2026 DFM Programme Information
Please note that video recordings of selected sessions will be made available after the event.
Friday, 09 October 2026
Rise with the Sun! Start the day in perfect alignment.
A limited number of mats will be available, therefore we encourage participants to carry their own yoga mats.
Start Time: 07:00
End Time: 08:00
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Pool Deck (Mangwanani Side)
Presented in partnership with The Industrial Development Corporation (IDC)
South Africa has no shortage of talented young filmmakers, storytellers and creative entrepreneurs. The challenge is often not identifying talent, but understanding how to access, combine and successfully navigate the range of funding opportunities available to transform creative ideas into sustainable businesses and commercially viable productions. This session brings together key public-sector funding and industry development institutions to unpack the financing ecosystem available to youth-owned and youth-led production companies. From development grants and production funding to business expansion finance, infrastructure support and enterprise development opportunities, the discussion will explore how emerging creators can build credible financing strategies at different stages of their growth journey.
Hosted by the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), the panel will feature representatives from the IDC, the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) and the KwaZulu-Natal Film and Tourism Authority (KZNTA), who will share practical insights into the mandates, funding instruments and support programmes available to young producers and creative entrepreneurs. The conversation will move beyond simply identifying funding sources. Panelists will discuss what makes projects investment-ready, common challenges faced by first-time applicants, how institutions collaborate to support industry transformation, and what young filmmakers can do today to position themselves for long-term success. At a time when youth employment, entrepreneurship and inclusive industry growth are national priorities, this session aims to equip emerging filmmakers with a clearer understanding of the funding landscape while highlighting pathways to build sustainable production companies that can create jobs, own intellectual property and contribute meaningfully to South Africa’s creative economy.
Start Time: 10:00
End Time: 11:00
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suites 1+2
Panellists:
Manyatsa Nkutha (Industrial Development Corporation (IDC))
Jacqueline Rainers (KwaZulu-Natal Film and Tourism Authority)
Yolanda Ncokotwana (National Film and Video Foundation)
Nomy Donaldson (KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs)
Moderator:
Lehlohonolo Mokhosi (Industrial Development Corporation (IDC))
Presented in partnership with Sisters Working in Film and Television (SWIFT)
The industry is in flux now, with the dawn of AI and new funding models all while we are still recovering from a post pandemic world. Now is the time to make sure that our voices are not drowned out of the equation. As women, it’s not just essential that we continue to put our issues forth for discussion, but also that we are represented wherever our industry changes are discussed. Whether we sit on industry bodies like SASFED, or form part of government working groups, or simply sign a petition on a matter that is close to your heart: show up, now, more than ever before, take a seat at the table and be heard.
Start Time: 10:00
End Time: 11:00
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suites 3+4
Panellists:
Kaona Letlape (Kaona Letlape)
Amìlcar Patel (Documentary Filmmakers Association)
Loreley Yeowart (Sisters Working in Film and Television (SWIFT))
Miranda Ntshangase (Star Quality Performing Arts College)
Moderator:
Marion Seymour (Sisters Working in Film and Television (SWIFT))
Presented in partnership with Documentary Africa (DocA), Climate Story Lab ZA, The StoryBoard Collective, Doc Society, Climate Story Labs Africa (CSLA), Docubox, Perspective Fund, Plexus Films, Real Reel Impact (RRI), South x Sul Network, Tunga Media Afrika, UCT Centre for Film and Media Studies, UMI Fund
Impact doesn’t begin when a film is finished. This session takes a closer look at Children of Honey, exploring how impact producing has been woven into the filmmaking process from development through to completion. As the film prepares to enter the world, the conversation will unpack how early impact thinking can shape a film’s audiences, partnerships, strategy and opportunities for engagement, while reflecting on what has been learned along the way. A practical case study on the value of planning for impact across the life of a film, rather than treating it as an add-on once the credits roll.
Start Time: 10:30
End Time: 11:30
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suite 5
Presenter:
Odera Onyore Nyambok II (Documentary Africa)
The Durban FilmMart’s selection of fiction projects have the opportunity to pitch their projects to co-producers, sales agents, broadcasters and film funds. This session includes public pitching as a culmination of one-on-one meetings with decision makers and personalised mentorship leading up to the market. It serves as a platform for networking, fostering collaborations and securing funding for African films and to facilitate the growth of the African film industry, promote cultural exchange and amplify diverse narratives from the continent.
Kindly refer to the DFM Dossier to review the selected projects.
Start Time: 10:30
End Time: 14:00
Duration: 3.5h
Venue: Maharani Hotel – Tugela
Moderator:
Mitchell Harper (CTRL. ALT. SHIFT)
Presented in partnership with EAVE
This session explores how to build co-productions that uphold creative equity, financial fairness and shared IP ownership and revenue participation, particularly when working across regions with differing resources or systemic advantages. Participants will examine strategies for negotiating fair terms, drafting inclusive contracts and navigating legal frameworks that support respectful collaboration, transparency and long-term sustainability. Emphasis is placed on building co-productions as equitable partnerships, not just financing arrangements.
Start Time: 11:15
End Time: 12:45
Duration: 1.5h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suites 3+4
Panellists:
Tamara Dawit (Gobez Media)
Linda Mutawi (Fikra)
Presented in partnership with Deepixels
Every film is made for someone. The problem is finding them.
Across Africa, significant investment has gone into developing filmmakers, financing production, creating markets and building platforms for African stories. But a fundamental challenge remains: how do African films consistently find, grow and sustain paying African audiences?
At Durban FilmMart 2026, Deepixels will introduce WiC, a new audience infrastructure initiative designed to build new audience markets for African content. The session will explore the gap between content creation and sustained audience access, and introduce Deepixels’ approach to connecting content, communities, exhibition spaces, transactions and audience data within a new distribution and exhibition ecosystem. Rather than asking only how we make and distribute more African films, WiC asks a different question: How do we build audiences? The session will include the industry launch of WiC, followed by a moderated discussion and Q&A.
Start Time: 11:15
End Time: 12:45
Duration: 1.5h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suites 1+2
Panellists:
Ross Joughin (Deepixels)
Toni Monty (Deepixels)
Molise Ramaili (Deepixels)
Moderator:
Russel Hlongwane (Substance Point)
Presented in partnership with Documentary Africa (DocA), Climate Story Lab ZA, The StoryBoard Collective, Doc Society, Climate Story Labs Africa (CSLA), Docubox, Perspective Fund, Plexus Films, Real Reel Impact (RRI), South x Sul Network, Tunga Media Afrika, UCT Centre for Film and Media Studies, UMI Fund
What happens when three powerful stories meet a room full of people ready to help them create change? In this interactive hackathon, hosted by Climate Story Labs Africa, we will put impact strategy into action. Following a provocation on the key pillars of an effective impact strategy, participants will break into collaborative groups to tackle three documentary projects with the potential to spark social and climate action. Filmmakers will bring the stories; the room will bring its ideas, experience, networks, and imagination. Together, we’ll test possibilities, make connections, and build strategies that can help these films travel further, reach the right communities, and contribute to meaningful change. Come ready to think boldly, collaborate generously, and experience the power of the ‘hive mind’.
Projects being hacked:
Pülö: Bloodstream of the Kirike by Christina Ifubaraboye (Nigeria)
Mindoube directed by Matamba Kombila (Gabon)
Majirani directed by Antony Ochieng (Kenya)
Start Time: 11:45
End Time: 13:15
Duration: 1.5h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suite 5
Panellists:
Christina Ifubaraboye (IMBUU Media)
Matamba Kombila (Dougantsi Films)
Anthony Ochieng Onyango (Majirani)
Moderator:
Cindy Makandi (Tunga Media Afrika)
Liani Maasdorp (UCT Centre for Film and Media Studies and Climate Story Lab ZA)
Start Time: 12:45
End Time: 13:45
Duration: 1h
Presented in partnership with the South African Guild of Actors (SAGA)
Working from the DFM 2026 theme, this session will explore how, in a “shifting world” of precarious funding and volatile markets, recasting performers as co‑investors in creative risk is part of building resilient, African‑centred IP ecosystems. SAGA will facilitate a panel discussion around the proposition: performers and their representatives should be empowered to negotiate participation higher in the recoupment waterfall – including sensible forms of profit‑share or producer‑pool participation – so that African actors share earlier and more fairly in the upside of the IP they help to originate, rather than remaining only as downstream labour.
