The Durban FilmMart Institute (DFM) has released its industry program for the 2026 edition, scheduled to take place in Durban from October 9 to 12. This four-day event is designed to gather filmmakers and various industry participants to discuss the trajectory of African cinema.
Key themes on the agenda include film financing, co-productions, advocacy, artificial intelligence, and emerging formats like vertical drama. The program will also incorporate specific tracks dedicated to Animation and Impact, alongside sessions organized in partnership with other entities.
Magdalene Reddy, Director of the Durban FilmMart Institute, stated that the program mirrors the current state of the African film industry—characterized by expanding viewership, increasing co-production avenues, and the arrival of new forms of capital. However, she noted that the event also prompts serious consideration regarding advocacy, technology, and who ultimately influences the sector's future.
Переосмысление финансирования и сотрудничества в киноиндустрии
Within the segments addressing the business aspects of filmmaking, there will be discussions such as 'Talking Cents | Where’s The Change: Co-production Beyond Financial Collaboration.' This session intends to unite filmmakers and organizations to analyze collaborative methods rooted in mutual accountability and interdependence.
Another topic, 'Talking Cents | More Than Making Cents: A New View on Financing Film,' will investigate unconventional methods for funding movies, including cooperative structures that could grant greater creative autonomy, narrative independence, and retention of intellectual property rights.
Furthermore, the program addresses the necessity of advocacy in safeguarding and bolstering African film industries. The panel titled 'Who Is Fighting Our Corner? Film Advocacy and Lobbying on the African Continent' will convene representatives from guilds, professional associations, filmmaker collectives, and civil society groups to review the practical application, successes, and failures of advocacy efforts, as well as the role of the audience in this process.
От DFM до Каннского кинофестиваля
A case study within the program will showcase the international career path of DFM alumnus Samantha Biffot and Ben’Imana, focusing on the Rwandan-Gabonese drama 'Ben’Imana' by Marie Clémentine Dusabejambo. In the session 'From the DFM to the Croisette: Samantha Biffot on Producing “Ben’Imana”,' Biffot will detail the film's progression from an initial work-in-progress at DFM to its debut in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival.
The film subsequently secured both the FIPRESCI Prize and the Caméra d’Or. Biffot plans to elaborate on the complexities of financing and structuring an international co-production involving Rwanda, Gabon, France, Norway, and Ivory Coast, alongside the process of transforming a narrative concerning memory and post-genocide survival into a globally accessible production.
Искусственный интеллект, анимация и будущее кинематографа
Artificial intelligence will also hold a significant place in the schedule. The 'AI and Animation' session will delve into the implications of this technology for animated filmmaking, exploring both the potential benefits and inherent risks, as well as its prospective long-term effect on Africa's evolving animation sector.
Animation will receive additional focus during CTIAF's Animation Day, which is dedicated to the business strategies required to establish a sustainable animation industry.
Может ли вертикальный драматический жанр стать следующим крупным форматом Африки?
The emergence of vertical drama is another subject slated for examination. The session 'Short Form, Big Impact: The Rise of Vertical Dramas' will analyze the swift expansion of mobile-first storytelling and the novel revenue streams opening up for content creators.
This discussion will assess the format's increasing visibility across the African continent and debate whether vertical drama could evolve into a viable new avenue for both commerce and content creation.
Выход за рамки традиционных партнерств
The Co-production Focus segment of the program will explore what constitutes a meaningful partnership, featuring 'Fruits of Labour: Service as a Form of Coproduction,' which raises the question of whether service companies based in South Africa should be recognized as true creative collaborators.
'South Africa as Coproducing Partner' will scrutinize the administrative hurdles currently affecting the nation's treaty network, while 'Brazil-Africa: Building Bridges Through Coproduction' will investigate possibilities for South-South collaborations.
Additionally, the 'The Power of Programming' track will address the pressures confronting the global festival circuit, the necessary infrastructure gaps within the sector, and issues of exclusion from established systems. Two private think tanks concentrating on audience design and distribution will present practical strategies for connecting with African audiences on their own terms.
Программа, охватывающая африканский киносектор
Other specialized tracks include 'Doc Day: Impact Edition,' hosted by Doc Society and its associates, which will treat impact producing as a distinct discipline alongside directing and financing. NEWF's 'Beyond the Wild' sessions will explore nature-based storytelling through lenses of spirituality, ownership, and authorship.
International collaborations are also planned, including participation from the Canadian delegation and a panel marking the 25th anniversary of the Cross Continental Forum. Collectively, the program seeks to foster dialogue concerning the relationships that are molding the future of African film, covering everything from capital and audiences to international allies and the continent's indigenous creative industries.
