ENCOUNTERS 2025: SHORTS BLOCK - BETWEEN THE ORDINARY AND THE UNCANNY

Every year since our founding in 2010, The Bioscope has proudly hosted screenings of The Encounters South African International Documentary Festival. Now celebrating its 27th year as a festival, Encounters returns to The Bioscope once again with screenings at The Bioscope from 20 - 29 June. Tickets are R90. 

SEE THE FULL BIOSCOPE PROGRAM HERE

SHORTS BLOCK - BETWEEN THE ORDINARY AND THE UNCANNY

perfectly a strangeness (A)

Dir. Alison McAlpine | Canada | 15 min | 2024

In this visually breathtaking experimental documentary, three donkeys make their way among the giant structures of an unmanned astronomical observatory in the Atacama Desert in Chile. Set against a luminous night sky, the film hints at the animals’ perception of the universe as the giant telescopes move across the sky, capturing the galaxies. Framed by the dazzling incandescence of the evening desert landscape, perfectly a strangeness is a hauntingly hypnotic slice of real-world cinema.

The Fries Philosopher  (A)

Dir. Janna Grosfeld | Netherlands | 17 min | 2023 

The charming short introduces us to the equally charming Abi, an Amsterdam fries cook whose snack bar also serves as a community centre. Amid his charismatic public persona, we delve into his private moments of poetry and the heartbreaking reality of the impending demolition of his well-loved snack bar. In a world increasingly beset by invasive gentrification, The Fries Philosopher is a tribute to the many small local businesses around the world that have vanished due to the pursuit of corporate profits.

In 2025, The Bioscope celebrates 15 Years Of Cinema. We couldn’t have achieved this without our dedicated staff who look after you every time you visit. We’re lucky enough to have had all of them with us for as long as we can remember, and believe that this loyalty deserves constant support!

For the months of May, June and July, we are running a special BIOSCOPE BIRTHDAY STAFF FUNDRAISER, where in the checkout of your ticket purchase, you can give a donation that will go straight to them - Owen, Silin, Bongi, Portia, Polite, and Swenkie!