Start Time: 13:45
End Time: 14:45
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suites 3+4
Panellists:
Victoria Bowcombe (Writers Guild of South Africa)
Neo Mothae (WorldzAStage Productions)
Hungani Ndlovu (SAGA)
Moderator:
Adrian Galley (SAGA)
Presented in partnership with MultiChoice
Start Time: 13:45
End Time: 14:45
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suites 1+2
Moderator: Russel Hlongwane (Substance Point)
Presented in partnership with Documentary Africa (DocA), Climate Story Lab ZA, The StoryBoard Collective, Doc Society, Climate Story Labs Africa (CSLA), Docubox, Perspective Fund, Plexus Films, Real Reel Impact (RRI), South x Sul Network, Tunga Media Afrika, UCT Centre for Film and Media Studies, UMI Fund
What does an impact journey look like from the first idea to audiences beyond the screen?
This session presents:
1. The Get Reel case study video, tracing the programme from story development and filmmaking through to impact campaigning, audience engagement and distribution. The screening offers a practical look at how Docubox supported filmmakers to develop stories around SRHRJ and build pathways for those stories to reach communities, schools, conferences, cinemas and wider audiences.
2. Murder in Paris, exploring the thinking, partnerships and strategies behind its impact campaign. Following a screening of film excerpts, Enver Samuel (Director, Writer and Producer) and Miki Redelinghuys (Impact Producer) will lead a discussion unpacking the campaign design, the power of strategic partnerships, and the lessons learned along the way. A candid case study offering practical insights for filmmakers and impact practitioners looking to build campaigns that move beyond the screen.
Start Time: 14:00
End Time: 14:45
Duration: 45m
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suite 5
Presenter:
Cindy Makandi (Tunga Media Afrika)
Panellists:
Miki Redelinghuys (Plexus Films)
Enver Samuel (EMS Productions)
Moderator:
Khadidja Benouataf (Impact Social Club and RRI Mentor)
Presented in partnership with Documentary Africa (DocA), Climate Story Lab ZA, The StoryBoard Collective, Doc Society, Climate Story Labs Africa (CSLA), Docubox, Perspective Fund, Plexus Films, Real Reel Impact (RRI), South x Sul Network, Tunga Media Afrika, UCT Centre for Film and Media Studies, UMI Fund
Impact work needs resources, but where is the money actually coming from? This interactive fishbowl discussion gets honest about the realities of financing documentary impact work in Africa. Bringing funders, practitioners and the wider room into the conversation, we’ll unpack who pays for impact, whether there is enough funding available, how Impact Producers are supported and the often-blurred line between production, impact and distribution funding. With one chair always open, audience members are invited to step into the conversation, challenge assumptions and share their own experiences. Expect a candid, practical conversation about what it takes to build more sustainable impact ecosystems across the continent.
Start Time: 15:00
End Time: 15:45
Duration: 45m
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suite 5
Panellists:
Julian Etienne (Doc Society)
Susan Mbogo (DocuBox)
Mohamed Saïd Ouma (Documentary Africa)
Emilien Schenker (StoryBoard Collective)
Emily Wanja (Doc Society)
Theresa Hill (STEPS)
Julie Nederkoorn (Movies that Matter)
Marianna Olinger (Earth Alliance)
Moderator:
Odera Onyore Nyambok II (Documentary Africa)
Presented in partnership with the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF)
The South African Audience Research (Cinema, Digital, film and video content) Report assesses South Africa’s position within the global audiovisual distribution ecosystem and identifies the strategic, structural and policy interventions required to strengthen international competitiveness, market access and long-term value capture. This will be presented by Birguid followed by a panel session with industry experts.
Start Time: 15:00
End Time: 16:00
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suites 3+4
Panellists:
AB Moosa (Avalon Group)
Sydelle Willow Smith (Sunshine Cinema)
Hanyani Sono (SABC)
Milton Reddy (Known Associates Distribution)
Moderator:
James Maposa (Birguid)
Africa has long been a desired destination for shooting for international production. Beyond the landscapes, the country is known for its strong infrastructure and skilled workers. However, local production and service companies are increasingly doing more than facilitating international shoots, they’re shaping projects, sharing risk and unlocking finance in ways that mirror true Co-production. This session unpacks how servicing arrangements can function as de facto Co-production, examining the value local companies bring beyond logistics: creative input, access to incentives and market knowledge. Panellists explore how the industry might formally recognise and structure this contribution within the Co-production landscape.
Start Time: 15:00
End Time: 16:00
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel -Suites 1+2
Panellists:
Joel Chikapa-Phiri (Known Associates Group)
Zoe Ramushu (Wrapped/ STEPS/ Totem Zea)
Nicole Brooks (Carribean Tales)
Yanis Gaye (Goree Cinema/ Yetu (Un)Limited)
Moderator:
Russel Hlongwane (Substance Point)
The Durban FilmMart’s selection of animation projects have the opportunity to pitch their projects to co-producers, sales agents, broadcasters and film funds. This session includes public pitching as a culmination of one-on-one meetings with decision makers and personalised mentorship leading up to the market. It serves as a platform for networking, fostering collaborations and securing funding for African films and to facilitate the growth of the African film industry, promote cultural exchange and amplify diverse narratives from the continent.
Kindly refer to the DFM Dossier to review the selected projects.
Start Time: 15:30
End Time: 18:00
Duration: 2.5h
Venue: Maharani Hotel – Tugela
Moderator:
Isaac Mogajane (Diprente Films)
Presented in partnership with Documentary Africa (DocA), Climate Story Lab ZA, The StoryBoard Collective, Doc Society, Climate Story Labs Africa (CSLA), Docubox, Perspective Fund, Plexus Films, Real Reel Impact (RRI), South x Sul Network, Tunga Media Afrika, UCT Centre for Film and Media Studies, UMI Fund
Impact Tea creates a dedicated space to connect, continue conversations and build relationships beyond the sessions. Networking is intentionally woven into the programme, bringing filmmakers, impact producers, funders and industry organisations together to exchange ideas, explore shared interests and identify opportunities for collaboration. With curated introductions and informal follow-up conversations, Impact Tea is designed to create the space for new partnerships to emerge organically and for promising conversations to continue beyond the programme
Start Time: 16:00
End Time: 16:45
Duration: 45m
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suite 5
Presented in partnership with I.M.P.A.C.T
This panel examines whether AI tools are meaningfully transforming the economics of production, or whether current expectations are being driven more by hype than by structural change. This conversation also considers the risks for African, Caribbean and Black storytelling, including impacts on language, cultural sovereignty, and the use of our bodies and identity within AI-driven production workflows.
End Time: 17:15
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suites 1+2
Panellists:
Tamara Dawit (Gobez Media)
Nicholas Tabarrok (Darius Films)
Zenobia Simelane (Media City Academy)
Zukisani Karabo Mabece (Digicine Motion Picture)
Moderator:
Samantha Kaine (I.M.P.A.C.T)
Presented in Partnership with KwaZulu-Natal Tourism and Film Authority
With the expansion and renewal of international co-production pathways, questions about the practical limits treaties place on collaboration in filmmaking have become more urgent. How do we chart new paths to co-production, based on the principles and philosophies of Ubuntu, that ask for collective responsibility and interconnectedness in professional relationships and decision-making processes? In this session we bring together filmmakers and organisations together to reflect on their own collaborative methods while interrogating the future of collaborations.
Start Time: 17:30
End Time: 18:30
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suites 1+2
Panellists:
Matthew Cerf (Yaya Films)
Tatiana Carvalho Costa (APAN)
Ian Mark Kimanje (Film Garage studios)
Mohamed Saïd Ouma (Documentary Africa)
Sylvia Vollenhoven (University of Johannesburg)
Moderator:
Marion Schmidt (#DocSafe Initiative)
Presented in partnership with Disabled Audio-Visual Workers Network (DAWN)
Authentic representation changes the stories we tell and the way we experience the world. This panel explores why visibility on screen matters, moving beyond surface-level inclusion to examine the real-world impact of diverse storytelling. From disability representation and the vital work of ensuring disabled voices shape our screens, to matters of gender and cultural representation, the conversation extends broadly to the power of authentic narratives across all communities. Join our panel of industry voices as they discuss how shifting the narrative creates a more inclusive, accurate and engaging screen industry for everyone.
Start Time: 17:30
End Time: 18:30
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suites 3+4
Panellists:
Jason Jacobs (KRAAL)
Tracey-Lee Rainers (Story Oasis)
Adhil Ramnath (South African Guild of Actors (SAGA))
Sithabile Mkhize
Moderator:
Karen Jeynes (Both Worlds Pictures/ Disabled Audiovisual Workers Network)
The Climate Cine-Bar is a space to gather, watch, connect and be provoked to action by film.
It poses the question: how can films activate audiences, build community and support movements? The Cine-bar is an interactive creative gathering where we share excerpts and film shorts that have managed to move beyond the screen: connecting people and movements, reaching communities in new ways and creating opportunities for dialogue, solidarity and action. From impact distribution and community-led screenings to mobile cinema and human rights film festivals, we’ll consider what it takes to get the right stories to the right people, in the right places. Come for the films, stay for the conversations, grab a drink and some popcorn and connect with the people imagining new ways for cinema to contribute to social and climate justice. When stories land, they ignite and when they meet the right people, magic happens.
