The Durban FilmMart (DFM) has announced a new Equitable Coproduction programme for its 2026 edition, designed by EAVE (European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs) and is bringing four leading EAVE experts to Durban to address one of the most pressing issues in international filmmaking: how to build coproductions that are fair, transparent and sustainable for all partners involved.
Taking place under the theme “Shifting Worlds: Turning Towards Ourselves,” the 17th Durban FilmMart, scheduled from 9 to 12 October 2026, continues to expand its Industry Programme to meet the practical needs of producers navigating an increasingly global production landscape. The Equitable Coproduction programme, delivered across a masterclass series and a dedicated clinic, gives delegates both the frameworks and the individual guidance needed to structure partnerships that share power, risk and reward more evenly.
“Coproduction has always been positioned as a route to bigger budgets and wider access, but we have often identified that those partnerships are not always fair,” says Durban FilmMart Institute Director, Magdalene Reddy. “By presenting a programmatic element-based EAVE’s recently developed Equitable Coproduction research and report DFM is equipping producers with practical tools to negotiate equitable creative, financial and legal terms from the outset, not as an afterthought.”
“The EAVE Impact Think Tank on Equitable and Inclusive Production Practices was created to examine the structural realities shaping independent production and develop practical responses. DFM was a natural partner in adapting and delivering this comprehensive, hands-on programme for African producers,” says EAVE CEO, Kristina Trapp. “Together, we aim to provide clear steps, best practices and practical tools for integrating inclusive production and coproduction practices into professional workflows, empowering producers to create meaningful and lasting change across the continent.”
Four Masterclasses on Equitable Coproduction
Presented in the DFM Industry Programme and open to all delegates, the masterclass series combines best-practice techniques with case studies drawn from the EAVE experts’ own experience, covering the full production lifecycle from development through to delivery. The four EAVE experts who will be present in Durban are Tamara Dawit (Gobez Media – Canada & Ethiopia), Linda Mutawi (Fikra – Sweden), May Odeh (Odeh Films – Palestine & Germany) and Amil Shivji (Kijiweni Productions – Tanzania).
Developing with an Inclusive Lens positions the development phase as the critical point at which to embed equity, care and intentionality into a project. Participants will explore care-based development frameworks, including collaborative story design and consent-driven research, to build a transparent roadmap from concept to production.
Inclusive Financing & Budgeting introduces budgeting tools and financing strategies that promote equity across a production, including fair compensation and practical approaches to shared ownership, transparent practices and community benefit. The session also addresses how to navigate currency imbalances in international coproductions.
Inclusive Co-Productions examines how to build partnerships that uphold creative equity, financial fairness and shared IP ownership and revenue participation, particularly across regions with differing resources. The session covers negotiating fair terms, drafting inclusive contracts and navigating legal frameworks that support long-term, respectful collaboration.
Inclusive Production Practices offers practical guidance for managing productions across diverse cultural and geographic contexts, including inclusive hiring, cross-cultural crew coordination, ethical casting, safer set protocols and culturally sensitive scheduling. The session also addresses production and post-production workflows that prioritise access, consent and psychological safety.
Equitable Coproduction Clinic
Recognising that many challenges are specific to an individual project and cannot be fully addressed in a masterclass setting, DFM will also host an Equitable Coproduction Clinic. The clinic gives delegates direct, one-on-one access to the EAVE experts behind the masterclass series.
Delegates can book a dedicated 15-minute slot with an expert to work through concerns specific to their own project, from navigating power dynamics to structuring fair creative and financial partnerships. With four experts running concurrent sessions, the clinic can support up to 50 to 60 delegates individually, ensuring the guidance on offer is tailored rather than generic. Bookings are coordinated by the DFM team to make access straightforward.
Register now: durbanfilmmart.co.za
For inquiries: [email protected]
The 17th edition Durban FilmMart is funded by the Durban Film Office, eThekwini Municipality, Ford Foundation, the National Film and Video Foundation and IEFTF.
