Director of the Encounters South African International Documentary Festival, Joan Legalamitlwa, will be leaving Encounters and Cape Town to pursue cultural ventures in the North West province.
She has been with Encounters for three years where she started as co-ordinator and was later appointed as Director. Joan grew up in the North West province and now returns to Mafikeng in December 2006, where she will contribute to the growth and development of arts and culture in the region.
Mandisa Zitha who also hails from Mafikeng, will be taking over from Joan as Acting Director of the Festival.
“Encounters has moulded me into the organiser that I am today and I am very grateful to my mentors Steven Markovitz and Nodi Murphy for their guidance. I trust that my Mandisa Zitha will continue steering the company to greater heights and I wish them all the best for the future,’ says Legalamitlwa.
As Encounters Executive Directors, Markovitz and Murphy comment: “Joan will be missed by ourselves and filmmakers alike. She has been a major asset to the company and brought an innovative approach to the Festival. We are confident that we will continue to collaborate with her in her new ventures in Mafikeng. We are pleased to be joined by Mandisa who brings considerable experience from both the production and academic worlds.’
