DFM 2023 CALL FOR PROJECTS IN DEVELOPMENT
The Durban FilmMart (DFMI) has opened the various call for live action projects in development for the 14th annual Durban FilmMart.
The annual Durban FilmMart is a Pan-African finance and co-production market designed to create partnerships and further the development and production of African cinema, the DFM was named in UNESCO’s 2021 Film Trends in Africa Report as ‘the continent’s best film market’. The next edition of the Durban FilmMart will return fully as an in person event in Durban, South Africa in July 2023.
“Over the last 13 years, projects pitched at DFM have attracted attention from both the local and international film industry, DFM Alumni projects continue to have success on both small and big screens,” says Magdalene Reddy, General Manager for the Durban FilmMart Institute. “We are committed to providing filmmakers with a platform which gives access and creates opportunity for growth.”
The DFMI invites filmmakers to submit for the four DFM programmes – DFM Finance and Pitch Forum (DFM Official Projects), JUMPSTART, Talents Durban and DFM ACCESS
- Pitch and Finance Forum (DFM Official Projects)
Fiction, documentary and series film projects with Africans in the major creative roles (writers, directors, and producers) seeking co-producers, financiers, sales agents, and funders are invited to submit their projects in development. A producer and director must be attached to the project. The DFMI independent adjudication committees will select ten documentaries and ten fiction film projects from the submissions. These projects will undergo a 6-8 week packaging and mentorship programme prior to the DFM, followed by a pitching session to a panel of decision makers from across the globe at the physical DFM with one-on-one meetings thereafter.
Shortlisted projects will be contacted via email in May 2023. For more about the project submission criteria, and how to submit your project, please visit https://durbanfilmmart.co.za/pitch-and-finance-forum-application/
Submissions close on Friday, 10 February 2023
- JUMPSTART
Jumpstart is a scriptwriting incubator programme presented by the Durban FilmMart Institute in partnership with Produire au Sud, Nantes, CNC and Institute Francais, South Africa Focussing on project packaging for the international market, filmmakers are introduced to key techniques and tools for scriptwriting and storytelling processes.
For more about the project submission criteria, and how to submit your project, please visit https://durbanfilmmart.co.za/jumpstart-application/
Submission close on Friday 31 March 2023
- Talents Durban
The DFMI in cooperation with Berlinale Talents, an initiative of the Berlin International Film Festival, invites participation in the 16th edition of Talents Durban.
Talents Durban is open to African screenwriters and directors with fiction, documentary, animation, and hybrid projects in development – this includes all media formats such as film, television series, web series, and content for mobile platforms.
Selected participants chosen by a panel of industry experts will participate in mentorship labs, workshops, discussions, and specialised programmes for specific disciplines including directing and scriptwriting.
The Talents Press component invites emerging film critics and journalists from digital and traditional media to apply for mentorship and hands-on training.
Prospective Talents must have a portfolio of previous work and a current project in progress.
For more about the submission criteria, and how to submit your application, please visit https://durbanfilmmart.co.za/talents-durban-application/ and https://www.berlinale-talents.de/bt/page/c/main
Deadline for submissions close on Friday, 17 March 2023
- DFM ACCESS
The DFM Access programme, supported by the National Film and Video Foundation PESP funding, is a 12-week mentorship programme for producers with a project in development and not participating in an international lab/ pitching programme or market before. The programme will focus on story development, coproduction, marketing and distribution strategies, finance planning and more. DFM Access ends in a pitching forum where 3 projects will be considered to participate in DFM 2023 as official DFM projects.
The programme is open to emerging South African filmmakers with an active project in development.
For more about the project submission criteria, and how to submit your project, please visit
https://durbanfilmmart.co.za/access-application/
Submission close on 19 January 2023
The Durban FilmMart 2023 is presented by the Durban FilmMart Institute with principal funding from the Durban Film Office and eThekwini Municipality.