Films:
Pülö: Bloodstream of the Kirike by Christina Ifubaraboye (Nigeria)
Pülö means blood and oil. Oil is the blood of Kirike, it keeps the people going. Blood is the stream of life. What happens when this stream is poisoned? The lives of the Kirike people, who rely on the island’s water, are under threat.
Mindoube by Matamba Kombila (Gabon, NEWF)
When Mindoubé, Libreville’s largest landfill, proud to be the highest hill in its neighbourhood, learns that it must be closed and relocated, it is stunned and incredulous. It decides to understand the reasons behind this decision and begins to closely observe what is happening within it, around it, from it.
Majirani by Antony Ochieng Onyango (Kenya, NEWF)
In a fishing village on the shores of Kenya’s Lake Jipe, elephants are not intruders but neighbours and generations of communities have learned to share the land with them. Through 12-year-old Odilo’s eyes, Majirani offers a gentle vision of coexistence and asks what we can learn from communities living alongside nature as climate change reshapes their world.
Chikukwa Custodians by Jacqueline van Meygaarden and Rumbi Katedza (South Africa and Zimbabwe)
Zeddy Chikukwa’s quest to regenerate indigenous cultural practices of traditional food growing lies at the heart of the short documentary Chikukwa Custodians. The people of Chikukwa live in the remote Chimanimani mountainous region of eastern Zimbabwe, bordering Mozambique. Their story reveals the interconnectedness of growing food, generating livelihoods, spirituality, cultural rituals, eating, connection to the land and the protection of nature and how food security hinges on these elements working well together. Chikukwa Custodians explores solutions through building resilience in the face of the climate crisis.
Burning Rebellion by Well Worn Theatre Company & Amehlo Productions (South Africa)
With elements of Hip Hop, Spoken Word, movement and song, ‘Burning Rebellion’ is an ecological protest poem that gives voice to a profound sense of injustice, a rightful rage, and a fear of what is to come. From the next generations, the plea is simple: Governments! Politicians! Big Business! ‘Grown Ups’! Let’s fix this mess, before it is too late.
Start Time: 19:00
End Time: 21:00
Duration: 2h
Venue: Maharani Hotel – Sky Venue
Panellists:
Julian Etienne (Doc Society)
Christina Ifubaraboye (IMBUU Media)
Jacqueline van Meygaarden (Mycelium Media Colab)
Sanelisiwe Yekani (Co-writer and co-performer)
Karen Logan (Amehlo Productions)
Thihangwi Ramutsindela (NEWF)
Matamba Kombila (NEWF)
Anthony Ochieng Onyango (NEWF)
Julie Nederkoorn (Movies that Matter)
Sydelle Willow Smith (Sunshine Cinema)
Nonkululeko Portia Mputi (Sunshine Cinema)
Tarha McKenzie (Cultural Organiser)
Marianna Olinger (Earth Alliance)
South x Sul Network
Moderators:
Emily Wanja (Doc Society)
Miki Redelinhuys (Climate Story Lab ZA & Filmmaker)
Dr Liani Maasdorp (UCT Centre for Film and Media Studies & Climate Story Lab ZA)
Cindy Makandi (Tunga Media Afrika)
Saturday, 10 October 2026
Rise with the Sun! Start the day in perfect alignment.
A limited number of mats will be available, therefore we encourage participants to carry their own yoga mats.
Start Time: 07:00
End Time: 08:00
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Pool Deck (Mangwanani Side)
Presented in partnership with the Writers Guild of South Africa (WGSA)
Our “Writers vs the Machine” panel speaks to theme of turning inwards to ourselves in terms of returning to the soul of storytelling which is our humanity.
The topics we will discuss during the panel are all very current, hotly debated and very relevant to every writer and storyteller’s present and future:
What is AI’s place in writing
Human-made vs AI-made stories (quality, efficiency and ethics)
Responsible and irresponsible usage of AI
AI and its implications on copyright ownership
Are algorithms killing the art of storytelling?
Why writers, producers and commissioning editors need to learn story technique
Properly investing time and money into funding story development
How African writers and storytellers can collaborate and greenlight themselves
Start Time: 10:00
End Time: 11:00
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suites 3+4
Panellists:
Zunaid Mansoor (WGSA)
Bongi Ndaba (FOSHA/ WGSA)
Busisiwe Ntintili (WGSA)
Sizwe Fortune Zuma (WGSA)
Moderator:
Simon Makwela (Film, Television and Cinema Sector Cluster)
Presented in partnership with MultiChoice
Start Time: 10:00
End Time: 11:00
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suites 1+2
Moderator: Mitchell Harper (CTRL.ALT.SHIFT)
The Durban FilmMart’s selection of documentary projects has the opportunity to pitch their projects to co-producers, sales agents, broadcasters and film funds. This session includes public pitching as a culmination of one-on-one meetings with decision-makers and personalised mentorship leading up to the market. It serves as a platform for networking, fostering collaborations, securing funding for African films, facilitating the growth of the African film industry, promoting cultural exchange and amplifying diverse narratives from the continent.
Kindly refer to the DFM Dossier to review the selected projects.
Start Time: 10:00
End Time: 14:30
Duration: 4.5h
Venue: Maharani Hotel – Tugela
Moderator:
Theresa Hill (STEPS)
Presented in partnership with Cape Town International Animation Festival
Africa has the talent. We have training institutions, emerging studios, experienced freelancers and a growing pool of skilled graduates. What we don’t have yet is a coordinated industry infrastructure to consistently attract and deliver large-scale productions. How do we connect these pieces into a scalable ecosystem that can compete globally? And how can we create the capacity, partnerships and investment structures needed to keep African talent working on African productions rather than losing it to the international market?
Start Time: 10:30
End Time: 11:30
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suite 5
Panellists:
Nadine Cloete (NFVF)
Busani Magwaza (K-CAP: Ekhaya Multi-Arts Centre)
Hanyani Sono (SABC)
Anthony Silverston (Triggerfish)
Kelly Walker
Moderator:
Joy Mawela (Kano Lethabo Productions)
Presented in partnership with EAVE
This session centres the development phase as a critical site for embedding equity, care and intentionality into the creative process, ensuring that the project vision and pathway to production are clear, transparent and inclusive for all producers. Participants will explore how to shape their project vision using care-based development frameworks, including collaborative story design and consent-driven research, to create a roadmap that guides the project from concept to production.
Start Time: 11:15
End Time: 12:45
Duration: 1.5h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suites 3+4
Panellists:
May Odeh (Odeh Films)
Amil Shivji (Kijiweni Productions)
Start Time: 11:15
End Time: 12:45
Duration: 1.5h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suites 1+2
Presented in partnership with Cape Town International Animation Festival
Africa is producing ambitious, award-winning animation; but who is commissioning it, who is watching it and where does it find an audience beyond the festival circuit? With much of the industry still focused on selling African stories to international markets, are we doing enough to develop audiences at home? This discussion looks at the full pipeline from commissioning and production to distribution and audience development. Who is investing in locally made animation? Who owns the audiences and the platforms that reach them? And how do we build a sustainable African market for African animation while still taking our stories to the world?
Start Time: 11:45
End Time: 12:45
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suite 5
Panellists:
Michael Nqhwema (SABC)
Hamid Ibrahim (Kugali Limited)
Thandeka Zwana (Indigenous Pictures)
Veronique Encrenaz (MIFA/ Annecy Animated Film Festival)
Moderator:
Bill Masuku (Enigma Comix)
Start Time: 12:45
End Time: 13:45
Duration: 1h
Best of Cape Town International Animation Festival; African Roots Vol 1 & 2
Twenty films. Nine Countries. Cape Town International Animation Festival presents African Roots: Vol. 1 & 2, a Pan-African and African diaspora collection of animated short films celebrating the breadth, creativity and imagination of African storytelling.
Across these two collections, viewers can enjoy a vibrant mix of stories, perspectives and animation styles. From intimate explorations of love, identity and self-discovery to bold adventures, myth, music, humour and fantastical worlds, African Roots: Vol. 1 & 2 brings together films that are moving, playful, surprising and visually inventive. Expect colourful characters, big ideas, unexpected journeys and stories that explore what connects us.
Vol 1. screening:
UBUNTU
Ubuntu is a heartfelt story about a community uniting over the simple yet profound act of sharing a meal. It weaves together themes of mindfulness, discipline, agriculture, and the legacies we pass down through generations. Through the intimate perspectives of our characters, we journey across the vibrant and evolving landscape of New Oakland—witnessing their struggles, their growth, and the moments that bind them together. Each scene is a reflection of how food, culture, and shared purpose can heal, inspire, and transform a people.
