ENCOUNTERS 2025: NORMAL TO ME

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

NORMAL TO ME

Dir. Luke Sharland | South Africa | 78 min | 2024 

In a heartfelt documentary, Normal To Me explores the lives of adults with intellectual disabilities at the Joyce Chevalier Centre in the coastal town of Fish Hoek. Founded in the 1970s, the Centre serves as a protective workshop offering employment, empowerment, and support to its members. Through a warm, playful, and empathetic lens, the film delves into themes of acceptance, inclusion, and the power of embracing our differences, as it follows the personal journeys of individuals navigating everyday life. From learning to drive, to training as a champion bodybuilder, or falling in love, the film captures the ambition, independence, and spirit as they shape their own paths. With vibrant visuals, dynamic sequences, and intimate interviews with families and friends, the film challenges society’s stereotypes and preconceived ideas that often hinder true connection and community. Normal To Me invites us to celebrate diversity and resilience, offering a glimpse into the persistence of the human spirit, and revealing that the world is far less typical than we think.

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!