The sixteenth Durban FilmMart wrapped on 21 July with the 2025 DFM Awards, bringing collectively 1,364 movie professionals from 63 international locations underneath the theme “Bridges Not Borders: Tales That Unite.”
This yr’s winners had been introduced throughout a number of classes, celebrating excellent tasks in improvement and recognising the following era of African filmmaking expertise.
“We’re delighted to have hosted such a dynamic array of filmmakers from throughout the African continent. They entrusted us with their tasks and concepts, and generously shared their time, experience, and keenness by means of enriching conversations, creating a really African occasion,” says Magdalene Reddy, director of the Durban FilmMart Institute (DFMI).
“The expertise showcased on this yr’s programme and movie tasks exemplifies the power of African cinema. The recollections made, networks expanded, and partnerships cast have considerably contributed to DFM’s enduring legacy and influence. We prolong our gratitude to our companions for his or her help in celebrating and elevating African storytellers, producers, and content material creators.”
The occasion ended on a excessive with the presentation of 39 awards from 34 companions to the full of over R1,5m.
For money awards:
Greatest fiction – Grant of R100,000
The Second Coming (South Africa)
Producer: Siyabonga Xaba
Director: Michael James
Greatest non-fiction – Grant of R100,000
The Salt of the South (Tunisia)
Producer: Ramzi Laâmouri
Director: Rami Jarboui
Greatest animation – Grant of R100,000
Crocodile Dance (South Africa, Nigeria)
Producer: Ingrid de Beer
Administrators: Shofela Coker, Nadia Darries
Purple Sea Movie Fund Award of $5,000
Golden (Zimbabwe)
Producers: Rumbi Katedza, Ingrid Martens
Director: Rumbi Katedza
Purple Sea Movie Fund Award of $5,000
The Second Coming (South Africa)
Producer: Siyabonga Xaba
Director: Michael James
Purple Sea Movie Fund Award of $5,000
Climbing the Mountains (Algeria)
Producers: Kenji Accard, Sabrina Chebbi
Co-producer: Oualid Baha
Director: Sabrina Chebbi
Al Jazeera Co-production Award of $10,000
Climbing the Mountains (Algeria)
Producers: Kenji Accard, Sabrina Chebbi
Co-producer: Oualid Baha
Director: Sabrina Chebbi
Local weather Story Labs Award of $10,000
The award is on behalf of Local weather Story Labs Africa and Doc Society, in collaboration with UMI Fund.
Plastic Atlantis (Cape Verde)
Producer: Pedro Soulé
Director: Samira Vera-Cruz
Inkaba Award (Stained Glass TV) Award of $5,000 and consulting time
Inkaba, that means “navel” or “origin,” speaks to the place tales are birthed — a becoming image for daring new work in search of financing and co-production help.
The Second Coming (South Africa)
Producer: Siyabonga Xaba
Director: Michael James
CANAL+ Growth Grant of €5,000 with a improvement contract
Golden (Zimbabwe)
Producers: Rumbi Katedza, Ingrid Martens
Director: Rumbi Katedza
TRT Award of $5,000
The Guardian (Libya, Algeria, Canada)
Producer: Lynda Belkhiria
Director: Muhannad Lamin
MTN Group Digital Award of R100,000
Nomvula (She Who Brings the Rain) (South Africa)
Producer: Kethiwe Ngcobo
Director: Sibusiso Khuzwayo
Sundance Institute Documentary Fund New Voices Award of $5,000 grant
Plastic Atlantis (Cape Verde)
Producer: Pedro Soulé
Director: Samira Vera-Cruz
The Whickers Bursary Award of £3,000 for a first-time characteristic documentary director
Vuka (South Africa)
Producer: Rehad Desai
Director: Matthew Robinson
OIF-ACP-EU Award of €2.500
Plastic Atlantis (Cape Verde)
Producer: Pedro Soulé
Director: Samira Vera-Cruz
Sizzling Docs-Blue Ice Docs Award of two,000 CAD
Climbing the Mountains (Algeria)
Producers: Kenji Accard, Sabrina Chebbi
Co-producer: Oualid Baha
Director: Sabrina Chebbi
Wrapped Abilities Durban Prize of R10,000 money prize; One-year Premium Subscription to Wrapped; and Featured highlight on Wrapped
TRUCKER MAN (South Africa)
Director: Shiefaa Hendricks
Class – Market/Occasion Participation Award:
DFM Abilities Durban Award
Flights and lodging to take part in DFM Pitch and Finance Discussion board 2026
DESIGNING DIVIDE (South Africa)
Director: Jessie Ayles
Sørfond Award
Flights and lodging to take part Participation within the Sørfond Pitch 2025
Baptism of Silence (South Africa)
Producer: Casey Diepeveen
Administrators: Kanya Viljoen, Emilie Badenhorst
El Gouna Movie Pageant Award
Flights and lodging to take part in CineGouna 2025
