{"id":24814,"date":"2026-05-14T20:25:22","date_gmt":"2026-05-14T18:25:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/?p=24814"},"modified":"2026-05-14T20:25:22","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T18:25:22","slug":"project-selection-announced-for-annual-dfm-pitch-and-finance-forum-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/blog\/2026\/05\/14\/project-selection-announced-for-annual-dfm-pitch-and-finance-forum-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Project Selection Announced for Annual DFM Pitch and Finance Forum 2026."},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>The Durban FilmMart Institute (DFMI) announces the project selection for the annual DFM Pitch and Finance Forum 2026.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thirty-six African film projects have been selected for the 17th Durban FilmMart Africa\u2019s leading film finance and co-production market that will now take place from 9 to 12 October, in Durban, South Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The market will present an array of projects, including 8 animation, 10 fiction features, 10 documentary features and 7 series projects in development at the Pitch and Finance Forum alongside a robust industry programme which will focus on current trends, innovations, and challenges faced by the industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Our stories are our voices; they represent our culture, our history, our joy, our pain and our victories.&nbsp; DFM is honoured to present a unique selection of African stories that will add to the successes that have gone before,&#8221; says Magdalene Reddy, DFMI director. &#8220;We look forward to following the journey of these projects for years to come, as we do with all our project alumni. The DFM provides an important platform, not only to showcase the creative work of filmmakers but also to support them in building a cross-continental community, creating networks and access<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The 36 selected projects will be given the opportunity to prepare for their participation at DFM with online one-on-one mentorship by leading industry experts to ensure that they are collaborator- and investor-ready when they get to Durban for the in-person pitch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The 8 animation projects will receive additional support from industry experts through participation in the Digital Lab Africa (DLA) programme presented by DFM partner, Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The 2026 DFM Official Projects:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Animated Series &#8211; Fiction<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Beast Seeker<br \/><\/strong>Producer: Danielle Retief<br \/>Director: Robyn Viljoen<br \/>South Africa<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>capoZOOeira<br \/><\/strong>Producers: Mary Waweru Wanjiku, Carlos Zerpa Bravo<br \/>Director: Orlymar Paredes<br \/>Kenya, Brazil<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Hadu: The Series<br \/><\/strong>Producer: Damilola Solesi<br \/>Director: Precious Anih<br \/>Nigeria<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>JUJU SOCCER<br \/><\/strong>Producers: Oge Obasi, Somto Ajuluchukwu<br \/>Director: C.J. Obasi<br \/>Nigeria<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Nerve<\/strong><br \/>Producer: Raffaella Delle Donne, coproducer: Renee Van Reenen<br \/>Director: Tshepo Moche<br \/>South Africa<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sunday Morning<br \/><\/strong>Producer: Nahom Abiy<br \/>Director: Minasie Terefe<br \/>Ethiopia<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><em>Animated Short &#8211; Fiction<\/em><\/strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>In Her Hands<br \/><\/strong>Producer: Gehad El Akhal<br \/>Director: Hagar Basiony<br \/>Egypt<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><em>Animated &#8211; Feature length fiction&nbsp;&nbsp; <\/em><\/strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>MIDNIGHT METRO<br \/><\/strong>Producer: Wako Sefara<br \/>Director: Lesego Vorster<br \/>South Africa<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><em>Fiction Features<\/em><\/strong><em><\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>A touch of Paradise<br \/><\/strong>Producer: Sarra Ben Hassen<br \/>Director: Houcem Slouli<br \/>Tunisia<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Arbaa Shuhuor wu Ashara Ayam (Four Months and Ten Days)<br \/><\/strong>Producer: Alsamoual Hussein<br \/>Director: Alyaa Musa<br \/>Sudan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Fairway to Freedom<br \/><\/strong>Producer: Tarina Patel<br \/>Director: Jahmil Qubeka<br \/>South Africa<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>HOLY COW<\/strong> (<em>selected at El Gouna 2025 through partnership<\/em>)<br \/>Producer and Director: Asmae el Moudir<br \/>Morocco<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>MIETA<\/strong><br \/>Producer: Neil Brandt<br \/>Director: Carla Fonseca Mokgata<br \/>South Africa<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>MOTHER THERESA<br \/><\/strong>Producer: Shema Faustin<br \/>Director: Mutiganda wa Nkunda<br \/>Rwanda<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Taht El Sama El Khadra&#8217; (Under Green Skies)<br \/><\/strong>Producer: Yara Goubran<br \/>Director: Jad Chahine<br \/>Egypt<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The Boy Who Spoke Static<br \/><\/strong>Producer: Mathew Cerf<br \/>Director: The Agbajowo Collective<br \/>Nigeria<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Vino Amargo (Bitter Wine)<br \/><\/strong>Producer: David Franciscus<br \/>Director: Pablo Pinedo B\u00f3veda<br \/>South Africa<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Waslap <\/strong>(<em>selected through DFM ACCESS<\/em>)<br \/>Producer and Director: Batandwa Alperstein<br \/>South Africa<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><em>Fiction Series<\/em><\/strong><em><\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>AGAIN<\/strong><br \/>Producer: Giresse Kassonga<br \/>Director: Erickey Bahati<br \/>Democratic Republic of the Congo<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Daddies<\/strong><br \/>Producer: Cati Weinek<br \/>Director: Sean Mongie<br \/>South Africa<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Fafi<\/strong><br \/>Producer and Director: Dominique Jossie<br \/>South Africa<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>FISI (HYENA)<br \/><\/strong>Producer: Mkamzee Mwatela<br \/>Director: Sanele Zulu<br \/>Kenya<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Smoke &amp; Mirrors<br \/><\/strong>Producer: Luke Rous<br \/>Director: Jozua Malherbe<br \/>South Africa<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The Coven<\/strong> (<em>selected through DFM ACCESS<\/em>)<br \/>Producer and Director: Sihle Mthembu<br \/>South Africa<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><em>Documentary Series<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Children of the Nile<br \/><\/strong>Producer and Director: Tina Obo<br \/>Uganda<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><em>Documentary Features<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Banat aljazira alkhadra&#8217; (GREEN ISLAND&#8217;S GIRLS)<br \/><\/strong>Producer: Amrosh Badr<br \/>Director: Rogena Tarek<br \/>Egypt<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>DESIGNING DIVIDE<\/strong> (selected at Talents Durban 2025)<br \/>Producer and Director: Jessie Ayles<br \/>South Africa<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Gwijo Nation<br \/><\/strong>Producer: Quinton Fredericks<br \/>Director: Sesihle Manzini<br \/>South Africa<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>LE FIL ET LE MUR (THE THREAD AND THE WALL)<br \/><\/strong>Producer and Director: Mouni Boullam<br \/>Algeria, France<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>MA NUIT DU DJOMELE (My Djomele Night)<br \/><\/strong>Producer: Hicham Falah<br \/>Director: Barkima Nafissatou Laguempedo<br \/>Burkina Faso<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Majuto si Mjukuu (Heirs of no Regret)<br \/><\/strong>Producer: Mumo Liku<br \/>Director: Saitabao Kaiyare<br \/>Kenya<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>MDANTSANE \u2013 HOME OF BOXING<\/strong> (selected through DFM ACCESS)<br \/>Producer and Director: Phumlani Veto<br \/>South Africa<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The Ones With The Tempered Flowers<br \/><\/strong>Producer: Ivy Kiru<br \/>Director: Neema Ngelime<br \/>Tanzania<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Urban Zulu: The Busi Mhlongo Story<br \/><\/strong>Producer: Struan Douglas, coproducer: Vusi Mchunu<br \/>Director: Rehad Desai|<br \/>South Africa<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Waiting for Evolution<br \/><\/strong>Producer and director: Karin Slater<br \/>South Africa<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>WHERE DO I BELONG?<br \/><\/strong>Producer: Talal Afifi<br \/>Director: Ibrahim \u201cSnoopy\u201d Ahmed<br \/>Sudan<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>More information on this year\u2019s theme can be found on the Durban FilmMart Institute\u2019s website, <a href=\"https:\/\/durbanfilmmart.co.za\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">durbanfilmmart.co.za<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Delegate registration and programme details will be announced in due course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The 17<sup>th<\/sup> edition Durban FilmMart is funded by the Durban Film Office, eThekwini Municipality, Ford Foundation, the National Film and Video Foundation and IEFTF.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About Durban FilmMart Institute<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Durban FilmMart Institute is the business hub of the African film industry in a world where African professionals and content are globally competitive and celebrated. The mission of the Durban FilmMart Institute is to provide appropriate and effective programmes and services to promote, support and facilitate investment in the African film industry.&nbsp; The Durban FilmMart Institute runs year-round developmental programmes and an annual market (Durban FilmMart). &nbsp;The DFMI is the custodian of Filmmart.Africa which is an online tool for filmmakers to connect and which we hope will enhance visibility for African content.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Durban FilmMart Institute (DFMI) announces the project selection for the annual DFM Pitch and Finance Forum 2026. Thirty-six African film projects have been selected for the 17th Durban FilmMart Africa\u2019s leading film finance and co-production market that will now take place from 9 to 12 October, in Durban, South Africa. The market will present&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/blog\/2026\/05\/14\/project-selection-announced-for-annual-dfm-pitch-and-finance-forum-2026\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Project Selection Announced for Annual DFM Pitch and Finance Forum 2026.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":24815,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[173],"class_list":["post-24814","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-festival","tag-dfm","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/DFM-2026-Project-Announcement.jpg?fit=600%2C750&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24814","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24814"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24814\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24816,"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24814\/revisions\/24816"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24815"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24814"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24814"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.samdb.co.za\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24814"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}