The Durban FilmMart Institute (DFMI) has announced the 31 participants selected for the 19th edition of Talents Durban, scheduled to take place during the Durban FilmMart from October 9 to 12.
The final cohort includes 25 filmmakers and six film critics chosen from a record 551 applications across 17 African countries.
Operating as the African satellite programme of Berlinale Talents, the initiative provides mentorship, professional development, and international networking opportunities for emerging directors, animators, episodic content creators and critics.
Selected participants will take part in an intensive programme featuring project pitching sessions, masterclasses and one-on-one consultations with industry experts. This year’s mentorship panel includes notable industry professionals such as Akosua Adoma Owusu, Bongi Ndaba and Ramadan Suleman.
The 2026 edition introduces a Peer-to-Peer Digital Newsroom model to the Talent Press stream, simulating a live festival newsroom environment. Organised in collaboration with FIPRESCI, the stream will be led by alumni editors Wilfred Okiche and Domoina Ratsara. Media partnerships with the Encounters South African International Documentary Festival and the Durban International Film Festival will provide participants with publication platforms and practical reporting experience.
Additionally, a new partnership between the Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF), FIPRESCI and the DFMI will see one outstanding film critic from the cohort receive an award to attend and cover the upcoming Cairo festival for its English-language daily publication.
DFMI Director Magdalene Reddy stated that the institute remains committed to advancing African cinema through strategic collaborations that expand international access to professional networks and sustainable market opportunities.
“The Durban FilmMart Institute,” she said, “remains committed to advancing African cinema through strategic collaborations that expand international access to professional networks, markets, and sustainable industry opportunities. Talents Durban is central to this vision. Now in its 19th year of partnership with Berlinale Talents, this partnership helps to contribute meaningfully to the long-term growth and sustainability of the African film ecosystem.”
The broader Durban FilmMart event, now in its 17th edition, will operate under the theme “Shifting Worlds: Turning Towards Ourselves,” focusing on alternative film funding, distribution models and equitable co-production frameworks.
The event is funded by the Durban Film Office, eThekwini Municipality, the Ford Foundation, the National Film and Video Foundation and the IEFTF.
