A deeply personal South African story has just made global headlines, with a Cape Town-made documentary winning Best Documentary at the Cannes Indie Short Film Festival.
Cannes (17 June 2025) – A proudly South African documentary has just scooped the Best Documentary award at this year’s Cannes Indie Short Film Festival and the story behind the film is just as compelling as the win itself.
Titled M.A.D Stories, an acronym for “Music, Art, and Dreams”, this gritty, real, and emotionally-charged documentary is the work of three Cape Town creatives: director and editor Mark Anthony, producer Denis Leach, and composer Christopher Beukman. Together, they’ve created something that has not only resonated with international audiences but has spotlighted the raw creativity brewing right here in South Africa.
The documentary traces a true story, narrated by Mark himself, of two young dreamers immersed in the underground music and multimedia scenes of South Africa. It follows Mark and Denis’s journey as they hustle to make it as rappers and creators, navigating through a whirlwind of ambition, art, and adversity.
Their dream? To make something that mattered.
And they did. But not without a few twists.
M.A.D Stories dives deep into their encounters with local legends like Jack Parow and Waddy Jones of Die Antwoord, connections that initially seemed like career-launching moments but ultimately pulled them into a world far more complex and challenging than they expected. It’s not your typical rise-to-fame tale. It’s a raw and honest exploration of friendship, identity, fame and the price of creative pursuit. But what truly sets M.A.D Stories apart is its unique philosophical underpinning: Pronoia, the idea that the universe is conspiring in your favour.
It’s this belief, this quiet, persistent hope, that weaves through the entire film. Even as the story dips into darker territory, the message remains one of resilience and faith in something bigger than ourselves. And that’s exactly what’s resonated with global audiences. After Cannes, the documentary has now been nominated for the Tokyo Indie Short Festival, adding yet another international nod to its growing list of accolades.
This win isn’t just a trophy on a shelf. It’s a moment of pride for South African storytelling. It’s proof that our voices, our experiences, and our unique lens on the world matter… and the world is listening.
Oh, and we’ve also just been informed that the documentary has been nominated at the Venice Shorts for the “Best First Time Film Maker”.
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You can watch the trailer for the doccie below:
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