DFM Pitch and Finance Forum
Presented at the DFM annual market
Each year, through an open application process and two independent selection panels, the Durban FilmMart Institute selects 20-30 official African fiction and documentary projects in development to present to a panel of potential co-producers, sales agents, broadcasters and film funds. The Pitch and Finance Forum consists of public pitching, one on one meetings with decision makers and individual mentorship leading up to the market.
DFM 2025 Official Projects
Animation
Aisha Qandicha
(Morocco)
Director:
Fatima Mahdar
Aisha Qandicha
(United States)
Producer:
Alyssa Harden
Au Nom Du Roi Njoya (In The Name of King Njoya)
(Cameroon)
Director & Producer:
Claye Edou
Crocodile Dance
(South Africa/Nigeria)
Co-Director:
Shofela Coker
Crocodile Dance
(South Africa/Nigeria)
Co-Director:
Ingrid De Beer
Crocodile Dance
(South Africa/Nigeria)
Co-Producer:
Nadia Darries
Kamaroza
(Egypt)
Co-Director:
Ahmad Abdelhameed
Kamaroza
(Egypt)
Co-Director:
Islam Mazhar
Kamaroza
(Egypt)
Producer:
Nouran Abdallah
KINTUADI: SIMON KIMBANGU
(Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Director:
Benny Lusakueno
KINTUADI: SIMON KIMBANGU
(Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Producer:
Giresse KASSONGA
Mboudgui
(Cameroon)
Director:
Bienvenu Wanso-Tissala
Mboudgui
(France)
Co-Producer:
Betty Sulty-Johnson
Mboudgui
(Cameroon)
Co-Producer:
Lamissa Ouattara
Nunu Rhu (The Girl With Wings)
(South Africa)
Director:
Clare Louis
Nunu Rhu (The Girl With Wings)
(Canada)
Co-Producer:
Sabrina Roc
Nunu Rhu (The Girl With Wings)
(South Africa)
Co-Producer:
Ameera Faber
Tribe
(Zimbabwe)
Director:
Tendayi Nyeke
Tribe
(South Africa)
Producer:
Debbie Crosscup
Documentary Features
Akal
(Morocco)
Director:
Basma Rkioui
Akal
(Morocco)
Producer:
Karim Debbagh
Climbing the Mountains
(Algeria)
Director and Co-Producer:
Sabrina Chebbi
Climbing the Mountains
(Algeria)
Producer:
Kenji Accard
Climbing the Mountains
(Algeria)
Co-Producer:
Oualid Baha
Golden
(Zimbabwe)
Director and Co-Producer:
Rumbi Katedza
Golden
(Zimbabwe)
Producer:
Ingrid Martens
Kivu
(Democratic Republic of Congo)
Director:
Elise Sawasawa
Kivu
(Democratic Republic of Congo)
Producer:
Christian Bitwaiki
Plastic Atlantis
(Cape Verde)
Director:
Samira Vera-Cruz
Plastic Atlantis
(Cape Verde)
Producer:
Pedro Soulé
Samaa Gafa (Dry Sky)
(Sudan)
Director:
Ibrahim Omar
Samaa Gafa (Dry Sky)
(Sudan)
Producer:
Aya Yusuf
The Salt of the South
(Tunisia)
Director:
Rami Jarboui
The Salt of the South
(Tunisia)
Producer:
Ramzi Laâmouri
Un/Settled
(South Africa)
Director:
Sydelle Willow Smith
Un/Settled
(South Africa)
Producer:
Mehret Mandefro
Vuka
(South Africa)
Director:
Matthew Robinson
Vuka
(South Africa)
Producer:
Rehad Desai
Documentary Series
Planet Carnival
(South Africa)
Director:
Kurt Orderson
Planet Carnival
(South Africa)
Co-Producer:
Luana Rocha
Planet Carnival
(South Africa)
Executive Producer:
Thandi Davids
Retour à Thiaroye (Return To Thiaroye)
(Tunisia)
Director:
Emilien Abibou
Retour à Thiaroye (Return To Thiaroye)
(Tunisia)
Co-Producer:
Dhia Jerbi
Retour à Thiaroye (Return To Thiaroye)
(Tunisia)
Co-Producer:
Manon Lavaud
Retour à Thiaroye (Return To Thiaroye)
(Tunisia)
Co-Producer:
Victor Thomas
Fiction Features
Al Asas (The Guardian)
(Algeria)
Director:
Muhannad Lamin
Al Asas (The Guardian)
(Algeria)
Producer:
Lynda Belkhiria
Bupya (Renewed)
(Rwanda)