To The Dream
Trapped at the bottom of a strange, mystical well, a young woman finds herself surrounded by eerie phantoms and alien flora. Looking up, a distant glint of light from the well’s opening becomes her only hope. But as every grueling attempt to climb out ends in failure, despair begins to take over. Just as the darkness threatens to swallow her whole, a spectral manifestation of her own inner self appears—sparking a transformative race to the top to finally break through into the light.
The Vincent’s night
“TheNight of Vincent” is a one-minute stop-motion animated short film inspired by the life, imagination, and artistic legacy of Vincent van Gogh. Although brief in duration, the film seeks to create a poetic encounter between childhood creativity and one of the most influential artists in the history of art.
About Sarah
When asked if he believes in love, a nameless narrator traces the memories of his past relationships, each a fragment of affection, illusion, and longing. Among them stands Sarah, the woman who quietly became his obsession. “About Sarah” is an intimate exploration of memory, desire, and the stories we tell ourselves about love.
One Way or Another
A determined romantic races to meet their partner at the train station, but encounters a number of obstacles along the way.
Pictures for Piano (1)
An abstract interpretation of Chopin’s Etude Opus 10 no. 12. The film was made without any planning by improvising on the pinscreen.
The Black Raven
A little Raven unsatisfied with his black dull feathers, has jealousy take the best of him when he sees the beautiful colourful peacock and decides to watch him, in order to copy his graceful moves. However, after several attempts he fails and hurts himself. Later when he decides to go back to his normal self, he realizes he has forgotten how to be himself.
BICI, The Story Of A Bike
Bici is a mountain bike that travels to Afuá, a city in the Amazon region, to experience adventures. Abandoned after breaking down in an accident, she needs to reconnect with herself and find new meaning in her life while exploring a society where the only transportation is bicycles.
Start Time: 13:00
End Time: 14:00
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suite 5
Presented in partnership with the South African Guild of Editors (SAGE)
Inspired by the editor’s response to the familiar production refrain, “We’ll fix it in post”, this panel shifts the conversation away from solving problems at the end of the process and towards fostering stronger communication, collaboration and creativity from the very beginning.
Editors are traditionally brought into projects once production has wrapped and many of the key creative decisions have already been made. Yet editors are, by nature, story strategists, trained to identify narrative opportunities, structural challenges and storytelling solutions long before footage reaches the edit suite, if they’re invited into the process early enough.
Bringing together editors, directors, producers and other creative collaborators, this discussion explores the creative and practical value of embedding editorial thinking throughout development, pre-production, production and post. The conversation will examine how involving editors as early as the script stage can strengthen story development, improve production decision-making, reduce costly reshoots and ultimately create better films.
The panel will also explore practical ways to build healthier creative workflows, including recognising that every editor works differently; valuing the contributions of editors as storytellers; giving sound the attention it deserves from the outset; navigating increasingly compressed post-production schedules; and encouraging open communication so challenges are identified early, allowing producers and creative teams to respond before a crises. It will also consider the producer’s role in filtering feedback, managing expectations and creating more constructive working environments.
Drawing on experience across documentary and fiction genres, the discussion will challenge long-held assumptions about when editorial begins, strengthen understanding between producers and editors and advocate for production models that place storytelling and the people responsible for shaping it, at the centre of the creative process.
In the spirit of the 2026 Durban FilmMart theme, Shifting Worlds: Turning Towards Ourselves, this conversation asks how we can rethink established production models in favour of more collaborative, communicative and story-centred ways of working. By “fixing it in pre” rather than relying on post, we can create healthier workplaces, stronger creative partnerships and ultimately, better films.
Start Time: 13:45
End Time: 14:45
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suites 3+4
Panellists:
Simon Beesley (Gambit Films)
Nikki Comninos (SAGE/ Director’s Cut)
Sifiso Khanyile (Anaphora Films)
Moderator:
Melissa Parry (SAGE)
Start Time: 13:45
End Time: 14:45
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suites 1+2
Speakers:
Roli Maluma (MTN),
Minnie Harris (MTN)
Moderator:
Nisha Naidoo (Durban University of Technology)
Presented in partnership with Cape Town International Animation Festival
Films like Flow demonstrate that ambitious animation doesn’t have to depend on blockbuster budgets. Across Africa, small studios are already producing distinctive, beautifully crafted films against modest budgets. Can we build a sustainable independent animation industry around this model ? Can we create an industry that prioritises original stories, creative ambition; rather than chasing commercial volume and box-office returns?
Start Time: 14:15
End Time: 15:15
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suite 5
Panellists
Shofela Coker (Shofela Coker)
Joel Matladi (Blacknative Studios)
Renee van Reenen (Renee van Reenen)
Moderator:
Esther Pearl (Nell Productions/Reel Stories)
Presented in partnership with EAVE
Recognising that many challenges are specific to an individual project and cannot be fully addressed in a masterclass setting, this clinic gives delegates direct, one-on-one access to the EAVE experts behind the masterclass series.
Delegates can book a dedicated 15-minute slot with an expert to work through concerns specific to their own project, from navigating power dynamics to structuring fair creative and financial partnerships. With four experts running concurrent sessions, the clinic can support up to 50 to 60 delegates individually, ensuring the guidance on offer is tailored rather than generic. Bookings are coordinated by the DFM team to make access straightforward.
Click on the link to book your one-on-one session. First come first served.
Start Time: 14:00
End Time: 16:00
Duration: 2h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – East Ilanga
Consultants:
Tamara Dawit (Gobez Media)
Amil Shivji (Kijiweni Productions)
Linda Mutawi (Fikra)
May Odeh (Odeh Films)
Presented in partnership with the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF)
The Economic Impact Assessment Report which is a comprehensive and evidence-based account of the South African film industry’s contribution to the national economy that further provides a comprehensive account of the industry’s macroeconomic contributions during its post-COVID-19 recovery and a time of rapid digital transformation. A panel session to unpack the research and findings will be presented by Andani Africa and further engaged through a panel session with industry experts.
Start Time: 15:00
End Time: 16:00
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suites 3+4
Presented in Partnership with KwaZulu-Natal Tourism and Film Authority
Film financing has always been a creative endeavour, but today’s global economic conditions require filmmakers to innovate resilient frameworks that can sustain the production pipeline and grow Global South industries. What are the most effective ways to pool finances and skills for collective benefit? In this session, we explore non-traditional financing approaches in filmmaking, including cooperative ecologies that lead to greater creative control, narrative sovereignty and the indigenous retention of intellectual property to ensure broad access to future audiences.
Start Time: 15:00
End Time: 16:00
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suites 1+2
Panellists:
Nathan Adabadze (Media Finance Capital)
Alex Bogomolov (Apsis Pictures)
Khosie Dali (Miss K Productions)
Samantha Kaine (I.M.P.A.C.T)
Sam Soko (The Whickers)
Moderator:
Nataleah Hunter-Young (University of Toronto)
The Durban FilmMart’s selection of series projects have the opportunity to pitch their projects to co-producers, sales agents, broadcasters and film funds. This session includes public pitching as a culmination of one-on-one meetings with decision makers and personalised mentorship leading up to the market. It serves as a platform for networking, fostering collaborations and securing funding for African films and to facilitate the growth of the African film industry, promote cultural exchange and amplify diverse narratives from the continent.
Kindly refer to the DFM Dossier to review the selected projects.
Start Time: 15:00
End Time: 16:00
Duration: 1h
Venue: Maharani Hotel – Tugela
Moderator:
Flavia Motsisi (Flavia Motsisi Media)
Presented in partnership with Cape Town International Animation Festival
This panel will explore the challenges of sustaining independent creative projects. Through real experiences, industry professionals will discuss the value of perseverance, the lessons learned from setbacks and when it is time to adapt, change direction or maybe, having to let go.
The conversation will explore the journey of building and sustaining a long-term independent production while balancing artistic vision, limited resources, changing strategies and the realities of the international industry.
Start Time: 15:30
End Time: 16:30
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suite 5
Panellists:
Erentia Bedecker (Wreckless)
Nildo Essá (FX Animation Studios)
Claire Louis (Katanimate Animation Studio)
Esther Pearl (Nell Productions/ Reel Stories)
Moderator:
Halima Essá (FX Animation Studios)
Presented in partnership with Cross Continental Forum (CCF)
For 25 years, the CaribbeanTales Media Group has been creating opportunities for international collaboration and for the last three years the Cross Continental Forum (CCF) has created opportunities for filmmakers, producers and creative industry leaders to connect across borders, cultures and territories.
