In a first for the East African film ecosystem, with the support of the Fund for Authors and Producers from Africa (FAPA) and partnership with Docubox
The Durban FilmMart Institute (DFMI) opens the call for participants for the next edition of the Future Mentors Programme to be held in East Africa with the support of the Fund for Authors and Producers from Africa (FAPA) and will take place in Nairobi from 1 to 5 February 2027.
The Future Mentors Programme’s mission is to address the scarcity of mentors originating from the African continent and diaspora, while simultaneously equipping the next wave of mentors in Africa with the essential skills they need. Its purpose is to support a capacity-building programme for seasoned film professionals who possess a genuine desire to share their expertise with aspiring film practitioners.
Having successfully completed its inaugural edition in South Africa (2024) and expanded to fourteen African labs at FESPACO in Ouagadougou (2025), the implementation of its second and third editions in French speaking West Africa (Dakar, Senegal) and in Arabic speaking North Africa (Tunis, Tunisia) (2025), the programme is now poised for its next edition in East Africa with implementing partner, Docubox.
“When we launched Future Mentors, we wanted to do more than train individuals: we wanted to build a pipeline of African mentors who can carry the work of raising a new generation of filmmakers forward themselves. The response from the 2025 editions in Dakar and Tunis confirmed this need,” says Magdalene Reddy, Director of Durban FilmMart Institute, “as we move our focus to East Africa, we acknowledge that there is already a deep reservoir of experienced producers and story consultants, and we look forward to seeing them take up the mentoring space. Our thanks go to CNC and Docubox for working with us to make this edition possible.”
Application Criteria
The Future Mentors Programme invites producers and creative producers with African passports from the following East African countries Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Uganda, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, South Sudan and Tanzania who have a desire to enter the mentorship space.
The programme is looking for filmmakers who have experience as producers, or creative producers. Applicants should have a film credit in one of these roles on at least two feature-length films in documentary and/or fiction, have been active in the film industry for at least five years, and have attended development labs and programmes or have a history of training experience working with grass roots training programmes.
Kindly note that acceptance into the programme will not be based on a specific film project. (You do not need an active film project to participate in the programme). The programme is open to filmmakers from across documentary, fiction and animation.
Selected participants will need to avail themselves for 2 online introductory sessions in January and 6 physical days in Nairobi in February 2027.
Film professionals who are interested in the programme will need to provide a detailed Curriculum Vitae with filmography, two contactable referees and two reference letters from a reputable film lab or training institute as well as a one-page letter of motivation for consideration to participate.
Applications close on Sunday, 22 November 2026 at 23:59 (CAT). No applications will be considered after the closing date.
All applicants will be notified by 08 December 2026 of the outcome of their application.
Link to the application form: visit DFM website here.
Application forms need to be completed in English.
The programme will be conducted in English.
Selected participants will receive round-trip economy air travel, hotel accommodation and daily stipends for the duration of the physical workshop. Participants are required to arrive in Nairobi on Sunday, 31 January and depart on Saturday, 6 February. There will be 2 online sessions prior to the physical workshop, dates to be confirmed upon selection.
The programme is supported by the Future Mentors’ Guide in English, French and Arabic which was co-created by a group of film professionals from Africa and the diaspora. The DFMI thereafter created the Future Mentors’ Curriculum which forms the foundation of the programme.
About the DFMI
The Durban FilmMart Institute (DFMI), as a non-profit company, aims to create a world where African film professionals and content are globally competitive and celebrated. The programmes of the DFMI include: Durban FilmMart – Film Finance and Coproduction Market, DFMI Business Lab, DFM Access, Animation@DFM, Future Mentors and FilmMart.Africa
About FAPA
The Fund for Authors and Producers from Africa (FAPA) aims to provide financial support in the form of subsidies to organisations for the implementation of programs designed to train or mentor authors and producers from Sub-Saharan Africa and Haiti in the field of film and audiovisual production.
About DOCUBOX
Docubox – East African Documentary Film Fund (DOCUBOX) exists to enable talented, driven, focused and accountable East African filmmakers to produce unique films that unearth new realities and cross trans-national boundaries. Through training, development and production grants, screenings for people who love documentary films, Docubox promotes East African filmmakers and shares their unique stories with the world through creative documentaries. Docubox’s mission is to enable talented, driven, and focused East African filmmakers, with important and unique stories to tell, to produce high impact independent documentary films that unearth new realities about worlds, identities, and people for audiences in East Africa and around the world.
Our thanks go to CNC and all the partners of FAPA.
Questions?
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For enquiries, please contact: [email protected]
The Durban FilmMart Institute year round programmes are supported by MultiChoice, eThekwini Municipality and the Durban Film Office. The principal funding for the Future Mentors programme is received from the Fund for Authors and Producers from Africa (FAPA)