Exciting news for upcoming film directors as Showmax in partnership with the Joburg Film Festival is looking for Africa’s next top filmmaker. The giant African streamer is calling for submissions from 10 first-time film directors for live-action films.
This call is applicable to African first-time directors only. To be considered a first-time director, one must not have directed a film or TV series episode of 40 minutes or longer.
To qualify the submission(s) must have
- A first draft screenplay set in contemporary Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, or South Africa. The crew should have a first-time director attached who is a resident or citizen of those countries
- A film that is over 40 minutes long.
- A less than 5-minute-long pitch video in English. This should include short bios of the writer, director, and producer; a concise summary of the story.
Submission Guidelines
Participants must submit their applications via the portal before the 1st April 2023 deadline. The selected projects will be announced in the second half of 2023. Later, they will be screened on Showmax in 50 countries across sub-Saharan Africa in 2024.
Applicants are encouraged to create budget-friendly submissions by avoiding films that require a lot of extensive VFX and destruction of property. All these while sticking to the true vision of their films. They are also encouraged to ensure that they introduce their characters and storylines strongly in order to increase their chances of being picked.
“Making your first film is a key turning point in any director’s career. So, this brief is another way we are trying to empower local filmmakers to tell their own stories for their own communities in their own languages. We’re looking for authentic stories that will resonate with our local audiences.” Noted Showmax CEO Yolisa Phahle.
As for applicants who would rather pitch for a Showmax Original series or documentary instead of this call, they can still do so by clicking here. However, just like other pitches, this is subject to the Multichoice workflow process.