This conversation brings together leading voices from the CCF network to reflect on the evolution of international collaboration and what it takes to build meaningful, sustainable creative relationships across continents.
The panel explores how the landscape of international co-production, financing and cultural exchange has changed over the past 25 years and what the next generation of filmmakers and industry leaders can learn from those experiences.
The discussion will consider the value of long-term relationships, the importance of equitable collaboration, the role of cultural specificity in international storytelling and how networks can evolve into lasting creative ecosystems.
End Time: 17:15
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suites 1+2
Panellists:
Zikethiwe Ngcobo (Fuzebox)
Keith Nurse (CaribbeanTales Worldwide Distribution/ College of Science Technology and Applied Arts of Trinidad & Tobago)
CCH Pounder (CCH Pounder)
Moderator:
Nicole Brooks (CaribbeanTales Media Group)
The Palestine Film Institute (PFI) is proud to return to Durban Filmmart with a delegation of filmmakers and projects selected for its 2026 Palestine Film Hub Showcase. This marks the fourth year that PFI will present four feature films in progress to international industry representatives in Durban. Building on the strong industry attendance from previous years, the Showcase is part of PFI’s broader initiative to develop, promote, and preserve Palestinian cinema while creating international opportunities for Palestinian filmmakers and producers.The PFI’s various international showcases are a vital component of the institute’s mission to promote Palestinian cinema. Through this showcase, filmmakers and producers present their ongoing projects, allowing them to engage directly with decision-makers and the film industry.
The PFI’s role in this showcase is to facilitate connections that can lead to meaningful outcomes, such as advancing projects, fostering partnerships, and establishing ways for long-term production and distribution. We extend our gratitude to those who engage with and support these filmmakers, and we welcome partners committed not only to the films themselves but also to the narratives and structures that ensure their longevity.
Kindly refer to the DFM Dossier to review the selected projects.
Start Time: 16:30
End Time: 18:00
Duration: 1.5h
Venue: Maharani Hotel – Tugela
Moderator:
Jihan El-Tahri (Big Sister Production)
Presented in partnership with Cape Town International Animation Festival
No single studio builds a global animation hub alone – a cluster does. Cape Town is home to studios sitting at every point on the spectrum, from service and outsourcing work for international clients, to original IP, to hybrids balancing both. This session brings studio leaders together with UNDP Timbuktu Creatives Hub, Digital Frontiers, and Triggerfish Foundation to ask what it actually takes to turn that mix of studios into a real cluster – and why that matters more than any one studio’s individual success. Each studio will speak from where they sit, outsourcing, IP, or hybrid, and what moving along that spectrum entails in practice: capability, capital, relationships. But the throughline is the cluster itself: what draws studios to grow up near each other, what a “vivid” cluster needs to actually function – shared talent pipelines, trust between competitors, visible density – and why it’s the cluster, not the individual studio, that wins Cape Town its shot at international co-productions and larger outsourcing contracts.
Start Time: 16:30
End Time: 18:00
Duration: 1.5h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suite 5
Presented in partnership with Animation South Africa
The global animation sector is experiencing rapid, permanent structural changes. Massive corporate consolidations, shifting streaming algorithms and the exponential rise of generative AI is affecting production, distribution and education. For African animation to survive this volatile environment, we need strategic adaptation. This panel presents two positive case studies: A community-based animation and gaming project that utilises AI to develop a responsive design and learning platform and workflow, prioritising original handmade artwork and digital literacy; and an Africa-first animation marketing and distribution model utilising Theory of Change, transmedia strategies and new innovative tech-driven African-owned distribution models.
The discussion aims to confront the economic, regulatory, educational and technological realities facing African creators today with locally-focused, collaborative and inclusive thinking.
Start Time: 17:30
End Time: 18:30
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suites 3+4
Panellists:
Nick Cloete (Mind’s Eye Creative/ Animation South Africa)
Rashid Juma (The Beehive Culture Worx/ Go Green Go Clean)
Isabelle Rorke (Dreamforge Creative/ Animation South Africa)
Mocke Jansen van Veuren (Animation South Africa/ The Beehive Culture Worx)
Moderator:
Xolile Vundla (Animation South Africa)
Presented in partnership with Durban Film Office (DFO)
This session explores the remarkable journey of the Durban Film Project “Meet The Khumalos” which achieved international success by making it onto Netflix. It will delve into the success stories, challenges faced, and the co-production processes that enabled the series to reach a global audience. The session aims to inspire and inform aspiring filmmakers by sharing practical tips, lessons learned, and the power of local stories on the world stage.
Start Time: 16:15
End Time: 17:15
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suites 3+4
Speaker:
Jayan Moodley (Urban Vision)
South Africa has long been considered a strong Co-production partner on the Continent, with strong local infrastructure and a long network of international Co-production treaties with countries worldwide. However, the current administrative issues are affecting not only the local film and television industry, but also the ability for filmmakers to collaborate internationally. In this session, what are the effects of the current issues in the creative sector, how do filmmakers with international experience navigate it and how do we right the ship in these turbulent times.
Start Time: 17:30
End Time: 18:30
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suites 1+2
Panellists:
Carolyn Carew (FREE WOMEN FILMS)
Steven Markovitz (Big World Cinema)
Anthony Silverston (Triggerfish)
Layla Swart (Yellow Bone Entertainment)
Moderator:
Russel Hlongwane (Substance Point)
Set across four African countries, the film revolves around four lives that are pushed to the edge. A student is swept into an uprising, a young hacker risks everything in a desperate cyber-heist, while another man is forced to confront a past he has spent years trying to bury. Though separated by borders and circumstances, their stories echo one another through love, loss, courage and the instinct to survive. The film is an intimate portrait of ordinary people making extraordinary choices when life hits hard and leaves them nowhere to hide.
Start Time: 19:30
End Time: 21:30
Duration: 2h
Venue: Maharani Hotel – Tugela
Sunday, 11 October 2026
Rise with the Sun! Start the day in perfect alignment.
A limited number of mats will be available, therefore we encourage participants to carry their own yoga mats.
Start Time: 07:00
End Time: 08:00
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Pool Deck (Mangwanani Side)
Story Junction serves as a focused industry-readiness and exposure platform connecting 25 selected Talents from across Africa with DFM delegates, producers, and financiers. Spanning feature fiction, short fiction, series, documentary, and animation, the showcase highlights the next wave of continental voices.
This dynamic pitching exercise cultivates essential presentation skills, fosters cross-border collaboration, and provides critical industry visibility for emerging African cinema and episodic content.
Kindly refer to the DFM Dossier (pg 88 – 101) to review the selected projects.
Start Time: 09:00
End Time: 11:45
Duration: 2h 45min
Venue: Maharani Hotel – Tugela
Moderator:
Thabisa Ngcobo (KES Energy Services)
Presented in partnership with The Independent Black Filmmakers Collective (IBFC)
South Africa has one of the most experienced production industries on the African continent. We have internationally recognised crews, award-winning filmmakers, diverse locations and world-class technical expertise. Yet despite these strengths, the industry is facing one of its most challenging periods in decades. Delayed incentive payments, uncertainty around public funding, institutional instability and declining investor confidence have created a domino effect throughout the sector. Producers struggle to finance projects. Businesses face mounting cash flow challenges. Crew members leave the industry in search of more stable employment. International productions begin looking elsewhere. The conversation extends beyond one institution or one funding mechanism. The challenges affecting the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) rebate programme, the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), provincial agencies including KZN Tourism and Film Authority, the Gauteng Film Commission and other public institutions have collectively weakened confidence in the South African screen sector. These organisations each play a vital role in supporting production, attracting investment and growing the industry. When one part of the ecosystem struggles to function effectively, the consequences ripple across the entire value chain. Alongside these structural challenges, xenophobia and anti-foreign sentiment have increasingly become barriers to international collaboration. South Africa’s film industry has always depended on co-productions, international crews, foreign investment and cross-border partnerships. Any perception that international productions, investors or skilled professionals are unwelcome ultimately damages the country’s competitiveness and reduces opportunities for local businesses and workers. The result is an industry that remains heavily dependent on government funding while simultaneously facing uncertainty within many of the institutions designed to support it. However, South Africa is not the first country to face these challenges. Countries including Greece, Portugal and Malta have successfully repositioned their audiovisual sectors through policy reform, streamlined institutions, competitive production incentives and long-term investment strategies. Rather than treating film solely as an arts and culture sector, these countries have recognised it as an economic driver capable of generating employment, attracting foreign direct investment, stimulating tourism and supporting small businesses. This panel asks a simple but urgent question: How do we rebuild a sustainable South African film industry that is resilient, globally competitive and not dependent on government funding alone? Rather than focusing solely on the problems, this discussion aims to identify practical solutions and encourage meaningful collaboration between government, industry organisations, financiers and filmmakers to restore confidence and build a stronger future.
