Reel to Reality Film Festival

Reel to Reality Festival is an annual short film festival run by Behind Her Lens Visuals, to spotlight films made by filmmakers of African descent, and within the African diaspora at large, to showcase the past, present and future of storytelling through strong voices in film.

The festival grants visibility and distribution avenues to emerging voices and stories of African descent, across socio-political divides. Every year, the festival focuses on curating a program that brings about a real cultural and social experience, to provide unique cinema-watching experiences that are missing from mainstream media. Reel to reality festival offers networking opportunities and promotes a culture of cinema through storytelling related discussions with filmmakers in a time where cinema is constantly changing and evolving.

The main selection criteria prioritises films by people of colour from South Africa, where the festival originates, as well as the African continent and the African diaspora, to promote pan-africanism and a growth in the industry. This festival aims to accommodate stories and filmmakers across socio-political divides.

Reel to Reality Festival is curated by Behind Her Lens Visuals, a South African based creative agency that aims to provide accessible stories to audiences on the African continent and the African diaspora, in order to bridge the gap between industry professionals, first time, emerging storytellers and their audiences.