Durban FilmMart Institute unveils 2025 Talents line-up

The Durban FilmMart Institute has unveiled the 2025 line-up for Talents Durban – an influential talent development platform presented in partnership with Berlinale Talents.

Now in its 18th edition, Talents Durban continues to spotlight the next generation of storytellers and visionaries from across the continent.

This year’s cohort features 31 projects including five critics from 16 African countries, selected from over 500 submissions. These emerging talents will gather in Durban from Friday July 18 to Monday July 21 for an intensive industry programme as part of the 16th Durban FilmMart.

Berlinale Talents is a networking platform organised by the Berlin International Film Festival, offering a space for emerging filmmakers to connect, learn, and collaborate. Talents Durban serves as its African counterpart, providing a similar platform specifically tailored to the continent’s unique filmmaking landscape.

“The calibre and diversity of applications this year reflect the growing vibrancy of African storytelling,” said DFMI Director, Magdalene Reddy. 

“This year’s cohort demonstrates remarkable innovation in form and content, with projects that naturally embody our theme of building bridges. Throughout the intensive four-day in person programme and the two-month online programme, these emerging talents will not only develop their technical skills but also forge lasting connections with industry professionals and fellow creators from across the continent. These connections will sustain African cinema’s growth for years to come.”

This edition of Talents Durban is distinguished by its inclusion of participants from 16 African countries, who collectively reflect the continent’s diversity of emerging film professionals, said Ms Reddy. The selection process was highly competitive, with over 500 applications resulting in the choice of 26 distinctive projects and five film critics, each bringing a fresh perspective to features, documentaries, shorts, series, animation, and film criticism, Ms Reddy added.

“Selected Talents will participate in a series of project-oriented, hands-on skills development programmes. These include sessions such as Story Junction, where participants present their projects to producers and financiers, alongside masterclasses and one-on-one mentorship opportunities,” Ms Reddy said.

Domoina Ratsara, Francis Brown, Joel Karekezi, Karabo Lediga, Laza Razanajatovo, Mamounata Nikiemai, Mayye Zayed, Mmabatho Kau, Rumbi Katedzai and Tarek Mohamed will serve as mentors for the 2025 edition. They will provide guidance and share their expertise with the participants.

The line-up of artists will include: 

Fiction features:

The Most High by Samuel Kizito (Uganda)

Menelik III by Hassan Zaroug (Rwanda/Sudan)

No Man’s Land by Sean Mongie (South Africa)

Nuusiku by Laudika Hamutenya (Namibia)

The Prophecy by Rehanna Ngom (Senegal)

Let This Day End by Karim Berrhouma (Tunisia)

Documentary features:

Designing Divide by Jessie Ayles (South Africa)

Green Island Girls by Rogena Tarek (Egypt)

One Man’s Dream by Chisomo Kawaga (Malawi)

Mwiba (A Thorn) by Gwantwa Mwakalinga (Tanzania)

Ghana Must Go! by Joewackle Kusi (Ghana)

Kumfoga by Dissirama Bessoga (Togo)

Shorts

The Soil’s Silent Smell by Melkamu Haile (Ethiopia)

My chicken (Huku Yangu) by Dereck Nziyakwi (Zimbabwe)

Based on Future Events: Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me? by Bassma Farah Nancy (Egypt)

Delivery Man by Ani Eliam (Cote d’Ivoire)

Butterflies by Aghogho; Tega; Onobrakpeya (Nigeria)

Trucker Man by Shiefaa Hendricks (South Africa)

Series

Mad Bounty and The Midnight Gun by Talemwa Pius (Uganda)

Guess what? by Hayat Aljowaily (Egypt)

Watching Over You by Stephen Nagel (South Africa)

Survivors of Tromelin by Raissa Loussouf (Madagascar)

The project manager of Berlinale Talents, Nikola Joetze, highlighted their anticipation and said they looking forward to the event.

“We are deeply impressed by the strong, emerging cinematic voices from the African continent. So, it goes without saying, that we are extremely proud to have the Durban FilmMart as our amazing partner with Talents Durban providing this rich and powerful springboard for pan-African filmmakers to further strengthen their careers, build important networks, and join and enrich the international community of Berlinale Talents. Congratulations to the selected Talents, and thank you to the entire Talents Durban team, including the amazing mentors. We cannot wait to see these projects thrive, appear on screen one day, and hear the thoughts and reflections of the selected film critics,” said Ms Joetze.

Early Bird registration for participation is now open until Saturday May 31.

For more information and to register, visit https://durbanfilmmart.co.za/