The Durban FilmMart Institute (DFMI) has opened the call for animation projects to pitch at the 16th annual DFM Pitch and Finance Forum.
The DFMI will select approximately 8 official animation projects in development to present to a panel of film professionals consisting of potential co-producers, broadcasters, film funds, and distributors at Africa’s annual premier film finance and co-production market.
Applications can be made through the Durban FilmMart Institute website. The deadline for applications is Sunday, 27th October. The call for live-action projects will open shortly. To keep up to date on call-outs filmmakers are encouraged to sign up for the DFMI newsletter on the website
Animators with projects in development from across are invited to apply. The Forum is open to both series and feature-length projects and at least one of the 3 key creatives; producer, writer, and director, should be from Africa or African in the Diaspora, with an African passport.
Successful project participants will be invited to participate in a comprehensive mentorship program to prepare them for their live pitch and meetings at DFM 2025. The online mentorship program will include a series of masterclasses with leading global industry experts in January and February 2025. To present their project at the 16th DFM one representative from the project will be provided with travel and accommodation to attend the live Pitch and Finance Forum in July 2025.
Application criteria
● The program is open to African animators with an active feature-length or episodic animation project in development.
● The program is open to both fiction and documentary animation projects.
● At least one of the 3 key creatives; Producer, Writer, and Director, must be from Africa.
● Project applications must be completed in English, however the language of the project itself is up to the imagination of the animator.
● At least one representative must be available to participate in the online masterclass and mentorship program and be present in Durban for the duration of the 16th Durban FilmMart.
Commenting on the forum, Magdalene Reddy, Director of the Durban FilmMart Institute said, “Over the past 3 years the Durban FilmMart has not only seen an increase in the number of applications received from animators across the continent and the quality of projects has improved greatly. The animation industry in Africa is flourishing and the DFMI is proud to be contributing to this growth.”