PTWC Film ‘Out of Mined’ continues to make waves around the world

The Protect the West Coast (PTWC) film ‘Out of Mined’ continues to make an impact around the world and at home in South Africa, including the Richtersveld in the Northern Cape, whose Nama community features in the film as one of the worst affected by mining on the West Coast. The film, which was recently screened in Sanddrif, sparked an impassioned debate by community members about how to protect their heritage. ‘Out of Mined’ has also been selected for global film festivals, and will screen at major international conferences, such as the San Diego Climate Week in October.
Promotional image for Out of Mined, announcing its screening at San Diego Climate Week in October 2026.
‘Out of Mined’ will be screened at the San Diego Climate Week in October. 

The screenings of ‘Out of Mined’ have shown that the film has hit a nerve with a wide range of people from all walks of life and in towns and villages everywhere, including in South Africa within communities worst affected by mining, such as the Richtersveld of the Northern Cape.

‘Out of Mined’ was recently screened at the Nama Khoi Productions Community Art Centre in Sanddrift in the Northern Cape with a full house of 150 community members in attendance, including women, children and the elderly.

The evening was hosted by the founder of the Richtersveld Stoftrap Dancers, Seargio Hendricks, who said he wanted to show the “negative impact that mining has on our culture, our nature, and our community”.

Stoftrap dancer standing with a walking stick in the arid Richtersveld landscape during the filming of Out of Mined.
Stoftrap dancers behind the scenes during the filming of Out of Mined. Photo by Gary Van Wyk.

The event included local cultural performances, and was followed by an open and passionate discussion about the threat of mining to cultural identity, the natural environment, and community unity. Those present shared personal stories and expressed the need to protect their heritage. 

“The event was a great success and achieved its goal of cultural awareness and community engagement,” reported Seargio.

Collage showing a Stoftrap dancer speaking at a community event and members of the Richtersveld Stoftrap Dancers posing together after an Out of Mined screening.
Collage showing children and community members seated outdoors at a nighttime screening of Out of Mined in Sanddrift, Richtersveld.

This kind of reaction is a central reason for communities to show the film – a way to feel seen in the face of a deluge of extractive activity by big companies who give little thought to the people and land they destroy. 

The narrative of ‘Out of Mined’ is eminently relatable as it unpacks the troubling intersection of unmitigated extractive process, and the poor oversight that allows it. However, it also shows – in achingly poignant fashion, the splendour and beauty of the ecosystems of this area – and what stands to be lost. 

People want to share the film’s message as a generic example of how human impact damages ecosystems that humans depend on. This is not just about mining, but also retail and residential development and other destructive projects that don’t account sufficiently for community rights to a livelihood based on their relationship with the land and the sea. 

“As we continue to share this powerful film with new audiences locally and internationally, we hope that the awareness it raises will bring about some positive changes in the decision making spaces on rehabilitation of mines, new protections for estuaries and other unique biodiversity, and bring the value of protecting local livelihoods to the forefront,” said PTWC MD Mike Schlebach.

‘Out of Mined’ premiered In Cape Town in June this year, where more than 1,000 people came to watch the film at the Labia Theatre comprising its premiere to sellout crowds in all four cinemas, followed by an additional four sold out screenings in the following weeks. 

A full cinema audience watching Out of Mined on the big screen at the Labia Theatre in Cape Town.
Opening night at The Labia filled all four cinemas. Photo by Jacque Smit.

Internationally, ‘Out of Mined’  has been selected for and celebrated at a number of film festivals, including the Boston Indie Film Festival, the New York Independent Art Film Festival in the Best Environmental Documentary category and the Green Montenegro Film Festival, and was an award winner at the Berlin Indie Film Festival.

These accolades follow the Cannes Film Awards in June, where the film won in the Work in Progress category. ‘Out of Mined’  has also been screened at the Patagonia Europe headquarters in the Netherlands and will be shown at a growing number of conferences and workshops in Europe and the USA, including San Diego Climate Week in October and the Los Angeles Climate Week in early 2027. 

It will also be screened at the Environmental Law Association Conference, and the Arid Zone Ecology Forum Forum in South Africa in Kamieskroon in the Northern Cape.

At home, a range of activist and advocacy organisations have shown the film or will be screening it soon, including Natural Justice, Project 90 by 2030, Fossil Free SA, Ubuntu Rural Women & youth Movement, the Mountain Club of South Africa, Mining Affected Communities United in Action (MACUA), Oceanfriendly SA, and the Southbroom Conservancy in towns around South Africa

Upcoming Screenings

6 October: Climate Week, San Diego, USA

9 October: Environmental Law Association Conference, Potchefstroom, SA

14 October: Arid Zone Ecology Forum, Kamieskroon, Northern Cape

6 November: Montagu Film Society, Montagu, Western Cape

1 November: Johannesburg Mountain Club of South Africa

For more information or if you would like to screen ‘Out of Mined’ at an event or in your community, email outofmined@protectthewestcoast.org 

Share the Post:

Related Posts

PTWC announces plan to create Africa’s first World Surfing Reserve on the West Coast

A collaboration between Protect the West Coast (PTWC) and the community of Elands Bay to apply for World Surfing Reserve status was revealed last week at the Save The Waves Film Festival in Cape Town. The designation provides for the protection of the ‘surf ecosystem’ and the environment and community around it, with measures to ensure responsible development that safeguards marine biodiversity, subsistence fishing, indigenous culture and ecotourism. Included is the vitally important Ramsar-listed Velorenvlei Estuary that feeds into the ocean at the surf spot.

Read More
Map showing Trans Hex marine concessions 11A, 12A, 13A, 11B, 12B and 13B along the West Coast between the Olifants River area and the Northern Cape.

PTWC appeals 32,000 hectare Trans Hex West Coast offshore prospecting authorisation 

Protect the West Coast (PTWC) has filed an appeal against a recent Environmental Authorisation (EA) granted to Trans Hex Heavy Minerals Mining to prospect on the seabed off the West Coast, alongside 10 co-appellants, including two government entities. As part of Trans Hex’s broader strategy to expand mining operations into offshore environments, multi-commodity prospecting will run for five years and the EA allows for more than 4,500 samples in six marine concessions – 11A, 12A, 13A, 11B, 12B, and 13B – over roughly 32,000 hectares (ha).

Read More