Project submissions for the 2018 Durban FilmMart (DFM), which takes place during
the Durban International Film Festival, South Africa (19 to 29 July), are officially open.
The Durban FilmMart is a joint project of Durban Film Office, the eThekwini
Municipality’s industry development unit, and the Durban International Film Festival
(DIFF), which strives to support and stimulate the growth of African film and develop
connections between African film makers and the rest of the world. “With two recent
Durban FilmMart projects Inxeba (The Wound) and Train of Salt
and Sugar having been selected as Best Foreign Language Films for the next
Academy Awards, we are seeing the impact that the support of projects in
development has on the industry on a global level,’ enthuses Toni Monty, head of the
Durban Film Office.
The Durban FilmMart, now in its 9th year, comprises an exciting four day programme
of workshops, seminars, and networking sessions and is attended annually by
approximately 600 filmmakers, distributors, broadcasters, agents and other film
industry representatives.
Over the years the DFM has supported the development of over 170 African co-
production projects, many of which have been developed into fully-fledged film
products with cinema and festival release.
Ten documentary and ten fiction feature length film projects will be selected from the
submissions, and these projects will undergo a two-day packaging and mentoring
programme followed by two days of one-on-one meetings with a panel of film
financiers, buyers and distributors from across the globe.
The Durban FilmMart is open to full length feature and documentary films projects
with Africans in the major creative roles (writers, directors and producers) that are
looking for co-producers, financiers, sales agents and funders. All film projects
submitted are reviewed by a selection committee for consideration. All projects must
have both a producer and director attached to them, and must be submitted by 12
December 2017.
“As we head into our ninth year, it feels like the DFM has really matured,’ says Toni
Monty. “We are seeing more and more of our alumni projects being completed and
doing extremely well on either the festival or cinema circuits. It is really heartening to
see that the effort and energy put into this programme continues to bear great fruit
for the growth of the industry on the continent. We look forward to seeing some
interesting projects submitted for this edition.’
For more about the Durban FilmMart 2018, project submission criteria and how to
submit your project, visit the DFM
website.
