The 15th edition of the Durban FilmMart (DFM) has wrapped up, concluding with the presentation of the 2024 DFM Awards on Monday 22 July.

The premier film industry event in Africa, DFM 2024, took place from 19 – 22 July in Durban, under the theme "African Visions Unleashed: From Disruption to Accountability." The event successfully brought together 1460 film professionals and filmmakers from 58 countries across the continent and beyond.

"We are delighted to have hosted such a dynamic array of filmmakers from across the African continent. They entrusted us with their projects and ideas, and generously shared their time, expertise, and passion through enriching conversations, creating a truly African event," says Magdalene Reddy, Director of the Durban FilmMart Institute (DFMI). "The talent showcased in this year's programme and film projects presented exemplify the strength of African cinema. The memories made, networks expanded, and partnerships forged have significantly contributed to DFM’s enduring legacy and impact. We extend our gratitude to our partners for their support in celebrating and elevating African storytellers, producers, and content creators."

Awards:

Known Inner Circle Award

$10,000

Acts of Man (South Africa) – Producer: Sean Drummond and Director: Sheetal Magan

Red Sea Film Fund Award Fiction

$5,000

Londoner (Nigeria) – Producers: Pamela Drameh and Sarudzayi Marufu and Director: Babatunde Apalowo

 

Red Sea Film Fund Award Documentary

$5,000

Africa AI (South Africa) – Producer: Amílcar Patel and Directors: Amílcar Patel and Chris Kets

Game Changer Films Award

$5,000

The Moon Can’t Run (South Africa, Zambia) – Producer: Shveta Naidoo and Director: Naishe Nyamubaya and Coproducer: Niza Lou Waldburger

CANAL+ Development Grant

5,000 € euros with a development contract

Children of Honey (Tanzania, United Kingdom) – Producer: Natalie Humphreys and Director: Jigar Ganatra

TRT Award

$5,000

Dear Tarkovsky (Tunisia) – Producer: Asma Chiboub and Director: Firas Khoury

MTN Group Digital Award

$5,000

The Moon Can’t Run (South Africa, Zambia) – Producer: Shveta Naidoo and Director: Naishe Nyamubaya and Coproducer: Niza Lou Waldburger

IDA Supported Artist Award

$5,000 grant, 1 x Getting Real Fellowship, one-year complimentary Doc Maker Membership to IDA

Children of Honey (Tanzania, United Kingdom) – Producer: Natalie Humphreys and Director: Jigar Ganatra

Sisters in Cinema Sustainability Award

$2,500

The Conservationist (Zimbabwe) – Producer and Director: Rumbi Katedza and Producer: Siza Mukwedini

Best Fiction Grant National Film and Video Foundation

R100,000

I’m Coming For You (Cameroon) – Producers: Alice Abah and Jean-Marie Gigon and Director: Cyrielle Raingou

 

Best Non-Fiction Grant National Film and Video Foundation

R100,000

We Had The Moon!

 

Best Animation Grant National Film and Video Foundation

R100,000

Monster Nanny (South Africa, Zimbabwe) – Producer: Kaya Kuhn and

Director: Tafadzwa Hove

Hot Docs-Blue Ice Docs Award

$1,500 CAD

My Father Killed Bourguiba (Tunisia) – Producer: Sarra Ben Hassan and Director: Fatma Riahi

 

The Whickers Bursary Award

£3,000

We Had The Moon!

 

Rotterdam Lab Award

Participation in the Rotterdam Lab

Jua Kali (Kenya) – Producer: Joash Omondi and Director: Yasmin Hassan

 

The DOK.fest München Award

With support from IEFTA

Participation in DOK.forum Marketplace

A Girl and a Gun (South Africa) – Producer: Antoinette Engel and Director: Arya Lalloo

 

The DOK Leipzig Award

With support from IEFTA

Participation in the DOK Leipzig

Africa AI (South Africa) – Producer: Amílcar Patel and Directors: Amílcar Patel and Chris Kets

 

Sørfond Award

Participation in the Sørfond Pitch

Benimana (Ivory Coast) – Producer: Samantha Biffot and Director: Marie-Clémentine Dusabejambo

