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

Bupya (Renewed)

(Rwanda)

Co-Producer:
Dipo Abdul Osiyemi

Corruption Is An English Word

(South Africa)

Director:
Zoe Ramushu

Corruption Is An English Word

(South Africa)

Producer:
Rea Moeti-Vogt

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

Past Projects

Past projects can be accessed in the ‘Archive

2024 Awards

CASH AWARDS:
OrganisationName of AwardWinners
Known Associates, Inner City Films, Circle Blue Entertainment,Known Inner Circle AwardActs of Man (South Africa) – Producer: Sean Drummond and Director: Sheetal Magan
Red SeaRed Sea Film Fund Award X2Londoner (Nigeria) – Producers: Pamela Drameh and Sarudzayi Marufu and Director: Babatunde Apalowo
  Africa AI (South Africa) – Producer: Amílcar Patel and Directors: Amílcar Patel and Chris Kets
Game ChangerGame Changer Films AwardThe Moon Can’t Run (South Africa, Zambia) – Producer: Shveta Naidoo and Director: Naishe Nyamubaya and Coproducer: Niza Lou Waldburger
Canal +CANAL+ Development GrantChildren of Honey (Tanzania, United Kingdom) – Producer: Natalie Humphreys and Director: Jigar Ganatra
TRTTRT AwardDear Tarkovsky (Tunisia) – Producer: Asma Chiboub and Director: Firas Khoury
MTN GroupMTN Group Digital AwardThe Moon Can’t Run (South Africa, Zambia) – Producer: Shveta Naidoo and Director: Naishe Nyamubaya and Coproducer: Niza Lou Waldburger
International Documentary AssociationIDA Supported Artist AwardChildren of Honey (Tanzania, United Kingdom) – Producer: Natalie Humphreys and Director: Jigar Ganatra
Sisters in CinemaSisters in Cinema Sustainability AwardThe Conservationist (Zimbabwe) – Producer and Director: Rumbi Katedza and Producer: Siza Mukwedini
National Film and Video FoundationBest Fiction GrantI’m Coming For You (Cameroon) – Producers: Alice Abah and Jean-Marie Gigon and Director: Cyrielle Raingou
National Film and Video FoundationBest Non-Fiction GrantWe Had The Moon! (Mauritius) – Producer and Director: Pamella Eduoard
 Best Animation GrantMonster Nanny (South Africa, Zimbabwe) – Producer: Kaya Kuhn and Director: Tafadzwa Hove
Hot Docs-Blue Ice Docs FundHot Docs-Blue Ice Docs AwardMy Father Killed Bourguiba (Tunisia) – Producer: Sarra Ben Hassan and Director: Fatma Riahi
The WhickersThe Whickers Bursary AwardWe Had The Moon! (Mauritius) – Producer and Director: Pamella Eduoard

 

PROGRAMME PARTICIPATION:
OrganisationName of AwardWinners
IFFR ProRotterdam Lab AwardJua Kali (Kenya) – Producer: Joash Omondi and Director: Yasmin Hassan
DOK.fest München and IEFTAThe DOK.fest München Award
With support from IEFTA
A Girl and a Gun (South Africa) – Producer: Antoinette Engel and Director: Arya Lalloo
Dok Leipzig and IEFTAThe DOK Leipzig Award
With support from IEFTA
Africa AI (South Africa) – Producer: Amílcar Patel and Directors: Amílcar Patel and Chris Kets
SorfundSørfond AwardBenimana (Ivory Coast) – Producer: Samantha Biffot and Director: Marie-Clémentine Dusabejambo
Miradas DocMiradas Doc AwardA Girl and a Gun (South Africa) – Producer: Antoinette Engel and Director: Arya Lalloo
Guangzhou International Documentary Film Festival and IEFTASpecial GZDOC Invitation
With support from IEFTA
Bitter Seed (Algeria, France) – Producer: Antoine Goldet and Director: Camélia Gadhgadhi
FIDA DOCThe FIDA DOC AwardHow Many Nights How Many Days (Egypt) – Producer: Kesmat Elsayed and Director: Alaa Dajani
Movies that matter and IEFTAMovies that Matter Award
With support from IEFTA
We Had The Moon! (Mauritius) – Producer and Director: Pamella Eduoard
Vision du reel and IEFTAVisions du Reel Award
With support from IEFTA
We Had The Moon (Mauritius) – Producer and Director: Pamella Eduoard
Fak’ugesiFak’ugesi Residency AwardOarona (South Africa) – Producers: AJ Pitre and Thandiwe Mlauli and Director: Thandiwe Mlauli and Coproducer: Simangaliso Sibaya
Hidden Hand StudioThe Hidden Hand Studios presents: The Hidden Talents AwardThe Legend of Hyena Man (Tanzania) – Producer: Mathew Valerian and Directors: Elshadye Berhanu and Joshua Faber
MENTORSHIP:
OrganisationName of AwardWinners
OIF-ACP -EUOIF-ACP-EU awardLondoner (Nigeria) – Producers: Pamela Drameh and Sarudzayi Marufu and Director: Babatunde Apalowo
Torino Lab and IEFTATFL Next Award supported by IEFTANumalali (My Voice, My Void) (Guatemala) – Producers: Alberto Rodríguez Collía and Kurt Orderson and Director: Kimeshree Munsamy

2021 Winners

Application Information

Animation Applications are now CLOSED.

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Thank you

Submission received