Out Of Africa: South Africa’s Talents Durban Invites Submissions For 2026 Edition

Talents Durban 2026 Invites Rising Filmmakers, Animators, and Critics …

The Durban FilmMart Institute (DFMI) has announced the official Call for Submissions for the 19th edition of Talents Durban, set to take place in conjunction with the Durban FilmMart (DFM) in Durban, South Africa, from 24th to 27th July 2026.

As the official African satellite programme of Berlinale Talents, the Berlin International Film Festival’s talent development platform, Talents Durban is the continent’s premier platform for up-and-coming film professionals to network, learn, and collaborate. The programme offers an intensive, hybrid experience designed to foster creative development and industry connections. This comprehensive structure includes an eight-week online mentorship and a four-day in-person event, culminating at the 17th Durban FilmMart for sustained growth and collaboration.

Talents Durban is inviting applications from all emerging film professionals and critics from the African continent and diaspora who have completed a minimum of two professional projects (e.g., short films, features, documentaries, or published reviews). The programme covers several core disciplines, including Fiction Features, Documentary Features, Shorts, Series, Animation, and Film Criticism.

The selection process is highly competitive, and applicants are encouraged to ensure their submissions are polished and reflect exceptional potential. Last year’s edition saw over 500 applications, resulting in a highly curated cohort.

Selected Talents will participate in a series of project-oriented, hands-on skills development programmes, including masterclasses, one-on-one mentorship with established industry experts, and the crucial Story Junction sessions, where participants get to present their projects to producers and potential financiers. The experience is designed to turn promising concepts into screen realities.

“African storytelling is experiencing an unprecedented global surge, and Talents Durban is right at the heart of nurturing the next generation of industry leaders,” said DFMI Director, Magdalene Reddy. “We are actively seeking bold, innovative, and distinctive voices across all disciplines. Whether you are a filmmaker with a compelling project or an emerging critic ready to shape the narrative, this is your opportunity to join a vibrant pan-African community and take your career to the global stage. We encourage all eligible applicants to seize this opportunity and submit their work.”

Emerging filmmakers, animation directors, series creators, and film critics are invited to submit their applications online. You are eligible to apply for the 2026 cohort if:

• You have submitted a complete application, including a sample of past work and a project in development. 
• Please note that the application is based on individual submissions and team applications are not acceptable. You may apply as a screenwriter, director, animation director or film critic. 
• You must have obtained the written consent of the other copyright owners (if any) for the use of the work sample and project submitted. 
• You work in one of the following areas: screenwriting, directing, film criticism and animation. 
• You are an emerging film professional or student in the final year of your studies, or film school graduate, or have comparable work experience in the film and media industry. 
• You have worked on at least one short/feature film that has been screened at a recognized film festival, or you have worked on a TV drama series that has aired widely, or you have worked on a web or mobile drama series that has approximately 5,000 views, or (for the Talent Press programme) you have at least one-year experience as a film critic/reviewer/journalist/vlogger/podcaster. 
• You must be a citizen of an African or Caribbean country, residing in either the African or Caribbean.
• You must be at least 18 years of age by 1st July 2026.

Established in 2020, the Durban FilmMart Institute is a non-profit company that facilitates local and international trade and investment in African film content. Its mission is to provide appropriate and effective programmes and services in order to promote, support and facilitate investment in the African film industries, so that African film industry professionals and products are competitive and celebrated globally.

Full submission requirements and eligibility criteria for next year’s Talents Durban can be found on the Durban FilmMart Institute’s website. Submission window closes on 9th February 2026.