The Callsheet

African cinema has spent decades building filmmakers, films, festivals, markets and production capacity. Yet one fundamental challenge remains: how do African films consistently find, grow and sustain paying African audiences? At Durban FilmMart 2026 (9-12 October), Deepixels launched its WiC, Watch in Community, an audience infrastructure initiative designed to help build new audience markets for African screen content.

KwaZulu-Natal is strengthening its links with the global screen industry as filmmakers and producers from South Africa, Canada, the United Kingdom and the Caribbean gather in the province for the Cross Continental Forum (CCF) 2026–27, ahead of their participation in the Durban FilmMart (DFM).

Film Afrika, FA Project Arcadia and the South African Film Academy are investing in tomorrow! In October, the trio will host six short courses giving aspiring filmmakers direct access to industry titans. Veterans with a wealth of knowledge across six disciplines will give students a crash course in the theory and practical skills they need to thrive in their chosen careers. While most of the spots have been filled, applications are still open for the Cast programme. See more below.

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) has announced that the feature film “Variasies op ’n Tema / Variations on a Theme“ has been selected as South Africa’s official entry for the 99th Annual Academy Awards (Oscars) in the Best International Feature Film category. “Variations on a Theme” is a 100% Afrikaans drama written and directed by Jason Jacobs and Devon Delmar, starring Hettie Farmer from Kharkams.

Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie has dissolved the Council of the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), citing governance and legal compliance concerns over the appointment of one of its members as Acting Chief Executive Officer. McKenzie dissolved the Council on 23 September 2026 in terms of section 6(10) of the National Film and Video Foundation Act 73 of 1997.

Documentaries have long played second fiddle to fiction on the big screen, but that’s changing. Audiences worldwide are increasingly choosing the cinema for non-fiction storytelling, and Mother City, directed by Miki Redelinghuys and Pearlie Joubert, is riding that wave with a nationwide release at Ster-Kinekor Cinemas from 1 October. The documentary will screen as part of Ster-Kinekor’s new strand dedicated to classic and local film, with tickets priced at an accessible R50.

South African filmmakers behind some of the continent’s most ambitious films and TV shows in recent years (Shadow, Dead Places, Office Invasion, In Your Dreams and The Nowhere Man for the likes of Netflix, Canal+, Prime Video, AMC and Starz) have this month opened the Motion Story Studio – a sophisticated virtual production hub in the heart of Johannesburg.

Netflix has announced an expansive slate of  local series and films to celebrate a decade of showcasing South African stories that supported more than 8,000 jobs through partnerships with over 30 local production companies.

First published by Silwerskerm Festival The feature film Landmyn made a clean sweep of four of the top honours at this year’s Silwerskerm Awards for Film and TV, held in Cape Town last month. Last year Nico Scheepers, a celebrated playwright and theatre director, won eight Silwerskerm Awards with his debut feature film Hen, while his television series Donkerbos likewise won several awards, including the Safta Award for best director.

KwaZulu-Natal filmmakers have until 16:00 on 14 September 2026 to submit applications for the latest round of the KZN Film Fund Development and Production Programme, as the province enters another important period for its screen industry. The current funding call provides filmmakers with an opportunity to secure support for the development and production of new projects, with applications to be submitted to .