Start Time: 10:00
End Time: 11:00
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suites 3 + 4
Panellists:
Tumelo Chipfupa (PBP Economics)
Lehlohonolo Mokhosi (Industrial Development Corporation (IDC))
Tshepiso Chikapa-Phiri (Known Associates Group)
Moderator:
Judy Nwokedi (FREE WOMEN FILMS)
Producer Samantha Biffot joins us to trace the years-long journey of Ben’Imana — Marie Clémentine Dusabejambo’s Rwandan-Gabonese drama — from its early development as a work-in-progress project at the DFM to its celebrated premiere in Un Certain Regard at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, where it went on to win the FIPRESCI Prize and the Caméra d’Or. Biffot will discuss the realities of financing and packaging an international co-production across Rwanda, Gabon, France, Norway, and Ivory Coast, and what it takes to carry a story about memory and survival after genocide from a market pitch to the world stage.
Start Time: 10:00
End Time: 11:00
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suites 1+2
Panellist:
Samantha Biffot (Ben’Imana)
Moderator:
Nataleah Hunter-Young (University of Toronto)
Closed Session
Start Time: 10:00
End Time: 13:00
Duration: 3h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – East Ilanga
Presented in partnership with Cape Town International Animation Festival
Entertainment is no longer confined to a single screen or format. Film, animation, gaming and immersive experiences are increasingly part of a connected entertainment ecosystem. This talk explores the common ground between these industries; how they approach world-building, character and narrative. We also discuss how gaming and immersive experiences can expand an existing IP beyond its original format. What can creators learn from one another as the boundaries between watching, playing and experiencing continue to blur?
Start Time: 10:30
End Time: 11:30
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suite 5
Panellists:
Jean-Luc Chapell (Free Lives)
Eric Gardiner (Vetkoek Studios)
Rick Treweek (Virtual Worlds Company)
Moderator:
Wako Sefara
Presented in partnership with EAVE
This session introduces inclusive budgeting tools and financing strategies that promote equity across the production lifecycle. Topics include fair compensation and practical tips for building budgets that reflect shared ownership, transparent practices and community benefit. The session also addresses how to navigate currency imbalances in international co-productions.
Start Time: 11:15
End Time: 12:45
Duration: 1.5h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suites 3+4
Panellists:
Tamara Dawit (Gobez Media)
Amil Shivji (Kijiweni Productions)
African creative entrepreneurs have long operated in a paradox: abundant talent, global cultural reach and acute financial vulnerability. The frameworks that investors and institutions use to evaluate businesses were never designed with the realities of African creative economies in mind and the tools most filmmakers and content creators carry into finance rooms were built for a different world. The result is a persistent translation failure, one that costs the sector deals, growth and sustainability.
This masterclass draws directly on Marie Lora-Mungai’s landmark new book, Creative Cash Flow: Mastering Money, Business and Growth in the African Creative Economy, an execution-focused guide written by someone who has spent two decades sitting on both sides of that table. With a career spanning founder, investor, advisor and analyst, Lora-Mungai brings a rare fluency across the creative and financial worlds that very few practitioners on the continent can claim.
The session will give DFM delegates, producers, directors, development executives and independent filmmakers, working frameworks to understand revenue models, manage cash flow in volatile markets, approach the monetisation of intellectual property and identify the right kind of capital for different stages of business. This is not theory. It is practice, grounded in African case studies and designed for the realities participants face.
Start Time: 11:15
End Time: 12:45
Duration: 1.5h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suites 1+2
Speaker:
Marie Lora-Mungai (Restless Global)
Presented in partnership with Cape Town International Animation Festival
African animation studios are caught between two funding worlds. They may have the talent, experience and ambition to grow, but lack the capital needed to build permanent creative teams, develop original IP and take on larger, more commercial projects. Grants can support individual projects but rarely provide the runway to build a sustainable studio, while traditional investors often see creative businesses as too small or risky. What does the missing middle of financing look like and what is the roadmap for studios wanting to move from small teams to scalable, commercially viable businesses?
Start Time: 11:45
End Time: 12:45
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suite 5
Panellists:
John Giwa-Amu (Good Gate Media)
Erica Motley (Impact X Capital Partners)
Nick Cloete (Mind’s Eye Creative/ Animation South Africa)
Isaac Mogajane (Diprente Films)
Moderator:
Dianne Makings (Fancy Horse Studios / Cape Town International Animation Festival)
Presented in partnership with CNC
The African Producers Accelerator (APA) is a four month professional development programme supporting mid-career African film producers to strengthen their production companies, build sustainable business strategies, and sharpen the investment propositions of their slates. The programme combines tailored advisory support and industry engagement, culminating in an in-person lab in Cape Town and, in 2026, a second lab in Lagos for CANEX WKND.
At the 2026 Durban FilmMart, APA presents a showcase of five producers from the programme, each presenting a project from their current slate to industry, financiers and potential partners.
The 2026 APA programme is delivered by Big World Cinema in partnership with the Bertha Foundation, Just Films|Ford Foundation, Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) and the National Film and Video Foundation of South Africa, in association with the Durban FilmMart Institute, and with thanks to the International Emerging Film Talent Fund.
Click on the following link to view projects for this showcase.
Start Time: 12:15
End Time: 13:15
Duration: 1h
Venue: Maharani Hotel – Tugela
Moderator:
Tamsin Ranger (Big World Cinema)
Start Time: 12:45
End Time: 13:45
Duration: 1h
Best of Cape Town International Animation Festival; African Roots Vol 1 & 2
Twenty films, Nine Countries. Cape Town International Animation Festival presents African Roots: Vol. 1 & 2, a Pan-African and African diaspora collection of animated short films celebrating the breadth, creativity and imagination of African storytelling.
Across these two collections, viewers can enjoy a vibrant mix of stories, perspectives and animation styles. From intimate explorations of love, identity and self-discovery to bold adventures, myth, music, humour and fantastical worlds, African Roots: Vol. 1 & 2 brings together films that are moving, playful, surprising and visually inventive. Expect colourful characters, big ideas, unexpected journeys and stories that explore what connects us.
Vol. 2 Screening:
Crocodile Dance Teaser
Crocodile Dance is an animated feature thriller with elements of myth, science fiction and shades of horror set in a fictional West African town. It is the story of the magnificent griot, Roukia. We meet her in the West African seaside town of Itesi, where she delivers a powerful opera. After a fateful, romantic encounter with a local surfer, Biokun, she settles in this seeming promised land with a dark secret legacy: A curse.
Tribe
In a divided galaxy where only royals can wield magic and planets are ruled by fear — the paths of three unlikely teenagers – a timid girl with a dangerous gift, a disgraced prince out of his depth, and a fugitive with unpredictable powers and everything to lose — collide on a high-stakes mission that reveals they might be the key to saving their world.
Journey To Athlos
An athlete trains for Athlos NYC, finding purpose on the winding trails of Central Park, where every stride strengthens her resolve. Her journey leads to the Athlos stage, where she races before a roaring crowd. Beyond the finish line, an even greater reward awaits.
Teddy on the Edge
A teddy bear, alone on the edge of a cliff contemplating ending it all, is interrupted by a wise old bunny rabbit with a life-affirming message to pass on – a whole new perspective that will change the way he views the gift of life going forward!
Bru & Boegie: METEORITE
After Bru’s animated movie idea about a looming meteorite is rejected – only for it to come true – Bru & Boegie must stop the Bru-shaped space rock using the power of their excellent music.
THE ADVENTURES OF PABLO
Pablo takes a plane for the first time.
SMASH!
COOL FROG learns the true meaning of SMASH from HEART GUY.
WHO KILLED CAPTAIN ALEX? THE RUSHIAN MASINARY
A family man who is no stranger to a gun is forced to fight for a gang in order to return home.
Rorisang & The Gurlz Back to School Mayhem
Rorisang’s first week back at school is anything but chill. Between dreary assemblies, strict teachers, and a oceans of homework, she’s already in deep. Luckily, her bestie Cassie is there to keep her grounded… and maybe help her stay out of trouble (maybe 😅).
HOPE
In HOPE, filmmaker and artist Jamal Ademola transforms the poetry of 2023 United States Youth Poet Laureate Salome Agbaroji into a cinematic meditation on imagination and renewal. Through live action and animation, the film asks how hope survives in times of uncertainty. Originally commissioned by Project Everyone and produced by WTBR, HOPE imagines what becomes possible when we allow ourselves to dream again.
A Living Tapestry
Start Time: 13:00
End Time: 14:00
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suite 5
This initiative of the Durban FilmMart to create a talent development ecosystem, the African Lab Showcase, brings together filmmakers participating in some of the most important Talent Development Labs on the continent to present their films in early development to key financiers. The Lab Showcase will see the participation of Habesha Creative Lab and Climate Story Labs Africa
Click on the following link to view projects for this showcase.
