Durban FilmMart calls for live action projects in development

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The 15th DFM, scheduled to take place from 19 to 22 July 2024 in Durban, South Africa, is the flagship event of the Durban FilmMart Institute and was named in Unesco's’s 2021 Film Trends in Africa Report as ‘the continent’s best film market’.

The event is designed to generate visibility for African content and talent and create partnerships to further the development and production of African cinema.

“Over the last 15 years, DFM has attracted filmmakers from across the continent with unique African stories with many of them generating global interest and winning awards both internationally and locally,” says Magdalene Reddy, director of DFMI.

In just the last 12 months, DFM alumni projects have premiered at Sundance (Mami Wata), won awards at the Cannes Film Festival (Goodbye Julia and Mother of All Lies) and have been selected as their countries' entry for next year’s Academy Awards (Goodbye Julia and Mami Wata).

Full-length feature and documentary film projects and series content with Africans in one of the three key creative roles (writers, directors and producers) that are looking for co-producers, financiers, sales agents, streamers, broadcasters and funders, are invited to submit. The independent selection panel will choose up to ten documentaries and ten fiction feature length film projects from the submissions. Selected projects will be announced in early May 2024.

Application criteria:

• The programme is open to African filmmakers with an active feature length or episodic project in development.
  
• The programme is open to both fiction and documentary projects.
  
• At least one of the three key creatives (Producer, Writer, Director) must be from Africa or from the African Diaspora.
  
• Project applications must be completed in English, however the language of the project itself is up to the imagination of the filmmaker.
  
• At least one representative must be available to participate in the mentorship programme and be present in Durban for the duration of the 15th Durban FilmMart.

Applications can be made through the Durban FilmMart Institute website: https://durbanfilmmart.co.za/pitch-and-finance-forum-application/
Deadline for applications: Friday, 20 January 2024

Programme dates:

• One on One mentorship programme May to July 2024 (online)
  
• Pitch and Finance Forum 18 to 22 July 2024 (in person)

The Durban FilmMart has earned the reputation as a key platform for industry professionals attracting over 1,000 delegates from across the world over the four day-event.

In addition to the Pitch ad Finance Forum the DFM will present a robust industry programme and networking events enabling filmmakers to connect with an array of significant representatives from the industry both locally and internationally.