The Durban FilmMart Institute (DFMI) is thrilled to announce the official Call for Submissions for the 19th edition of Talents Durban, set to take place in conjunction with the Durban FilmMart (DFM) in Durban, South Africa, from 24 – 27 July 2026.
As the official African satellite programme of Berlinale Talents, the Berlin International Film Festival’s talent development platform, Talents Durban is the continent’s premier platform for up-and-coming film professionals to network, learn, and collaborate. The programme offers an intensive, hybrid experience designed to foster creative development and industry connections. This comprehensive structure includes an eight-week online mentorship, a four-day in-person event, culminating at the 17th Durban FilmMart for sustained growth and collaboration.
“African storytelling is experiencing an unprecedented global surge, and Talents Durban is right at the heart of nurturing the next generation of industry leaders,” says DFMI Director, Magdalene Reddy. “We are actively seeking bold, innovative, and distinctive voices across all disciplines. Whether you are a filmmaker with a compelling project or an emerging critic ready to shape the narrative, this is your opportunity to join a vibrant pan-African community and take your career to the global stage. We encourage all eligible applicants to seize this opportunity and submit their work.”
Programme Overview
Talents Durban is inviting applications from all emerging film professionals and critics from the African continent and diaspora who have completed a minimum of two professional projects (e.g., short films, features, documentaries, or published reviews). The programme covers several core disciplines:
- Filmmaking: Fiction Features, Documentary Features, Shorts, Series, and Animation.
- Film Criticism: Talents Press
The selection process is highly competitive, and applicants are encouraged to ensure their submissions are polished and reflect exceptional potential. Last year’s edition saw over 500 applications, resulting in a highly curated cohort.
Selected Talents will participate in a series of project-oriented, hands-on skills development programmes, including masterclasses, one-on-one mentorship with established industry experts, and the crucial Story Junction sessions, where participants get to present their projects to producers and potential financiers. The experience is designed to turn promising concepts into screen realities.
Nikola Joetze and Tobias Pausinger, Programme Manager and Project Manager of Berlinale Talents, added: “The calibre and determination of the cinematic voices emerging from Africa never ceases to impress. The partnership between Berlinale Talents and the Durban FilmMart Institute is vital in strengthening the international community and supporting those voices. We are already eager to meet the 19th edition’s cohort, with the fresh perspectives and powerful stories they will bring to light. We enthusiastically encourage all talents to apply and become part of this essential network.”
Application criteria:
Emerging filmmakers, animation directors, series creators, and film critics are invited to submit their applications online. Full submission requirements and eligibility criteria can be found on the Durban FilmMart Institute’s website.
- You have submitted a complete application, including a sample of past work and a project in development.
- Please note that the application is based on individual submissions and we cannot accept team applications – you may apply as a screenwriter, director, animation director or film critic.
- You must have obtained the written consent of the other copyright owners for the use of the work sample and project submitted.
- You work in one of the following areas: screenwriting, directing, film criticism and animation.
- You are an emerging film professional OR student in the final year of your studies, OR film school graduate, OR have comparable work experience in the film and media industry.
- You have worked on at least one short/feature film that has been screened at a recognized film festival, OR you have worked on a TV drama series that has aired widely, OR you have worked on a web or mobile drama series that has around 5,000 views OR (for the Talent Press programme), you have at least one-year experience as a film critic/reviewer/journalist/vlogger/podcaster.
- You must be a citizen of an African/Carribean country, residing in Africa/Carribeans.
- You must be at least 18 years of age by 1 July 2026
For more information about the terms and conditions, please visit the DFM website.
Submission deadline: 9 February 2026.
Click here to apply.
About Durban FilmMart Institute
Durban FilmMart Institute is the business hub of the African film industry in a world where professionals and products are globally competitive and celebrated. The mission of the Durban FilmMart Institute is to provide appropriate and effective programmes and services to promote, support and facilitate investment in the African film industry. The Durban FilmMart Institute runs year round developmental programmes and an annual market (Durban FilmMart). The DFMI has recently launched Filmmart.africa which is an online tool for filmmakers to connect and which we hope will enhance visibility for African content. For more information about the DFMI programmes visit www.durbanfilmmart.co.za