Start Time: 13:30
End Time: 14:30
Duration: 1h
Venue: Maharani Hotel – Tugela
Moderator:
Marion Schmidt (#DocSafe Initiative)
Presented in partnership with Cape Town International Animation Festival
The world increasingly says it wants African stories. The problem is that wanting them, developing them, showcasing them and actually commissioning them are four very different things. Creators are being encouraged to be authentic while simultaneously being asked to make their authenticity commercially legible to someone else’s audience. Four creators discuss where they hold the line
Start Time: 14:15
End Time: 15:15
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suite 5
Panellists:
Nadia Darries (Goon Valley Animation)
Bill Masuku (Enigma Comix)
Jeani Varty (Bean Sprout)
Lola Aikins (Tshimologong Precinct/ Mollo Academy and Studio)
Kumbi Chitenderu (WATA)
Moderator:
Tshepo Moche (BAV Creative Studio)
Presented in partnership with the Documentary Filmmakers Association (DFA)
Every minute, thousands of videos are uploaded, countless stories are shared and audiences decide within seconds whether to keep watching or scroll on. Documentary no longer exists in a world where filmmakers are the primary gatekeepers of truth or storytelling. Everyone now carries a camera, publishes content and shapes public narratives. As viewing habits evolve across streaming platforms, YouTube, TikTok and social media, documentary filmmakers face both an opportunity and a challenge: How do we preserve the depth, ethics and craft of documentary while responding to audiences who increasingly expect immediacy, participation and constant engagement? This panel explores how documentary is adapting to a rapidly changing media landscape. From citizen journalism and creator culture to Netflix pacing, vertical storytelling and the decline of traditional gatekeepers, we’ll ask what remains uniquely documentary in a world where everyone can tell a story. Together we’ll explore how documentary is responding to a profound shift in how stories are created, shared and experienced and whether documentary should evolve to changing audiences, challenge algorithms, or carve out new spaces for slow, thoughtful storytelling.
Start Time: 13:45
End Time: 14:45
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suites 3+4
Panellists:
Jacqui Hlongwane (South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC))
Jane Lipman (DFA Board Member/ Member of the Foreign Correspondents Association/ Channel 4)
Catherine Meyburgh (South African Guild of Editors (SAGE))
Diliza Moabi (Wanaya Visuals)
Moderator:
Sara Hatira (Documentary Filmmakers Association)
Brazilian film organisations are actively investing in stronger ties with the African continent, recognising shared cultural heritage and untapped creative synergies. This session explores the growing momentum behind Brazil-Africa Co-production, spotlighting the institutions, funds and initiatives driving this collaboration forward. Panellists discuss what makes Brazil an increasingly attractive Co-production partner, the opportunities available to African filmmakers and practical pathways for building lasting creative and financial partnerships between the two regions.
Start Time: 13:45
End Time: 14:45
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suites 1+2
Presented in partnership with Doc Society, The StoryBoard Collective, Documentary Africa (DocA), Perspective Fund, Real Reel Impact, Climate Story Labs Africa (CSLA), DocuBox, UCT Centre for Film and Media Studies, Plexus Films, Climate Story Lab ZA, South x Sul Network, Earth Alliance and UMI Fund
Building a more sustainable, coordinated impact infrastructure across the continent. Impact producing and storytelling-for-change work has grown significantly on the continent over the past decade, but much of it remains project-based, siloed and reliant on external funding cycles. This closed door session convenes impact funders and organisations running impact programs across the continent to think through what the field needs for the next level. How we grow and retain skilled impact talent, how we measure and evidence long-term change over single-campaign outputs and how more coordinated impact plans could help the field leverage shared resources. The session will also explore how we tap into existing networks across other disciplines and civil society to strengthen this infrastructure. It is a working room for funders and practitioners to shape what the field needs to sustain itself into its next decade.
Closed Session
Start Time: 14:00
End Time: 15:30
Duration: 1.5h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – The Grill
Presented in partnership with the Nature, Environment and Wildlife Filmmakers (NEWF)
Wildlife cinematography demands more than technical skill. It requires patience, preparation, an understanding of animal behaviour and the ability to respond when nature refuses to read the script. Using clips and sequences as case studies, NEWF Fellows at various stages of their cinematography practice unpack how they film topside, underwater and from the air. From lenses, light and camera movement to positioning within unpredictable environments, they share their creative and technical decisions and how they adapt to capture behaviour, create emotion and build sequences that serve the larger story.
Start Time: 15:00
End Time: 16:00
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suites 1+2
Panellists:
Chisomo Kawaga
Nkosikhona Mthembu
Carlos Norhona
Elshadaye Temesgen
Moderator:
Nathan Rice (Untitled Entertainment)
Presented in Partnership with the High Commission of Canada Trade Office
Durban FilmMart delegates will have the opportunity to meet selected film professionals from Canada with the opportunity to finance, distribute, co-produce and collaborate.
Start Time: 15:00
End Time: 16:30
Duration: 1.5h
Venue: Maharani Hotel – Tugela
Moderator:
Mitchell Harper (CTRL. ALT. SHIFT)
African film industries are growing. Audiences are expanding, co-production frameworks are multiplying and capital, both public and private, is arriving in new forms. But growth without protection is fragile. As the economic stakes of African cinema increase, the question of who is structurally positioned to defend the interests of filmmakers and audiences becomes more urgent, not less.
This panel brings together representatives from organisations doing active advocacy and lobbying work in the African film space, from guilds and professional associations to filmmaker collectives and civil society bodies engaged in policy, to examine what advocacy looks like in practice across different national and regional contexts and what the industry still lacks.
The conversation will address the hard questions: where advocacy has succeeded and where it has failed; what it takes to build an organisation with genuine political leverage; how filmmakers engage with governments who may not yet understand or value the economic and cultural contribution of the sector; and how audiences, too often absent from industry conversations, fit into the advocacy picture.
Start Time: 15:00
End Time: 16:00
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suites 3+4
Panellists:
Hicham Falah (FIDADOC/ La Ruche documentaire/ Cinema Salama)
Susan Mbogo (Docubox)
Serge Noukoué (Okada Media Distribution)
Moderator:
Lara Utian-Preston (Ladima Foundation)
Presented in partnership with Cape Town International Animation Festival
An interactive workshop and ‘heartical’ conversation, bringing women in African animation and gaming together to look beyond the usual industry conversations and towards each other. Through playful prompts and shared stories, we’ll uncover what connects us and what quietly holds us back. We’ll leave with new connections, different perspectives and shared insights. To begin building the bridges we need – because we can’t build a more empowered creative community alone.
Start Time: 15:30
End Time: 16:30
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suite 5
Panellists:
Kumbi Chitenderu (WATA)
Tshepo Moche (WATA)
Kaydee de Villiers (WATA)
Presented in partnership with Doc Society, The StoryBoard Collective, Documentary Africa (DocA), Perspective Fund, Real Reel Impact, Climate Story Labs Africa (CSLA), DocuBox, UCT Centre for Film and Media Studies, Plexus Films, Climate Story Lab ZA, South x Sul Network, Earth Alliance and UMI Fund
A working session on what it will take to circulate ready African stories for real-world change now. This session is bringing together a group of partners to unpack what a “film transmission system” for Africa could look like. This is infrastructure that helps already completed film slates move from screen to impact for social discourse now. Drawing on models like South by South (El Sur De Proyecta), When we meet and Movimenta – these partners will be invited to share how their circulation models are working. The room will unpack shared capacity across the continent on: rights support, Impact reach, audience segmentation, regional civil society partnerships and the infrastructure that helps films reach and hold audiences at the most basic foundational level. It’s a candid working room for funders, distributors and filmmakers to think together about what a genuinely African-led version of a transmission system could look like.
Closed Session
Start Time: 15:30
End Time: 17:00
Duration: 1.5h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – The Grill
Presented in partnership with the Nature, Environment and Wildlife Filmmakers (NEWF)
Stories about the natural world are not only about wild places. They are also about food, memory, justice, coexistence, health, climate and the choices we make every day. This discussion brings together NEWF Fellows behind films exploring indigenous foodways, land restitution and conservation, human-elephant coexistence, and the legacy of Libreville’s largest dump. Through their distinct films and filmmaking approaches, the panel explores the breadth of natural-world storytelling and the relationships between people and place. Together, these films reveal both the wonder and beauty of nature and the environmental challenges shaping lives and futures across the African continent.
