Africa’s leading film industry event, the Durban FilmMart (DFM), will return for its 14th edition under the theme African Constellations from 21 – 24 July 2023 in Durban..The DFM welcomes attendees back to an in-person experience for its 4-day industry programme, marking a significant milestone in the wake of the digital shift, with content being made available online later within the DFM footprint.
Thematically, DFM 2023 will celebrate the champions of film industry initiatives, contemplating a vision for a future-forward African Star System for current and future professionals. Inspired by the constellations in the sky, DFM will highlight each film project as a world of its own. This seeks to reveal the unique filmic facets of our diverse and abundant continent.
“This year, DFM will blaze a trail for in-person networking and collaboration in the African film industry, bridging the gap between creativity and connectivity,” explains Magdalene Reddy, Director of the Durban FilmMart Institute (DFMI). “The extensive programme aims to reach and unite seasoned and emerging film professionals and the broader film community, which we believe will ignite the spark for new film concepts and great ideas to push the film industry into new dimensions of filmmaking.”
With African and African Diaspora interests as its centre, the 14th DFM industry programme will feature 20 live action and 8 animation projects in development in the Pitch and Finance Forum. The industry programme will present masterclasses, panel discussions and roundtables under the following streams – DFM Conversations and Masterclasses, Durban Does Docs, Animation@DFM, Talking Cents and SA in Focus.
The Durban FilmMart Institute’s values of inclusivity, diversity and accessibility are reflected in the various sessions offered, including those on Women in Film, Economically Marginalized Communities, Queer Representation, Africa in the Diaspora, Relationships Between the Global South and Global North, and South to South Partnerships. Full programme details will be announced in due course. Early Bird registration for physical participation is now open until the end of June.