Durban FilmMart Awards 2026 Recognise African Film Projects

Film Projects Receive More Than R2 Million in Support

The 17th Durban FilmMart (DFM) concluded in Durban on 12 October, with 39 awards recognising film projects and filmmakers from across Africa and beyond.

Held from 9 to 12 October under the theme Shifting Worlds: Turning Towards Ourselves, the 2026 event brought together 1,131 film professionals and filmmakers from 56 countries.

The awards, presented by 30 partners, carried a combined value of more than R2 million, offering selected projects financial support, industry opportunities, mentorship and access to international film markets.

Funding and Opportunities for African Filmmakers

Among the cash awards, the Ford Foundation’s JustFilms Documentary Award of US$10,000 went to The Thread and the Wall from Algeria, produced and directed by Mouni Bouallam. Palestine’s On the Sea Road, directed by Fitnat Waked with the participation of Nour Obaid, received the Al Jazeera Co-production Award worth US$10,000.

South Africa’s National Film and Video Foundation awarded R100,000 grants in three categories. The Boy Who Spoke Static from Nigeria won Best Fiction, The Ones With the Tempered Flowers from Kenya won Best Non-fiction, and Ethiopia’s Sunday Morning won Best Animation.

Other recipients included Libya’s The Birth of Derna, which received the Climate Story Labs Award, and Sudan’s Where Do I Belong?, which secured support from Docubox and the Sundance Institute Documentary Fund.

Building International Industry Connections

Beyond direct funding, several awards provide flights, accommodation, accreditation, development programmes and access to international festivals and markets in 2026 and 2027.

These opportunities can help filmmakers develop projects, establish partnerships and bring African stories to wider audiences. However, the longer-term impact will depend on how successfully the selected projects progress towards production, distribution and release.

The Durban FilmMart Institute said this year’s programme encouraged discussions around alternative funding, co-production and partnerships.

The event was held in association with MultiChoice, with principal funding from the National Lotteries Commission and the National Film and Video Foundation, alongside support from other industry partners.

With more than R2 million in awards and opportunities on offer, the question now is how many of these projects will translate industry recognition into completed films that reach audiences at home and internationally.

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