Bioscope from 11-20 June. Tickets are R70. For more information on the festival as a whole, please visit encounters.co.za

THERE IS POWER IN THE COLLAR

Directed by: Lodi Matsetela & Vincent Moloi. (South Africa | Botswana). Dur: 1h 16 mins.

This emotionally powerful and politically important film looks at the largely unexplored intersection of Christianity, colonialism and homophobia in Africa, and specifically in Botswana, where it follows a queer human-rights organisation’s fight to decriminalize same-sex relations in the country’s constitution. While colonialism and Christian evangelism have been key factors in the spread of homophobia in Africa, the film also acknowledges the potential power of the church, and pastors in particular (hence the film’s title), to reverse the tide on homophobia, expressing the brotherly love of the new testament rather than the controlling and archaic laws of the old. Although There’s Power in the Collar documents the situation specifically in Botswana, its central concerns apply to much of Africa and indeed the world.

COVID POLICY AND PROCEDURE.

The new Bioscope location is set to be a 47 seater cinema. We are however selling far less in order for there to be space to sit apart from other members of the public. We ask you to please keep your mask on the entire time within the cinema premises. Drinks and snacks will be on sale and can be consumed during the film, but please consider those around you when your mask is off for this. 44 Stanley is largely an open air shopping centre, and The Bioscope has a great outside space directly outside the cinema that public can make use of. Within the cinema, we will also make use of temperature reading, air filtering, and constant cleaning to make sure that The Bioscope remains a safe and hygienic experience.

After purchasing tickets, if you experience any COVID related symptoms, or come into contact with anyone who has tested positive, we ask you to please not attend the screening. Please understand that The Bioscope will not be able to refund you this ticket. We are happy however for you to give your ticket to someone else that can attend. If this is not possible, we would be happy to exchange your ticket for a future screening/event. This can all be coordinated via email at [email protected]