Among the big winners of the 2025 DFM Awards was the Michael James-directed South African film, The Second Coming, which took home the National Film and Video Foundation of South Africa (NFVF) Best Fiction Award.
By Vivian Nneka Nwajiaku
The 16th edition of the Durban FilmMart (DFM) has come to a fruitful end with the 2025 DFM Awards presented to winning participants for their outstanding films and projects. This year’s programme ran from 18th to 21st July, 2025 in Durban, South Africa and featured fiction, documentary, episodic, and animation projects in development.
Magdalene Reddy, Director of the Durban FilmMart Institute (DFMI), described the talent showcased in this year’s programme and film projects as exemplifying the strength of African cinema.
“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 Reddy, who added that “The memories made, networks expanded, and partnerships forged have significantly contributed to DFM’s enduring legacy and impact.”
Among the big winners of the 2025 DFM Awards was the Michael James-directed South African film, The Second Coming, which took home the National Film and Video Foundation of South Africa (NFVF) Best Fiction Award, as well as the Red Sea Film Fund Award, and the Inkaba Award reserved for bold new work seeking financing and co-production support.
Also recognised for top awards were Tunisia’s The Salt of the South, directed by Rami Jarboui, which received the NFVF Best Non-Fiction Award and the EURODOC Award; and Crocodile Dance, a South African and Nigerian production co-directed by Shofela Coker and Nadia Darries, winning the NFVF Best Animation Award.
Cape Verde’s Plastic Atlantis, a documentary directed by Samira Vera-Cruz, received six accolades, including the Climate Story Labs Award, the Sundance Institute Documentary Fund’s New Voices Award, and the prestigious Women Make Movies Award for the Best Pitch by a Woman Filmmaker.
Other notable winners include Zimbabwe’s Golden, directed by Rumbi Katedza, which received the Red Sea Film Fund, the CANAL+ Development Grant, and a place at DOK.fest München Award; and Algeria’s Climbing the Mountains, directed by Sabrina Chebbi, a recipient of the Red Sea Film Fund and Al Jazeera Co-Production Award, in addition to a participation grant for the Hot Docs-Blue Ice Docs.
The Durban FilmMart is Africa’s premier co-production and film finance market and a platform for African filmmakers looking to access international markets, build networks, and secure funding. Held under the theme “Bridges Not Borders: Stories That Unite,” this year’s edition drew a large crowd of 1,364 filmmakers and film professionals from 63 countries to Durban for four days of panel discussions, pitching sessions, networking, and project showcases.
See the full list of the 2025 DFM Award winners below.
Best Fiction (NFVF)
The Second Coming (South Africa)
Producer: Siyabonga Xaba
Director: Michael James
Best Non-fiction (NFVF)
The Salt of the South (Tunisia)
Producer: Ramzi Laâmouri
Director: Rami Jarboui
Best Animation (NFVF)
Crocodile Dance (South Africa, Nigeria)
Producer: Ingrid de Beer
Directors: Shofela Coker, Nadia Darries
Red Sea Film Fund Award
Golden (Zimbabwe)
Producers: Rumbi Katedza, Ingrid Martens
Director: Rumbi Katedza
Red Sea Film Fund Award
The Second Coming (South Africa)
Producer: Siyabonga Xaba
Director: Michael James
Red Sea Film Fund Award
Climbing the Mountains (Algeria)
Producers: Kenji Accard, Sabrina Chebbi
Co-producer: Oualid Baha
Director: Sabrina Chebbi
Al Jazeera Co-production Award
Climbing the Mountains (Algeria)
Producers: Kenji Accard, Sabrina Chebbi
Co-producer: Oualid Baha
Director: Sabrina Chebbi
Climate Story Labs Award
Plastic Atlantis (Cape Verde)
Producer: Pedro Soulé
Director: Samira Vera-Cruz
Inkaba Award (Stained Glass TV) Award
The Second Coming (South Africa)