 

Miradas Doc Award

Participation in the MiradasDoc Market

A Girl and a Gun (South Africa) – Producer: Antoinette Engel and Director: Arya Lalloo

 

Special GZDOC Invitation

Participation in the GZ Doc Market Pitch

Bitter Seed (Algeria, France) – Producer: Antoine Goldet and Director: Camelia Gadhgadhi

 

The FIDADOC Award

Participation in the FIDADOC Pan African Writing residency

How Many Nights, How Many Days? (Egypt) – Producer: Kesmat Elsayed and Director: Alaa Dajani

Movies that Matter Award

With support from IEFTA

Participation at Movies that Matter

We Had The Moon!

 

Visions du Reel Award

With support from IEFTA

Participate in the Visions du Reel Industry Days

We Had The Moon!

 

Fak'ugesi Residency Award

Participation in the Residency Programme

Oarona (South Africa) – Producers: AJ Pitre and Thandiwe Mlauli and Director: Thandiwe Mlauli and Coproducer: Simangaliso Sibaya

 

The Hidden Hand Studios presents: The Hidden Talents Award

A trailer production of a story by the awardee by The Hidden Hand Studios

The Legend of Hyena Man (Tanzania) – Producer: Mathew Valerian and Directors: Elshadye Berhanu and Joshua Faber

 

OIF-ACP-EU Award

12 - 18 month mentorship

Londoner (Nigeria) – Producers: Pamela Drameh and Sarudzayi Marufu and Director: Babatunde Apalowo

 

TFL Next Award supported by IEFTA

Participation in the Torina Lab

Numalali (My Voice, My Void) (Guatemala) – Producers: Alberto Rodríguez Collía and Kurt Orderson and Director: Kimeshree Munsamy

 

Clermont-Ferrand ISFF Award

Nebula (Egypt) – Director: Michel Doss

 

IEFTA Connect Award        

Mentorship by IEFTA

Baptism of Silence (South Africa) – Director: Kanya Viljoen

 

DFM Talents Durban Award          

Participation in DFM 2025 programme

The Space Maasai (Tanzania) – Director: Priscilla Marealle

 

DFM thanks all attendees for their support and dedication to African cinema, travelling from near and far to be part of this event. We now eagerly anticipate the 16th edition of the Durban FilmMart and look forward to welcoming you back next year.

The DFM 2024 Programme is available on the DFMI website for one month.

The Durban FilmMart Institute, which organises DFM 2024, receives its primary funding from the Durban Film Office and the eThekwini Municipality.

The success of the event is made possible through the generous support of various organisations and entities - Ford Foundation, Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, Netflix, NEFTI, KwaZulu-Natal Tourism and Film Authority, National Film and Video Foundation, CNC, French Institute in South Africa, Industrial Development Corporation, KZN Convention Bureau, Afreximbank,  International Emerging Film Talent Association,  Gauteng Film Commission, Film and Publications Board, Eastern Cape Development Corporation, Namibian Film Commission, Panavision, Palestine Film Institute, Wesgro, Canal Plus, Sunshine Cinema, Pure n Black Entertainment, Wits School of Arts, Kenya Grips and Sparks, Alliance Française Durban, and DENTAL.

Our programme partners include the Durban International Film Festival,  African Real Collective, Animation SA, Berlinale Talents,  Climate Story Lab ZA, Cinemart, Dante Languages, Digital Lab Africa, Doc Society – Climate Story Unit, Documentary Filmmakers Association, Encounters South Africa International Film Festival, European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs, Fak’ugesi, FIPRESCI, GIPA, Hot Docs-Blue Ice Docs Fund, Independent Black Filmmakers Collective, Independent Producers Organisation, Produire au Sud, South African Guild of Actors, STEPS, SWIFT, and Writers Guild of South Africa

DFMI’s year-round programme is supported by the DW Akademie and BMZ.

About the Durban FilmMart Institute:

Durban FilmMart Institute is the business hub of the African film industry, where film professionals and content are globally competitive and celebrated. The institute's mission is to provide appropriate and effective programmes and services to promote, support, and facilitate investment in the African film industry.