The Documentary Filmmakers Association of South Africa (DFA) invites applications from filmmakers to attend IDFA 2018 as part of the DFA’s application to the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) Group Export Sector Specific Assistance Scheme (SSAS).
The International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam offers an independent and inspiring meeting place for audiences and professionals to see a diverse and high-quality program. The diverse nature of the event applies to the form and content of the films as well as to the cultural backgrounds of the filmmakers. IDFA offers an alternative to mass entertainment and uniformity, confirming that there is an increasing need in audiences for high-quality films that delve deep and urge us to reflect.
Since 2007, the festival’s New Media program IDFA DocLab showcases the best interactive non-fiction storytelling and explores how the digital revolution is reshaping documentary art. In addition to the festival, IDFA has developed several professional activities, contributing to the development of filmmakers and their films at all stages. At co-financing and co-production market IDFA Forum filmmakers and producers pitch their plans to financiers; at Docs for Sale new documentaries are on offer to programmers and distributors; the IDFA Bertha Fund supports filmmakers and documentary projects in developing countries; and the IDFAcademy offers an international training programs for up-and-coming doc talents.
The festival runs from the 14^th to the 25^th of November 2018.  However, the delegation will only attend for 7 days – to be announced.  Applicants must be available for the full period and must ensure that their application does not clash with other markets they have committed to or applied to. It is compulsory to attend a training session before the market and you must leave with the group on the specified date, NO EXCEPTIONS.
Criteria:
Closing date: 23 JUNE 2018, end of business day for electronic applications

• NO LATE APPLICATIONS will be accepted and no extension can be given
• All applicants must be DFA members (https://docfilmsa.com/join/)
• Membership fees are R350 per annum and proof of payment must be sent with your application. Please note that this also applies to candidates applying via the NFVF

Forms to submit:

• A non refundable application fee of R100– proof of payment to be included in the application
• Completed & signed DFA Application Form (click here to download)
• Duly completed & signed DTI SSAS Application Form (click here to download)
• Completed & signed Memorandum of Understanding (click here to download)
• Company profile – as per the headings on page 3 of the DTI SSAS Application form
• Company registration document or if a sole proprietor, a certified copy of ID
• Valid Tax Clearance Certificate and pin letter
• 2016/2017 signed Financial Statements or 3 months’ banks statements (the most recent 3 months), stamped by the bank
• Valid BEE certificate
• Copy of a valid passport
• Colour poster of your project or dvd (if you wish to supply a dvd, send the link at this time and if selected, you will have to courier this to JHB

Applications must be emailed to thea@docfilmsa.com
After the DFA board has approved the application, delegates need to pay a non refundable administration fee of R900 – send email proof of payment to thea@docfilmsa.com.
Please note that your application will not be considered if:

• you have not paid the application fee
• you have not submitted ALL the electronic documents
• you have not paid your DFA membership

Once your application has been approved by the DFA Board, you must courier or deliver original documents within the prescribed period (normally 7 days) to Johannesburg.  An address will be supplied, or you may opt to have your application printed at a cost of R50.
Your printed application is submitted to the DTI for final approval. Please note that the DFA cannot guarantee approval from the DTI.
 
Guidelines for submitting your project to the SSAS scheme
The evaluation committee is made up of five DFA Board members, none of whom have submitted a project for that event. Each of the committee members go through all of the materials in detail, and each of them awards the project a score which is influenced by:

• The quality of the story
  • The suitability of the story for an international market (rather than being better suited for local market)
  • Evidence of the filmmaker having access to the story
  • Originality or bringing a fresh angle to an important topic
  • Track record of the applicant in being able to complete and distribute documentaries
  • Quality of the visual materials submitted
  • Ability of the filmmaker to express the story with focus and clarityIn addition, a points system is implemented that partially weights the application according to:
  • alignment with race and gender equality targets
  • application completeness
  • previous market attendance under the SSAS scheme (to allow more people the opportunity to attend the markets)

 
These points are added up to arrive at a final score, which determines whether the applicant is accepted or not. For some of the accepted applicants, there will be recommendations of where time needs to be spent on one-on-one mentoring, refining visual materials, and attending a Market Readiness Workshop before the project is considered ready to attend the event. We also encourage any applicants to attend the Market Readiness Workshop, whether accepted or not, to help refine their projects, which will also be of benefit for future applications to the SSAS scheme.