The Durban FilmMart Institute has announced the selected 2020 Finance Forum Projects for the 11th Durban FilmMart Virtual Edition which takes place from 4 to 13 September.
A total of 230 documentary and feature fiction projects were submitted for this year’s edition, and after a rigorous adjudication process with a panel of film experts, 31 projects were selected for the finance forum.
The projects, which have, as a proviso, at least one African director or producer involved, came from 13 countries including South Africa, Egypt, Tunisia, Cape Verde, Kenya, Mali, Mozambique, Democratic Republic of Congo, Morocco, Ethiopia, Sudan, Chad, and Zimbabwe.
“By going virtual this year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we were able to seize the opportunity to extend the call for submissions, as well as include a further 11 projects into the usual pool of 20 to pitch,” says Toni Monty, Head of the DFM. “What is exciting is how the projects echo our theme of Brave New Cinema, as stories presented relevant Afrocentric themes across a variety of genres. It is evident that the content possibilities, within the continent, are growing, and the quality of projects presented is maturing, which makes for an exciting dynamic for African filmmaking.
The selected projects, 16 documentaries and 15 fiction features, will have the opportunity to present a pre-recorded pitch to a panel for investors, agents, distributors, content editors, broadcasters, and programmers for possible further development.
DFM 2020 PROJECT SELECTION
DOCUMENTARY SELECTION
Abo Zabaal 1989, (Egypt) – Producer: Kesmat El Sayed, Director: Bassam Mortada
Beyond the Light Barrier (South Africa) – Producer: Uga L Carlini, Associate producers: Jacqui Teasdale-Pearson and Dumi Gumbi, Director: Uga L Carlini
Big Boys Don’t Cry, (Egypt) – Producer: Hala Lotfy, Co-producer: Philipp Mairice Raube, Director: Muhammad Mustapha
Des Espoirs (Hope), (Tunisia) – Producers: Erige Sehiri, Carine Ruszniewski, Clothilde Bunod, Director: Dhia Jerbi
E Quem Cozinha? (And Who Will Cook?), (Cape Verde) – Producer and Director: Samira Vera-Cruz
How to Build a Library, (Kenya) – Produced and Directed by Maia Lekow and Christopher King
Les Oublies (The Forgotten Ones), (Mali) – Producers: Abdoulsalam Hama, Julien Fiorentino, Director: Ousmane Samassekou
Man of God, (South Africa) – Producer: Jack Chiang, Director: Poppy Madela
The Ship and the Sea (O Navio e o Mar), (Mozambique) – Producer: Lara Sousa, Co-producer: Matheus Mello, Directors: Lara Sousa and Everlane Moraes
Our Bomb for Pan Africa, (South Africa) – Producer: Jean Meeran, Director: Eva Njoki Munyiri
Rising up at Night, (Democratic Republic of the Congo) – Producers: Dada Kahindo, Rosa Spaliviero, Director: Nelson Makengo
The House is Burning, (South Africa) – Producer: Natalie Geyser, Sara Gouveia, Director: Sara Gouveia
The Men Who Speak Gayle, (South Africa) – Producers: Georgie Paget, Thembisa Cochrane, Director: Andrew Brukman
The Wall of Death, (Morocco) – Producers: Merieme Addou, Alexis Taillant, Nadege Labe, Director: Amine Sabir
Twelve Pangas, (South Africa) – Producers: James Tayler, Xola Mteto , Director: Xola Mteto
What’s Eating my Mind, (Kenya) – Producer: Sam Soko, Director: Noella Luka
FICTION SELECTION
A Can Of Condensed Milk (Working Title), (South Africa) – Producer: Julie Laurenz, Director: Sara Blecher
Al Bahs An Manfaz L Khoroug Al Sayed Rambo (Seeking Haven For Mr Rambo), (Egypt) – Producer: Rasha Hosny, Director: Khaled Mansour
Al Mostamara (The Settlement), (Egypt) – Producers: Hala Lotfy, Etienne de Ricaud, Director: Mohamed Ibrahim
Ape Town, (South Africa) – Producer: Bridget Pickering, Director: Kurt Oderson, Screenwriter: Rea Human
Goodbye Julia (Sudan)- Producer: Amjad Abu Alala, Director: Mohamed Kordofani
Mehal Sefari (Median), (Ethiopia) – Producer: Tamara Dawit, Director: Abraham Gezahagne
Over The Republic, (South Africa) – Executive Producer: Ramadan Suleman, Director: Lamar Bonhomme
Searching For Lebo, (Kenya) – Producer: Matrid Nyagah, Director: Simon Mukali
Sola, (Chad) – Producer: Wilf Varvill, Arnaud Dommerc, Michael Henrichs, Director: Issa Serge Coelo
Stellar Collision, (South Africa) – Producer: Layla Swart, Director: Thishiwe Ziqubu
The Accident, (South Africa) – Producer: Khosi Dali, Director: Imran Hamdulay
The Weekend, (South Africa) – Producer: Akona Matyila, Director: Kenneth Gwele
Vlees Van My Vlees (Flesh from my Flesh), (South Africa) – Producers: Lucia Meyer-Marais, Jozua Malherbe, Director: Matthys Boshoff
Vrees (Fear), (South Africa) – Producer: Corne Van Rooyen, Director: Rene Van Rooyen
We All Fall Down, (Zimbabwe) – Producer and Director: Tapiwa Chipfupa
Besides the Finance Forum, the DFM will host several webinars with panel discussions, conversations, forums and hangouts for filmmakers with film industry experts, where they will be able to benchmark themselves, expand their professional knowledge, pitch projects and ideas in meetings and extend their network on a global level.
The 2020 DFM takes place on line from 4 to 13 September. Registration will open on 31 July on www.durbanfilmmart.com.