The 37th Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) has announced the participants of the 9th edition of Talents Durban, presented in cooperation with the Berlinale Talents, an initiative of the Berlin International Film Festival.

Talents Durban is a five-day development program consisting of workshops and seminars for African filmmakers delivered by film professionals and academics. The Talents, who are selected through a rigorous application process, will also have the opportunity to attend screenings and other events at the Festival.

Talents Durban is one of the six Talents International programs formed by Berlinale Talents. The other Talents program include Talents Beirut in Lebanon, Talents Buenos Aires in Argentina, Talents Sarajevo in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Talents Tokyo in Japan and Talents Guadalajara in Mexico.

Twenty filmmakers from eight countries across the continent, including South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Mozambique, Ethiopia, Egypt and Madagascar, will be in attendance.

The selected participants for Durban Talents 2016 are:

Adefoyeke Ajao (Nigeria), Amirah Tadjin (Kenya), Desmond Denton (South Africa), Flavia Motsisi (South Africa), Hiwot Getaneh (Ethiopia), Izette Mostert (South Africa), Kennedy Omoro (Kenya), Maragert Wacera (South Africa), Nathan Rice (South Africa), Peter Seduffia (Ghana), Razanajaona Luck (Madagascar), Sakhumzi Mati (South Africa), Sameh Morsy (Egypt), Sheetal Magan (South Africa), Tamara Dawit (Ethiopia), Thea Small (South Africa), Tumelo Moutlana (South Africa), Wim Steytler (South Africa), Wome Uyeye (Nigeria), and Yara Pereira (Mozambique).

Presented under the theme “Degrees of Separation: Connecting People and Story,” Talents Durban aims to boost the already rising flow of contemporary filmmaking in Africa, and to encourage filmmakers on the continent to share their stories through the lens of their own own particular culture. Participants will interact with over 600 delegates from DIFF and Durban FilmMart, the co-production and finance forum which takes place from June 17-20 during the festival. The talents will also get to be part of several project-oriented, hands-on skills development program. Practical development program within Talents Durban include Story Junction, masterclasses, and one-on-one mentorships.

Story Junction is a platform showcasing projects linked to the festival. Participants will present their project at Story Junction to peers and industry delegates. Delegates will be able to request meetings with projects that they wish to engage with further.

Like last year, Talents Durban participants will have access to all industry master classes, panel discussions and festival functions. In addition, the Talents will be invited to all festival functions as well as events of the Durban FilmMart.

Each of the Talents Durban participants will receive a mentor for an intensive program of one-on-one consultation and project and strategy development workshops for the entire group. The mentors selected are experts in their respective fields (e.g. documentary, fiction, drama series, web, mobile content, TV) that suit the needs of the participant and their projects.

Talents Durban is supported by the Goethe Institut SA, the German Embassy in South Africa and the Gauteng Film Commission.

For more information about Talents Durban at the DIFF go to www.durbanfilmfest.co.za.

The Durban International Film Festival takes place from June 16-26, 2016. The Festival includes nearly 200 theatrical screenings, as well as the Wavescape Film Festival and various industry initiatives, including the 9th Talents Durban program (in cooperation with the Berlin Talent Campus) and the 7th Durban FilmMart co-production market (in partnership with the Durban Film Office).

The 37th Durban International Film Festival is organised by the Centre for Creative Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, with support from the National Film and Video Foundation, Durban Film Office, eThekwini Municipality, German Embassy, Goethe Institut, KwaZulu-Natal Department of Arts and Culture, and a range of other valued partners.