Talents Durban est le programme annuel de formation et de développement de 5 jours du Durban FilmMart, qui rassemble les professionnels émergents du cinéma africain.

Talents Durban vise à coordonner un programme rationalisé pour les scénaristes, réalisateurs, critiques de cinéma, producteurs et autres personnes liées au cinéma émergents qui se concentrent sur le développement de projets et à organiser un mentorat et une formation pratique pour les critiques de cinéma / journalistes émergents.

Talents Durban is the Durban FilmMart’s annual 5-day training and development programme, that brings together Africa’s rising film professionals.

Talents Durban was founded in partnership with the Berlin International Film Festival and the Berlinale Talents project. The Berlinale partnership came into effect in 2019, as part of six international initiatives formed by the Berlin International Film Festival. The project takes place on an annual basis in Africa and around the world including Talents Beirut in Lebanon, Talents Buenos Aires in Argentina, Talents Sarajevo in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Talents Tokyo in Japan, Talents Guadalajara in Mexico and Talent Press Rio in Brazil.

Each year Talent Durban invites emerging filmmakers from around the continent of Africa for an intensive five-day programme of workshops, seminars, master classes as well as hands-on development programmes on selected projects. These Talents must be screenwriters, directors or producers. Talents are also partnered with experts and mentors from their respective fields of specialization. These projects also seek to unearth participants who have completed or in the process of completing an industry-related qualification. Talents are also encouraged to have an existing book of evidence with completed work and work in progress.

This project has gone uninterrupted with great success in the Africa continent for the past 14 years, with over 22 African countries represented and 380 alumnae. Being generally open in terms of formats and cinematic approaches, the main focus of Talents Durban is the quality of the proposed content as well as an integrated and comprehensible concept, how content, screening platform, target audience and distribution strategy work hand in hand.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

Talents Durban aims to coordinate a streamlined programme for emerging screenwriters, directors, film critics, producers and other film-related individuals that focus on project development and to host mentorship and hands-on training for emerging film critics/journalists.

This important event aims to achieve the following specific objectives:

Focus on sustainability – To inspire finished projects to films which can then be selected to screen in festivals in and around the continent in order to foster growth in African cinema.

More project orientated – With a writer/director focus Talents Durban aims to offer a clear and hands-on curriculum for its participants. Storytelling Lab, Doc Lab, Talent Press, Mentorship and Masterclasses.

More in-depth project consultation – Talents Durban will increase its efforts to provide individual mentorship and follow-up.

Better linked to the key industry programmes and networks – Durban FilmMart and other industry events, residency programmes and talent development initiatives on the continent.

Talents Durban is open to African screenwriters and directors, with animation, fiction, documentary or hybrid projects in development. The five-day event consists of workshops, discussions, screenings, and programmes for specific disciplines. The initiative also includes Talent Press, a co-operation with FIPRESCI and the Goethe-Institut, which will once again host mentorship for emerging film critics.