Africa News
FilmMart showcases 8 African animations
Work from Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and Tunisia has been selected by the Durban FilmMart Institute.
The Durban FilmMart Institute (DFMI) has selected eight animation projects from across Africa for this year’s Durban FilmMart.
The work includes one entry each from Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, and Tunisia, and four from South Africa.
“Animation has been noted by Forbes Magazine as one of the fastest growing sectors in the creative industry across Africa over the past few years”, says Magdalene Reddy, DFMI director. “Against this backdrop, the annual Durban FilmMart (DFM) will for the second year include animation projects in development in its Pitch and Finance Forum.
“Positioned as the premier film market in Africa, the DFM is perfectly placed to provide a platform for animation content creators to meet potential collaborators and financiers, thereby contributing to the continuing growth of animation on the continent.”
The DFM animation project teams from across the continent are currently preparing their pitches for DFM 2023, which will take place from 21 to 24 July 2023 as an in-person event in Durban, South Africa.
They are:
● Azania Rises: Season 1 (South Africa), producers: Dr. Farayi Chinyanga and Fatuma Abdullah and director: Farisai Kavayi
● Boy Boi (Kenya), producers: Shadrack Munene & J. Njogu Macharia and director J. Njogu Macharia
● Between heaven and earth (Entre ciel et terre) (Tunisia), producer, Sarra Ben Hassen and director, Nadia Rais
● my BIG name (South Africa), producers: Busisiwe Ntintili, Mpumi Sinxoto & Amanda Zungu and director: Lebogang Sekwelenkwe
● Naledi (South Africa), producer: Lesego Vorster, co producers: Valentin Maupin and Aristote Douroudakis and director:Lola Aikins
● Spiky to the Core (زين) (Egypt), producer and director: Nermeen Salem
● Sola (South Africa), producers AJ Pitre, Thandiwe Mlauli and director: Thandiwe Mlauli
● The Passport of Mallam Ilia (Nigeria), producer: Ferdinand Adimefe and director: Chekwube Okonkwo
Each team has been assigned an individual mentor, who will give them the tools to pitch and the confidence to navigate the market, which includes one on one meetings with decision-makers from across the world. Ech team has access to an 8 week masterclass series,presented by DFMI, which began in mid-January.
The masterclass series is specifically structured to upskill and prepare filmmakers for the international marketplace and will be presented by Beth Parker, Terence Maluleke, Aseye Tamakloe and Mounia Aram. The series covers creative elements such as story development, character development and visual representation as well as business elements such as distribution and finance planning.
At the end of the 8-week masterclass series, selected project teams will be invited to participate in the Road to Annecy Animation Incubation Programme presented by DFMI’s animation partners, Digital Lab Africa (DLA), the Tshimologong Precinct and the Cape Town International Animation Film Festival (CTIAF).
The eight animation projects in development will be presented to a panel of international decision-makers consisting of potential co-producers, broadcasters, film funds, and distributors at the 14th Durban FilmMart Pitch and Finance Forum.
The Durban FilmMart Institute receives principal funding from the Durban Film Office and the eThekwini Municipality.
The Durban FilmMart animation programme is supported by the Cultural and Creative Industries project of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and in cooperation with the Goethe-Institut. It improves employment and income opportunities for creative professionals in Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Kenya, Senegal, and South Africa and operates mainly in the music, fashion, design and animation sectors.
