Early Bird registration for DFM 2025 is now open and runs through May 31.
The Durban FilmMart Institute (DFMI) has announced the official project selections for the Pitch and Finance Forum at the 2025 Durban FilmMart (DFM), set to take place from July 18 to 21 in Durban, South Africa. Now in its 16th edition, DFM continues to serve as Africa’s premier co-production and film finance market, operating this year under the unifying theme: Bridges Not Borders: Stories that Unite.
A total of 31 projects in development, drawn from 15 countries across the continent, have been selected to participate in the forum. These projects span animation, documentary, and fiction formats—offering an array of narratives that reflect Africa’s cultural diversity and cinematic innovation. Participating filmmakers will engage directly with international broadcasters, financiers, streamers, festival programmers and sales agents to secure support for advancing their projects from concept to screen.
Commenting on the selection of the projects, Magdalene Reddy, Director of the DFMI, said: “This year’s selection continues our proud tradition of championing authentic African narratives and voices from across the continent. The projects selected for DFM 2025 demonstrate exceptional storytelling that bridges cultures while remaining deeply rooted in their unique contexts. Given the remarkable success of our DFM alumni in recent years—with projects premiering at major international festivals and securing global distribution—I’m confident this cohort will follow a similar trajectory of recognition and impact. These stories not only connect different regions of Africa but also reach out to our diaspora and Global South communities, embodying our theme of building bridges through cinema.”
The animation category includes feature films such as Aisha Qandicha (Morocco), Crocodile Dance (South Africa/Nigeria), and Tribe (South Africa), alongside series like Mboudgui (Cameroon/France) and Nunu Rhu/The Girl With Wings (South Africa). Documentary features include Golden (Zimbabwe), Plastic Atlantis (Cape Verde), and Vuka (South Africa), with series such as Planet Carnival (South Africa) and Retour à Thiaroye (Tunisia) also featured. Fiction selections span titles like Nomvula (South Africa), Al Assas (Libya/Algeria/Canada),and Space Maasai (Tanzania), as well as new series including VigilAunties and The Second Coming from South Africa.
Beyond the Pitch and Finance Forum, DFM 2025 will offer a robust Industry Programme filled with masterclasses, panel discussions, and roundtables, further promoting collaboration and knowledge sharing across Africa’s creative sectors. The event’s overarching goal is to position cinema as a tool for connection rather than division—encouraging partnerships, shared resources, and new avenues for storytelling that resonate both regionally and globally.
