SA’s first locally-produced fulldome film to premiere at Wits Anglo American Digital Dome
The film uses cutting-edge 360° cameras to capture lions, elephants, giraffes and more in their natural environments.
South Africa’s first locally-produced fulldome wildlife film, Close Encounters, will have its national premiere at the newly upgraded Wits Anglo American Digital Dome (WAADD) on 4 October 2025.
The 30-minute film marks a major milestone in local filmmaking, being the first South African-made production created specifically for the fulldome format — a fully immersive 360° projection system used in advanced planetariums and digital domes around the world.
“It's a proud moment,” says director Telmo dos Reis, the filmmaker behind Close Encounters. “This is not just a film — it's proof that South African creators can lead in immersive storytelling on a global scale.”
The film was shot entirely on location in the wilds of KwaZulu-Natal, using cutting-edge 360° cameras to capture lions, elephants, giraffes and more in their natural environments. Viewers are guided by field ranger Shane Raw through intense close-ups and raw moments of nature, including elephants surrounding the camera and lionesses gazing in from just metres away.
Produced by VR Capture, a South African immersive media studio, Close Encounters uses live-action fulldome filming — a technique few studios in the world have mastered.
The Wits Anglo American Digital Dome, formerly the Johannesburg Planetarium, recently reopened as Africa’s most advanced immersive theatre, boasting 8K projection and surround sound. The premiere of Close Encounters will be the first time a locally-made fulldome film launches in the venue.
“The scale is everything,” says dos Reis. “Lions appear at eye level. Elephants tower above you. The experience is deeply emotional — it places you inside the wild, without the danger.”
While the visuals are striking, Close Encounters also carries a message. It celebrates conservation success stories in KwaZulu-Natal, including land that has been restored from degraded farmland back to wild habitat.
“We want people to walk out of the dome with a sense of awe — and a sense of responsibility,” says dos Reis.
Following the premiere on 4 October, the film will have only three additional screenings at WAADD. Tickets are expected to sell out fast.
This premiere signals a new era for local filmmaking — one that blends technology, conservation, and storytelling in ways South African audiences have never seen before.
[SRC] https://www.wits.ac.za/news/latest-news/general-news/2025/2025-09/sas-first-locally-produced-fulldome-film-to-premiere-at-wits-anglo-american-digital-dome.html