Producer: Siyabonga Xaba
Director: Michael James
CANAL+ Development Grant
Golden (Zimbabwe)
Producers: Rumbi Katedza, Ingrid Martens
Director: Rumbi Katedza
TRT Award
The Guardian (Libya, Algeria, Canada)
Producer: Lynda Belkhiria
Director: Muhannad Lamin
MTN Group Digital Award
Nomvula (She Who Brings the Rain) (South Africa)
Producer: Kethiwe Ngcobo
Director: Sibusiso Khuzwayo
Sundance Institute Documentary Fund New Voices Award
Plastic Atlantis (Cape Verde)
Producer: Pedro Soulé
Director: Samira Vera-Cruz
The Whickers Bursary Award for a First-Time Feature Documentary Director
Vuka (South Africa)
Producer: Rehad Desai
Director: Matthew Robinson
OIF-ACP-EU Award
Plastic Atlantis (Cape Verde)
Producer: Pedro Soulé
Director: Samira Vera-Cruz
Hot Docs-Blue Ice Docs Award
Climbing the Mountains (Algeria)
Producers: Kenji Accard, Sabrina Chebbi
Co-producer: Oualid Baha
Director: Sabrina Chebbi
Wrapped Talents Durban Prize
Trucker Man (South Africa)
Director: Shiefaa Hendricks
DFM Talents Durban Award (Market/Event Participation Award)
Designing Divide (South Africa)
Director: Jessie Ayles
Sørfond Award (Market/Event Participation Award)
Baptism of Silence (South Africa)
Producer: Casey Diepeveen
Directors: Kanya Viljoen, Emilie Badenhorst
El Gouna Film Festival Award (Market/Event Participation Award)
Samaa Gafa (Dry Sky) (Sudan)
Producer: Aya Tallah Yusuf
Director: Ibrahim Omar
The FIDADOC Award (Market/Event Participation Award)
KUMFOGA (Togo)
Dissirama Bessoga
Rotterdam Lab Award (Market/Event Participation Award)
Space Maasai (Tanzania)
Producer: Wilson Nkya
Director: Priscilla Marealle
Animation Production Days (APD) Award (Market/Event Participation Award)
Tribe (South Africa)
Producer: Debbie Crosscup
Director: Tendayi Nyeke
Visions du Reel Award (Market/Event Participation Award)
Akal (Morocco)
Producer: Karim Debbagh
Director: Basma Rkioui
Sheffield Doc Fest Award (Market/Event Participation Award)
Plastic Atlantis (Cape Verde)
Producer: Pedro Soulé
Director: Samira Vera-Cruz
The DOK Leipzig Award (Market/Event Participation Award)
Akal (Morocco)
Producer: Karim Debbagh
Director: Basma Rkioui
DOK.fest München Award (Market/Event Participation Award)
Golden (Zimbabwe)
Producers: Rumbi Katedza, Ingrid Martens
Director: Rumbi Katedza
MAD Solutions Award (Mentorship, Distribution and Membership)
Ping Pong (Palestine)
Producer: May Jabareen
Director: Saleh Saadi
Doc A Award (Mentorship, Distribution and Membership)
Plastic Atlantis (Cape Verde)
Producer: Pedro Soulé
Director: Samira Vera-Cruz
EURODOC Award (Mentorship, Distribution and Membership)
The Salt of the South (Tunisia)
Producer: Ramzi Laâmouri
Director: Rami Jarboui
Fak’ugesi Residency Award (Mentorship, Distribution and Membership)
Kamaroza (Egypt)
Producer: Nouran Abdallah
Directors: Ahmad Abdelhameed, Islam Mazhar
Studio: Samaka
TFL Next IEFTA Award (Mentorship, Distribution and Membership)
Nomvula (She Who Brings the Rain) (South Africa)
Producer: Kethiwe Ngcobo
Director: Sibusiso Khuzwayo
Women Make Movies Award (Mentorship, Distribution and Membership)
Plastic Atlantis (Cape Verde)
Producer: Pedro Soulé
Director: Samira Vera-Cruz
Impronta Films Consultancy Award (Mentorship, Distribution and Membership)
Planet Carnival (South Africa)
Producers: Thandi Davids
Co-producer: Luana Rocha
Director: Kurt Orderson
Vuka (South Africa)
Producer: Rehad Desai
Director: Matthew Robinson
Triggerfish Mentorship Award (Mentorship, Distribution and Membership)
Aisha Qandicha (Morocco)
Producer: Alyssa Harden
Director: Fatima Mahdar
Isiziba Award (Stained Glass TV) (Mentorship, Distribution and Membership)
Watching over You (South Africa)
Director Stephen Nagel
Talent Press Award Supported by FIPRESCI (Mentorship, Distribution and Membership)
Alice Johnson (Ghana)
Wrapped Talent Press Prize
Tshi Malatji (South Africa)