Samaa Gafa (Dry Sky) (Sudan)
Producer: Aya Tallah Yusuf
Director: Ibrahim Omar
The FIDADOC Award
Flights and lodging to take part in FIDADOC Pan African Writing Residency 2026
KUMFOGA (Togo)
Dissirama Bessoga
Rotterdam Lab Award
Accreditation and lodging to take part within the Rotterdam Lab 2026
House Maasai (Tanzania)
Producer: Wilson Nkya
Director: Priscilla Marealle
Animation Manufacturing Days (APD) Award
Accreditation and lodging to take part in Animation Manufacturing Days 2026
Tribe (South Africa)
Producer: Debbie Crosscup
Director: Tendayi Nyeke
Visions du Reel Award
Accreditation and lodging to take part within the Visions du Reel Market 2026 (presentation within the Market Pitching/Roundtables / One-on-One Conferences)
Akal (Morocco)
Producer: Karim Debbagh
Director: Basma Rkioui
Sheffield Doc Fest Award
Accreditation and lodging to take part in Sheffield Doc Fest 2026
Plastic Atlantis (Cape Verde)
Producer: Pedro Soulé
Director: Samira Vera-Cruz
The DOK Leipzig Award
Accreditation and lodging to take part in DOK Leipzig 2025
Akal (Morocco)
Producer: Karim Debbagh
Director: Basma Rkioui
DOK.fest München Award
Accreditation and lodging to take part within the DOK.discussion board Market 2026 (DOK Co-Professional Market or in DOK Preview Coaching)
Golden (Zimbabwe)
Producers: Rumbi Katedza, Ingrid Martens
Director: Rumbi Katedza
Class – Mentorship, Distribution and Membership:
MAD Options Award
Gross sales and Distribution of 1 undertaking within the Arab world. The award was offered to a undertaking from the Palestine Movie Institute Highlight, offered at DFM 2025
Ping Pong (Palestine)
Producer: Might Jabareen
Director: Saleh Saadi
Doc A Award
Session, coaching and granting of the influence marketing campaign
Plastic Atlantis (Cape Verde)
Producer: Pedro Soulé
Director: Samira Vera-Cruz
EURODOC Award
Tuition and residential charges for one session in Euro Doc 2026 and 12 months-long membership
The Salt of the South (Tunisia)
Producer: Ramzi Laâmouri
Director: Rami Jarboui
Fak’ugesi Residency Award
Participation within the Residency Programme
Kamaroza (Egypt)
Producer: Nouran Abdallah
Administrators: Ahmad Abdelhameed, Islam Mazhar
Studio: Samaka
TFL Subsequent IEFTA Award (supported by IEFTA)
Invitation to Movie on-line workshop in 2025
Nomvula (She Who Brings the Rain) (South Africa)
Producer: Kethiwe Ngcobo
Director: Sibusiso Khuzwayo
Ladies Make Motion pictures Award
Greatest Pitch by a Ladies Filmmaker.
Acceptance into the Manufacturing Help Program, which incorporates the next further advantages: Fiscal sponsorship, permitting filmmakers to boost grants within the U.S.
Individualised fundraising, distribution, and ongoing undertaking consultations, together with suggestions on tough cuts. A undertaking web page on WMM’s web site to facilitate on-line donations. Entry to WMM’s catalogue of greater than 700 movies. Social media help for crowdfunding campaigns, screenings, and occasions. Promotion of the finished movie. One yr of free WMM webinar on the enterprise facet of the enterprise and case research. Scheduled use of WMM’s NYC workplace, together with the convention room for conferences or rough-cut screenings.
Plastic Atlantis (Cape Verde)
Producer: Pedro Soulé
Director: Samira Vera-Cruz
Impronta Movies Consultancy Award
Consultancy Award providing as much as 4 classes over a 12 month interval, for 2 documentary tasks in improvement
Planet Carnival (South Africa)
Producers: Thandi Davids
Co-producer: Luana Rocha
Director: Kurt Orderson
Vuka (South Africa)
Producer: Rehad Desai
Director: Matthew Robinson
Triggerfish Mentorship Award
6-month mentorship of one-on-one classes masking all of the elements of improvement, manufacturing and enterprise/advertising and marketing for his or her undertaking
Aisha Qandicha (Morocco)
Producer: Alyssa Harden
Director: Fatima Mahdar
Isiziba Award (Stained Glass TV)
40 hours of government improvement and consultancy for a Abilities Durban Story Junction participant.
Isiziba, that means “a nonetheless and sacred water supply,” displays the quiet depth and potential of rising expertise — these nonetheless waters that run deep.
Watching over you (South Africa)
Director Stephen Nagel
Expertise Press Award Supported by FIPRESCI
1 12 months Membership to FIPRESCI
Alice Johnson (Ghana)
Wrapped Expertise Press Prize
Press and publicity help
Tshi Malatji (South Africa)
