Tanzanian filmmaker Neema Ngelime’s “The Ones With the Tempered Flowers,” Palestinian director Fitnat Waked’s “On the Sea Road” and “Where Do I Belong?,” from Sudanese director Ibrahim “Snoopy” Ahmad, were among the big winners at this year’s Durban FilmMart, which wrapped with an award ceremony on Monday night. Ngelime’s directorial debut took home five awards, including the prize for best non-fiction film from South Africa’s National Film and Video Foundation and awards from DOK Leipzig, Sheffield Doc Fest and Visions du Réel. The film tells the story of a woman studying her body’s relationship to self and society, and the political weight placed on women’s bodies in Tanzania, and challenging duty masked as love.
Also taking four awards was “On the Sea Road,” the debut feature from Waked, a documentary about the friendship forged between two Palestinian women separated by borders. Among other standout projects was “The Boy Who Spoke Static,” from Nigeria’s Agbajowo Collective, the filmmaking group behind the 2024 Toronto premiere “The Legend of the Vagabond Queen of Lagos,” which won three prizes, including the prize for best fiction film from South Africa’s NFVF. The ceremony capped a rousing edition of the pitch and finance forum at the DFM, which kicked off its 17th edition with a celebration of DFM alumnus “Ben’Imana,” from first-time Rwandan filmmaker Marie-Clémentine Dusabejambo, which won the Cámera d’Or in Cannes and became that country’s first ever submission in the Oscar category for best international feature film.
Durban FilmMart Institute director Magdalene Reddy praised the “dynamic array of filmmakers and industry leaders” taking part in this year’s event and stressed how “the talent showcased in this year’s program and film projects exemplifies the strength of African cinema. Thank you for connecting, for telling your stories. And thank you for shifting the world with us.” Thirty-nine awards were handed out on Monday night, with a value totaling north of $120,000.
Here’s a rundown of all the winners: The JustFilms Documentary Award (Ford Foundation) “The Thread and the Wall” (Algeria)Producer/Director: Mouni Bouallam “On the Sea Road” (Palestine)Director: Fitnat Waked with participation of Nour Obaid “The Birth of Derna” (Libya)Director: Hussein Eddeb National Film and Video Foundation of South Africa (NFVF) — Best Fiction “The Boy Who Spoke Static” (Nigeria)Agbajowo Collective: Temitope Ogungbamila, Samuel Okechukwu, Mat Cerf (Lead Producer) and Bisola Akinmuyiwa “The Ones With the Tempered Flowers” (Kenya)Producer: Ivy KiruDirector: Neema Ngelime “Sunday Morning” (Ethiopia)Producer: Nahom AbiyDirector: Minasie Terefe “Daddies” (South Africa)Producer: Catharina WeinekDirector: Sean Mongie “A Touch of Paradise” (Tunisia)Producer: Sarra Ben HassenDirector: Houcem Slouli “Heirs of No Regret” (Kenya)Producer: Mumo LikuDirector: Saitabao Kaiyare “Where Do I Belong?” (Sudan)Producer: Talal AfifIDirector: Ibrahim “Snoopy” Ahmad “My Djomélé Night” (Burkina Faso)Producer: Cinema SalamaDirector: Barkima Nafissatou Laguempedo Sundance Institute Documentary Fund New Voices Award “Green Island Girls” (Egypt)Producer: Amrosh BadrDirector: Rogena Tarek Sunshine Cinema UCT Impact Development Award “Pülö: Bloodstream of the Kirike” (Nigeria)Producer/Director: Christina Ifubaraboye Director: Fitnat Waked with participation of Nour Obaid “The Basement” (Democratic Republic of Congo)Director: Mélanie K. ZAWADI “Second Bloom” (Zimbabwe)Director: Tendaiishe Chitima “Four Months and Ten Days” (Sudan)Producer: Samo HusseinCo-producer: Anna StylińskaDirector: Alyaa Musa “The Birth of Derna” (Libya)Director: Hussein Eddeb“Fitampoha, the Return of the King of Menabe” (Madagascar)Director: Ramaroson Anatole “Cause, Effect & Maybe Consequences” (Nigeria)Director: Cheyi Okoaye Talents Press Award presented by CIFF and FIPRESCI “Four Months and Ten Days” (Sudan)Producer: Samo HusseinDirector: Alyaa Musa “Waiting for Evolution” (South Africa)Producer/Director: Karin Slater “Designing Divide” (South Africa)Producer/ Director: Jessie Ayles
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