Director:
Claire Sheila Birungi
Bupya (Renewed)
(Rwanda)
Producer:
Oge Obasi
Dowar Alqamar (The Sunflowers of the Moon)
(Tunisia)
Director:
ismaël
Dowar Alqamar (The Sunflowers of the Moon)
(Tunisia)
Producer:
Sarra Maali
Le Sanglier (The Boar)
(Senegal)
Director:
Mamadou Socrate Diop
Le Sanglier (The Boar)
(Senegal)
Producer:
Yanis Gaye
'n Doop om Stilte (Baptism of Silence)
(South Africa)
Director:
Kanya Viljoen and Emilie Badenhorst
'n Doop om Stilte (Baptism of Silence)
(South Africa)
Producer:
Casey Diepeveen
Nomvula (She Who Brings the Rain)
(South Africa)
Director:
Sibusiso Khuzwayo
Nomvula (She Who Brings the Rain)
(South Africa)
Producer:
Kethiwe Ngcobo
Space Maasai
(Tanzania)
Director:
Priscilla Marealle
Space Maasai
(Tanzania)
Producer:
Wilson Nkya
STERO
(Kenya)
Director:
Millan Tarus
STERO
(Kenya)
Producer:
Juliana Kabua
Fiction Series
High Flyers
(South Africa)
Director:
Ian Gabriel
High Flyers
(South Africa)
Producer:
Gabe Gabriel
The Second Coming
(South Africa)
Director:
Michael James
The Second Coming
(South Africa)
Producer:
Siyabonga Xaba
VigilAunties
(South Africa)
Director:
Loren Loubser
VigilAunties
(South Africa)
Producer:
Dominique Jossie
2025 Awards
| Name of Award | Winners | Counrty of organisation giving award | |
| 1 | Animation Production Days | Tribe Producer: Debbie Crosscu Director: Tendayi Nyeke South Africa | Germany |
| 2 | Al Jazeera co-production award | Climbing the Mountains Producers: Kenji Accard, Sabrina Chebbi Co-producer: Oualid Baha Director: Sabrina Chebbi Algeria | Qatar |
| 3 | CANAL+ Development Grant | Golden Producers: Rumbi Katedza, Ingrid Martens Director: Rumbi Katedza Zimbabwe | France |
| 4 | Climate Story Labs Award | Plastic Atlantis Producer: Pedro Soulé Director: Samira Vera-Cruz Cape Verde | Pan-African organisation which spans Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa |
| 5 | DFM Talents Durban Award | DESIGNING DIVIDE Director: Jessie Ayles South Africa | South Africa |
| 6 | DOC A Award | Plastic Atlantis Producer: Pedro Soulé Director: Samira Vera-Cruz Cape Verde | Pan-African organisation based in East Africa |
| 7 | DOK.fest München Award | Golden Producers: Rumbi Katedza, Ingrid Martens Director: Rumbi Katedza Zimbabwe | Germany |
| 8 | El Gouna Film Festival Award | Samaa Gafa (Dry Sky) Producer: Aya Tallah Yusuf Director: Ibrahim Omar Sudan | Egypt |
| 9 | EURODOC AWARD | The Salt of the South Producer: Ramzi Laâmouri Director: Rami Jarboui Tunisia | Internationally staffed, Paris-based and European-funded |
| 10 | Fak’ugesi Residency Award | Kamaroza Producer: Nouran Abdallah Directors: Ahmad Abdelhameed, Islam Mazhar Studio: Samaka Egypt | South Africa |
| 11 | Talent Press Award Supported by FIPRESCI | Alice Johnson Ghana | FIPRESCI Fédération Internationale de la Presse Cinématographique International Federation of Film Critics |
| 12 | Hot Docs-Blue Ice Docs Award | Climbing the Mountains Producers: Kenji Accard, Sabrina Chebbi Co-producer: Oualid Baha Director: Sabrina Chebbi Algeria | Canada |
| 13 | Impronta Films Consultancy Award | Vuka Producer: Rehad Desai Director: Matthew Robinson South Africa | Great Britain |
| 14 | Impronta Films Consultancy Award | Planet Carnival Producers: Thandi Davids Co-producer: Luana Rocha Director: Kurt Orderson South Africa | Great Britain |
| 15 | Inkaba Award (Stained Glass TV) | The Second Coming Producer: Siyabonga Xaba Director: Michael James South Africa | South Africa |
