A new documentary exploring the environmental and social impact of mining along South Africa’s West Coast has made its local debut, drawing a full house at its Cape Town premiere ahead of an international film festival run.
Out of Mined/Supplied
Almost 400 people attended the premiere of Out of Mined at the Labia Theatre on 24 June, where the feature documentary screened across all four cinemas before its upcoming appearances at international festivals. The film has also been nominated for a Cannes Film Award, with winners set to be announced on 27 June.
Directed by Arthur Neumeier and produced by Eyeforce in partnership with Protect the West Coast (PTWC), the 60-minute documentary examines more than a century of diamond and heavy mineral mining along roughly 450 kilometres of coastline. At the same time, it celebrates the region’s biodiversity, landscapes and communities that continue to call it home.
Filmed over nine expeditions to the West Coast and Richtersveld, the production draws on more than 20TB of footage to tell the stories of fishers, Indigenous communities, scientists, legal experts and conservationists. Together, they explore the long-term consequences of mining while highlighting possible nature-based solutions for the future.
The documentary arrives as mining pressure on the region continues to grow.
According to PTWC, 60 new mining applications were submitted across the Western and Northern Cape during 2026. The organisation also points to recent environmental authorisation granted for offshore diamond mining between Doringbaai and Strandfontein, south of the Olifants River estuary.
Despite decades of mining activity, rehabilitation has remained limited. PTWC’s The Tipping Point report estimates that only 10% of the West Coast coastline currently enjoys formal protection, leaving much of the remaining coastline vulnerable to future mining developments.
Speaking after the premiere, PTWC managing director Mike Schlebach said the film is intended to inspire practical conservation action.
“This film lays the path to tangible change on the West Coast. Cinema and art are powerful tools to reveal both the legacy damage of mining and the breathtaking beauty of the region.”
Following the screening, filmmakers and environmental advocates were joined by community leaders for a panel discussion. Among them was Wendy Pekeur, founder of the Ubuntu Rural Women and Youth Movement, who highlighted the need to address the social impacts of mining, particularly for women and young people in rural communities.
For director Arthur Neumeier, the project became as much about place as it did about environmental protection.
“The more time we spent on the West Coast, the more we realised how little most people know about what is happening there. We wanted to create a film that not only shines a light on the impact of mining, but also honours the beauty, communities and biodiversity that still remain.”
The documentary is scheduled to screen at several international festivals, including the Berlin Indie Film Festival, the Changing Tide Ocean Film Festival and the Green Montenegro International Film Festival.
South African audiences will have another opportunity to watch the film when it returns to the Labia Theatre on 8 July.
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