DFM2025 Award winners and DFM team

Source: DFM

DFM2025 award winners and Durban FilmMart team

Projects from South Africa, Cape Verde and Zimbabwe were among the big winners at the 16th edition of the Durban FilmMart (DFM), which wrapped this week.

This year’s market was attended by 1,364 filmmakers and industry professionals from 63 countries, and culminated in the presentation of 39 awards for projects focused on African storytelling—including development grants, co-production opportunities, festival invitations, and industry mentorships.

Cape Verde documentary project Plastic Atlantis, about the link between slavery and ocean pollution in Cape Verde, won six prizes including the Sundance Institute Documentary Fund New Voices Award, a Climate Story Labs award, plus prizes from OIF-ACP-EU, Sheffield Doc Fest, DOC-A and Women Make Movies. It is directed by Samira Vera-Cruz and produced by Pedro Soulé through Cape Verde-based Kriolscope (KS).

Zimbabwean feature documentary Golden won three prizes: a Red Sea Film Fund award, a Canal+ development grant, and the DOK.fest München award. The documentary traces Zimbabwe women’s national hockey team’s road to the 2025 Women’s FIH Hockey Junior World Cup - 45 years after the country’s only Olympic medal in a team sport. It is directed by Rumbi Katedza and produced by Rumbi Katedza and Ingrid Martens through Mai Jai Films.

South African dark comedy project The Second Coming, about a man convinced he is the Messiah, won three prizes including a Red Sea Film Fund award, a National Film and Video Foundation of South Africa (NFVF) best fiction grant, and the Inkaba Award. The Second Coming is directed by Durban-based Michael James and produced by Siyabonga Xaba of Maverick Resistance.

“We are delighted to have hosted such a dynamic array of filmmakers from across the African continent. They entrusted us with their projects and ideas, and generously shared their time, expertise, and passion through enriching conversations, creating a truly African event,” said Magdalene Reddy, director of the Durban FilmMart Institute (DFMI).

DFM 2025, took place from 18 - 21 July in Durban.

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