The European Film Festival South Africa returns for its 13th edition from 17 to 27 September 2026.
The festival will screen 12 films in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and Pretoria.
This year’s programme examines different forms of family and the role relationships play in personal, psychological and social survival.
Award-Winning Filmmakers Lead the Programme
The line-up includes new work from Oscar-winning directors Paweł Pawlikowski and Paolo Sorrentino.
Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne also return with a new social-realist drama, while BAFTA-winning director Akinola Davies Jr presents his debut feature.
Actors appearing across the programme include Mads Mikkelsen, Javier Bardem, Sandra Hüller and Carice van Houten.
The Last Viking Opens the Festival
The Last Viking, starring Mads Mikkelsen, will open this year’s festival.
The darkly comic family crime drama follows two brothers dealing with mental health, buried secrets, the Beatles and the challenges of relying on those around them.
My Father’s Shadow Explores Family and Survival
My Father’s Shadow is the BAFTA-winning debut feature from British-Nigerian filmmaker Akinola Davies Jr.
Set against a turbulent backdrop, the personal story pays tribute to fathers and parents struggling to keep their families together.
Paweł Pawlikowski Presents Fatherland
Oscar-winning filmmaker Paweł Pawlikowski brings Fatherland to the festival.
The film follows German literary figure Thomas Mann and his daughter as they travel through a country confronting its past during the Cold War.
Sandra Hüller stars in the film, which earned Pawlikowski the Best Director prize at Cannes.
Young Mothers Focuses on Shared Strength
The Dardenne brothers’ Young Mothers won the Best Screenplay award at Cannes.
The film follows young women facing motherhood, abandonment and difficult decisions while drawing strength from one another.
More Festival Highlights
Paolo Sorrentino’s La Grazia stars Toni Servillo, while Cédric Klapisch presents Colours of Time.
The Oscar-nominated documentary Porcelain War follows Ukrainian artists living through the devastation of war.
Spain’s The Beloved stars Javier Bardem as a filmmaker confronting the complicated relationship between fathers and daughters.
The Netherlands is represented by A Family, starring Carice van Houten.
Agnieszka Holland’s Franz examines the life and legacy of writer Franz Kafka.
Ireland’s Christy follows a teenager who returns to Cork and reconnects with his estranged brother.
Portugal’s Aquí, directed by Tiago Guedes, adapts South African Nobel laureate J.M. Coetzee’s Jesus trilogy.
Festival to Honour Peter Rorvik
The festival will honour former co-director Peter Rorvik, who died earlier this year.
The tribute will recognise his contribution to independent cinema and his work supporting generations of South African film lovers and filmmakers.
European Film Festival SA Details
Dates: 17 to 27 September 2026
Cities: Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and Pretoria
Programme and schedule: www.eurofilmfest.co.za
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