DURBAN FILMMART DATE EXTENDED

Date for project submissions for inaugural project extended to March 29.

Plans for Durban’s inaugural FilmMart, jointly hosted by the Durban Film Office (DFO) and Durban International Film Festival (DIFF), go up a gear as the closing date for the submission of entries approaches.

“We are heartened by the submissions we are receiving from entrants throughout Africa,” says Toni Monty, acting CEO of the Durban Film Office. “In addition, we received significant interest from organisations and individual producers on our recent trip to the International Film Festival Rotterdam, where we launched the Durban FilmMart to the international community of producers and also established a partnership with the world-renowned Cinemart. The support for a well-structured forum giving the rest of the world access to African content and projects, is really encouraging.”

“We urge potential entrants to get their submissions in by the closing date of March 29,” says Peter Rorvik, director of the Durban International Film Festival, “as the Durban FilmMart provides a perfect entry point for African film-makers to pitch film projects to leading financiers and network with international directors and producers.”

Projects with an African citizen attached to any one of the three creative roles of writer, director or producer are eligible to participate in the Durban FilmMart. These include fiction features, animation features and documentaries suitable for international co-production and distribution.

The Durban FilmMart is a joint project of the DFO and the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) and will take place during the 31st Durban International Film Festival which runs from July 22 to August 1. For more information on the Durban FilmMart and project submission visit www.durbanfilmoffice.com or contact Musonda Chimba at the DFO on 031 311 4248 or e-mail chimbam@durban.gov.za