Start Time: 16:15
End Time: 17:15
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suites 1+2
Panellists:
Nondumiso Masache (Zenkosi Films)
Matamba Kombila (Dougantsi Films)
Anthony Ochieng Onyango (TonyWild/ TonyWild Foundation)
Moderator:
Thihangwi Ramutsindela (Nga Maanda Awe Film Festival/ NEWF)
Presented in partnership with Tunga Media Afrika
Over the past two decades, African cinema has grown remarkably in production, festival circulation, streaming visibility and international recognition. Yet its distribution still leans on a narrow set of channels, where education, if it features at all, is treated as one of the last windows in the chain. In a market like Africa, where the median age is barely 20 and more than 60% of the population is under 25, education is not a marginal afterthought. It is where the majority of the audience actually sits.
This structured In Conversation session brings together industry and academia to explore African film as a source of knowledge and education as an emerging market across the continent. The conversation examines institutional licensing, rights and pricing, audience development, curriculum relevance and the proposition of Film as Knowledge. The session closes with two open invitations: to scholars and educators to contribute to the Journal of African Film in Education, and to filmmakers to submit their films for educational distribution.
Start Time: 17:30
End Time: 18:30
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suites 1+2
Speakers:
Cindy Makandi (Tunga Media Afrika)
Dr. Rachael Diang’a (USIU-Africa)
Presented in partnership with the Independent Producers Organisation (IPO)
The Olsberg SPI economic study is a specialist assessment of the South African Film and Television Production incentive. It examines the 4x DTIC incentive streams over the period between 2015 -2025, their economic return to the state, qualifying production expenditure, changes in programme performance and the consequences of the declining reliability of the incentive. It also includes production level ripple analyses, an assessment of the incentive’s administration and design and international comparisons intended to inform the future structure and operation of the programme.
The panel discussion will unpack the importance, relevance and potential impact of the study, with a particular focus on how its findings can inform the future development, sustainability and growth of South Africa’s film and television industry.
The discussion will explore the evidence and key insights emerging from the study, their relevance to the current challenges facing the sector and how the findings can support evidence-based policy development, investment decisions and meaningful industry interventions.
Start Time: 16:15
End Time: 17:15
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suites 3+4
Panellists:
Delon Bakker (Mannequin Films)
Paul Buys (Rose and Oaks Media)
Wandile Molebatsi (Coal Stove Pictures)
Luke Rous (Rous House Production)
Moderator:
Jade Gezane (Independent Producers Organisation (IPO))
Presented in partnership with Cape Town International Animation Festival
Curious about how animation could bring your project to life? Join us for a fast-paced introduction to the animation production process, designed to demystify how it all works and where you can fit into the process.
Following the presentation, meet representatives from eight different animation studios. Each studio will be available to discuss your project, answer your questions and help you understand how animation could work for your needs.
Start Time: 16:30
End Time: 17:30
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suite 5
Vertical dramas have exploded onto the international scene, reshaping how stories are consumed on mobile-first platforms and unlocking new revenue models for creators. This session examines the format’s rapid global rise and its emerging footprint on the African continent, where creators are beginning to experiment with the form. Panellists explore what makes vertical drama distinct as a storytelling medium, the opportunities and challenges it presents for African filmmakers and whether this fast-growing format could become a viable new pathway for content and commerce on the continent.
Start Time: 17:30
End Time: 18:30
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suites 3+4
Panellists:
Minnie Harris (MTN)
Flavia Motsisi (Flavia Motsisi Media)
Thuli Zuma (Stained Glass TV)
Hlomla Dandala (Digicine)
Moderator:
Nataleah Hunter-Young (University of Toronto)
Start Time: 19:30
End Time: 21:30
Duration: 2h
Venue: Maharani Hotel – Tugela
Monday, 12 October 2026
Rise with the Sun! Start the day in perfect alignment.
A limited number of mats will be available, therefore we encourage participants to carry their own yoga mats.
Start Time: 07:00
End Time: 08:00
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Pool deck (Mangwanani side)
Presented in partnership with EAVE
This session offers practical tips for managing productions across diverse cultural and geographic contexts. It covers inclusive hiring, cross-cultural crew coordination and ethical casting. Participants will explore safer set protocols, power-sharing approaches, culturally sensitive scheduling and inclusive catering practices. The session also addresses production and post-production workflows that prioritise access, consent and psychological safety.
Start Time: 10:00
End Time: 11:30
Duration: 1.5h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suite 5
Panellists:
Linda Mutawi (Fikra)
May Odeh (Odeh Films)
This closed-door think tank brings together a select group of distribution specialists, financiers and industry leaders to interrogate the future of film distribution on the African continent. Discussions will span traditional models alongside emerging non-traditional approaches, including new platforms, initiatives and partnerships taking shape both on the continent and within the diaspora. As a working session, the focus is on frank, solutions-driven dialogue, identifying gaps, sharing intelligence and shaping practical strategies to strengthen how African stories reach audiences.
Start Time: 10:00
End Time: 12:30
Duration: 2.5h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suites 1 + 2
Presented in partnership with the Film, Television and Cinema Sector Cluster and SASFED
This closed session offers South Africa’s film industry organising bodies a chance to sit down with representatives of South Africa’s national and regional funds, along with local financing institutions, in order to engage with the present challenges facing the film industry.
Start Time: 10:00
End Time: 13:00
Duration: 3h
Venue: Maharani Hotel – Tugela
Moderator:
Simon Makwela (Film, Television and Cinema Sector Cluster)
Presented in partnership with the Nature, Environment and Wildlife Filmmakers (NEWF)
Drawing on their latest film, Pippa Ehrlich and Zolani Mahola in conversation with Dr Gcina Mhlophe and Gogo Lindi Dlamini explore how filmmakers represent African spirituality and the often-invisible relationships between nature, culture, ancestry and identity. Bringing perspectives from filmmaking, music, storytelling and traditional healing, the panel considers cultural authority, authenticity, sensitivity and the value carried through indigenous knowledge. Together, they examine the challenges of bringing held beliefs to commercial screens without simplifying, sensationalising or diminishing their meaning and power, while asking how these stories can remain rooted in the people, places and knowledge systems from which they emerge.
Start Time: 11:45
End Time: 12:45
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suites 5
Panellists:
Gogo Lindi Dlamini (Gogo Lindi Dlamini)
Pippa Ehrlich
Zolani Mahola (Zolani Mahola)
Dr Gcina Mhlophe (Gcinamasiko Arts & Heritage Trust)
Presented in partnership with The Nuru Collective
This closed-door think tank convenes a select group of distributors, marketers and industry strategists to unpack audience design as a critical, often under-resourced pillar of African film. Discussions will explore how audiences are identified, understood and built, from data and market research to community-rooted engagement strategies, shifting the conversation from “who watches” to “who we are designing for.” As a working session, the focus is on practical tools and shared learnings that help the industry build audiences with intention, not as an afterthought.
Start Time: 12:00
End Time: 14:30
Duration: 2.5h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suites 3+4
Presented in partnership with EAVE
Recognising that many challenges are specific to an individual project and cannot be fully addressed in a masterclass setting, this clinic gives delegates direct, one-on-one access to the EAVE experts behind the masterclass series.
Delegates can book a dedicated 15-minute slot with an expert to work through concerns specific to their own project, from navigating power dynamics to structuring fair creative and financial partnerships. With four experts running concurrent sessions, the clinic can support up to 50 to 60 delegates individually, ensuring the guidance on offer is tailored rather than generic. Bookings are coordinated by the DFM team to make access straightforward.
Click on the link to book your one-on-one session. First come first served.
Start Time: 12:00
End Time: 14:00
Duration: 2h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – East Ilanga
Consultants:
Tamara Dawit (Gobez Media)
Amil Shivji (Kijiweni Productions)
Linda Mutawi (Fikra)
May Odeh (Odeh Films)
Presented in partnership with NEFTi
The Making of 441. The challenges and triumphs of collaborating with multiple directors across multiple borders to create one film.
Start Time: 13:00
End Time: 14:00
Duration: 1h
Venue: Elangeni Hotel – Suite 5
Panellists:
Cheyi Okoaye (A Dank House)
Moreetsi Gabang (Moreetsi Gabang)
Henry Joe Sakala (Myaambo Publishing House)
Nivolla Sifuna (Royalz Studios)
Moderator:
Paul Robinson (NEFTi)
Presented in partnership with SMPTE
This is where the sector picks up the pen. Forty of South Africa’s screen minds, three hours, three big questions, one first draft of the rules for AI in our industry. No lectures, no spectators, just the people who do the work writing its future in real time. Come roll up your sleeves and help write it.
Closed session.
Start Time: 14:00
End Time: 16:00
Duration: 2h
Venue: Maharani Hotel – Tugela
Facilitator:
Isabelle Rorke (Dreamforge Creative/ Animation South Africa)
Moderator:
Kevan Jones (SACIA)