Film-makers in Namibia interested in participating in animated project development during the 15th annual Durban FilmMart Institute (DFMI) Pitch and Finance Forum are encouraged to apply to do so.
The deadline for applicatins is 1 December.
The project is set to take place in Durban, South Africa, in July next year.
The DFMI last week annonced it would select eight official animation projects in development to present to a panel of international decision-makers, consisting of potential co-producers, broadcasters, funders and distributors at Africa’s premier film finance and co-production market.
Animators with projects in development in Namibia and across the African continent are invited to apply.
According to the organisers, the forum is open to both series and feature-length projects, and to at least one of the three key creatives (producers, writers, and directors) from Africa or in the African diaspora.
Successful project participants will be invited to participate in a comprehensive mentorship programme to prepare them for live pitches and meetings at the DFMI in 2024.
The online mentorship programme will include a series of masterclasses with leading global industry experts over two months in January and February to present their projects at the 15th DFMI.
One representative of each project will be sponsored to attend the live pitch and finance forum in July.
Magdalene Reddy, the director of the Durban FilmMart Institute, says over the past few years, the institute has 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 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,” she says.
Reddy says the institute believes working with local and continental partners offers a holistic support structure for the already important work done in Africa.
“This edition of the programme will retain the successful collaboration between the Durban FilmMart Institute and Tshimologong’s Digital Lab Africa, with an extended online programme in March and April,” she says.
Joy Mawela, the head of the Digital Content Hub at Tshimologong Precinct in Johannesburg, says the hub is thrilled to extend its ‘Road to Annecy’ collaboration with the Durban FilmMart Institute.
“This marks the second year of our partnership, building on the success of last year’s initiative which supported selected animation talents by providing a platform for project pitches at the Cape Town International Animation Festival, Annecy/MIFA in France, and culminated in Durban for the DFMI Pitch and Finance Forum.
“From this forum, Digital Lab Africa selected a winner who will be part of the DLA 7 accelerator, officially launched at the Creation Africa Forum in Paris on 6 November,” says Mawela, adding that the collaboration with the DFMI continues to connect with talent and intermediaries from around the world, making it a truly invaluable partnership.
Those interested in applying can apply via the Durban FilmMart Institute website at https://durbanfilmmart.co.za/pitch-and-finance-forum-application.
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