| 16 | Isiziba Award (Stained Glass TV) | Watching over you Director Stephen Nagel South Africa | South Africa |
| 17 | MAD Solutions Award | Ping Pong Producer: May Jabareen Director: Saleh Saadi Palestine | Egypt |
| 18 | MTN Group Digital Award | Nomvula (She Who Brings the Rain) Producer: Kethiwe Ngcobo Director: Sibusiso Khuzwayo South Africa | South Africa |
| 19 | NEFTi Competion Award | Roots Producer: Ntuthuko Gumede Director: Brian Shelembe South Africa | United States of America |
| 20 | NFVF Best Non-fiction Grant | The Salt of the South Producer: Ramzi Laâmouri Director: Rami Jarboui Tunisia | South Africa |
| 21 | NFVF Best Fiction Grant | The Second Coming Producer: Siyabonga Xaba Director: Michael James South Africa | South Africa |
| 22 | NFVF Best Animation | Crocodile Dance Producer: Ingrid de Beer Directors: Shofela Coker, Nadia Darries South Africa, Nigeria | South Africa |
| 23 | OIF-ACP -EU Award | Plastic Atlantis Producer: Pedro Soulé Director: Samira Vera-Cruz Cape Verde | France |
| 24 | Red Sea Film Fund Award | Golden Producers: Rumbi Katedza, Ingrid Martens Director: Rumbi Katedza Zimbabwe | Saudi Arabia |
| 25 | Red Sea Film Fund Award | Fiction The Second Coming Producer: Siyabonga Xaba Director: Michael James South Africa | Saudi Arabia |
| 26 | Red Sea Film Fund Award | Climbing the Mountains Producers: Kenji Accard, Sabrina Chebbi Co-producer: Oualid Baha Director: Sabrina Chebbi Algeria | Saudi Arabia |
| 27 | Rotterdam Lab Award | Space Maasai Producer: Wilson Nkya Director: Priscilla Marealle Tanzania | The Nerthlands |
| 28 | Sheffield Doc fest | Plastic Atlantis Producer: Pedro Soulé Director: Samira Vera-Cruz Cape Verde | Great Britain |
| 29 | Sørfond Award | Baptism of Silence Producer: Casey Diepeveen Directors: Kanya Viljoen, Emilie Badenhorst South Africa | Norway |
| 30 | Sundance Institute Documentary Fund New Voices Award | Plastic Atlantis Producer: Pedro Soulé Director: Samira Vera-Cruz Cape Verde | United States of America |
| 31 | TFL Next IEFTA Award | Nomvula (She Who Brings the Rain) Producer: Kethiwe Ngcobo Director: Sibusiso Khuzwayo South Africa | Italy |
| 32 | The DOK Leipzig Award | Akal Producer: Karim Debbagh Director: Basma Rkioui Morocco | Germany |
| 33 | The FIDADOC Award | KUMFOGA Dissirama Bessoga Togo | Morocco |
| 34 | The Whickers Bursary Award | Vuka Producer: Rehad Desai Director: Matthew Robinson South Africa | Great Britain |
| 35 | Triggerfish Mentorship Award | Aisha Qandicha Producer: Alyssa Harden Director: Fatima Mahdar Morocco | South Africa |
| 36 | TRT Award | The Guardian Producer: Lynda Belkhiria Director: Muhannad Lamin Libya, Algeria, Canada | Türkiye |
| 37 | Visions du Reel Award | Akal Producer: Karim Debbagh Director: Basma Rkioui Morocco | Switzerland |
| 38 | Women Make Movies Award for Best Pitch by a Women Filmmaker | Plastic Atlantis Producer: Pedro Soulé Director: Samira Vera-Cruz Cape Verde | United States of America |
| 39 | WRAPPED TALENTS DURBAN PRIZE | TRUCKER MAN Director: Shiefaa Hendricks South Africa | South Africa |
| 40 | WRAPPED TALENT PRESS PRIZE | Tshi Malatji South Africa | South Africa |
Application Information
Applications are currently open.
Deadline for applications: Friday, 31 October 2025, 23h59 Central Africa Time (CAT)
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