By Abdi Ali
Published November 7, 2023
Animators with projects in development from across Africa are invited to apply for the opportunity to participate the 15th annual Pitch and Finance Forum at Durban FilmMart (DFM) in Durban, South Africa.
Durban FilmMart Institute (DFMI), the organisers of DFM that is scheduled for July 19 – 22, 2024, say the Pitch and Finance Forum is open to both series and feature length projects and that at least one of the three key artists(Producer, Writer, Director) should be from Africa or the African Diaspora with an African passport.
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DFMI says it shall select eight projects to be presented to a panel of international decision-makers consisting of potential co-producers, broadcasters, film funds and distributors at what DFM that is billed as Africa’s premier film finance and co-production market.
“Successful project participants will be invited to participate in a comprehensive mentorship programme to prepare them for their live pitch and meetings at DFM 2024. The online mentorship programme will include a series of masterclasses with leading global industry experts over a 2-month period in January and February 2024. To present their project at the 15th DFM one representative from the project will be provided with travel and accommodation to attend the live Pitch and Finance Forum in July 2024 (travel support is only provided for travel within Africa),” DFMI says.
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“Over the past few years, we have seen exponential growth in the animation sector. We are pleased that the inclusion of animation in the annual market has strengthened the ecosystem by providing the much-needed visibility for creative talent, facilitating key connections to local and international decision makers and enhancing the development that is assisting animators to compete in a global market. We believe that working with local and continental partners offers a holistic support structure to the already important work done in Africa,” says Magdalene Reddy, Director of DFMI.
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Application criteria:
- The programme is open to African animators with an active feature length or episodic animation project in development
- The programme is open to both fiction and documentary animation projects
- 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 programme and be present in Durban for the duration of the 15th DFM.
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Applications can be made through the DFMI’s website.
The deadline for application is December 1, 2023.
