South African Film Festival

Overview

Worldly cinemagoers rejoice, our next overseas adventure told through the screen is locked in. The South African Film Festival (SAFF) is back for its eighth edition in 2026, perfectly timed for Mandela Month, bringing a program of 33 films to six cities in Australia and New Zealand from Sunday, June 21 to Sunday, July 26. Can't make it to your nearest participating cinema? An online pass is also available, giving you access to the full program from the comfort of your own screen.

Entirely volunteer-run and not-for-profit, SAFF sends all proceeds from the festival to support Education Without Borders, a South African-based youth education and mentorship program. So what's on the program? This year's lineup spans features, documentaries and short films, covering drama, comedy, LGBTQIA+, family and environmental stories.

Leading the program is Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight, the feature debut of director Embeth Davidtz. Adapted from Alexandra Fuller's 2001 memoir, the film follows eight-year-old Bobo through a childhood on her family's Rhodesian farm (now Zimbabwe) as the Zimbabwe War for Independence draws to its end, closing the festival on Sunday, July 19 with SAFF's inaugural gala at Liverpool Powerhouse.

Beyond the headliner, there's the Australian premiere of Pangolin: Journey to Freedom, a groundbreaking insight into the struggles of the world's most trafficked animal; The Heart Is a Muscle, a taught Cape Town-set crime drama where the disappearance of a young boy unleashes hidden trauma for his father; Lucky Fish, a heartwarming satire set around an unconventional beauty pageant and the characters it attracts and My F*ck, Marelize! — an Afrikaans box office hit that was inspired by a 2019 viral video and ensuing catchphrase.

For the full SAFF 2026 program, or to book your tickets, visit the website.

Images: 'Don't Let's Go to The Dogs Tonight', 'The Heart Is a Muscle', 'My F*ck, Marelize!', 'Lucky Fish' — supplied