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.
“Where Do I Belong?” is the latest from Ahmad, who co-directed last year’s Sundance-premiering documentary “Khartoum.” The winner of four prizes at the DFM forum, it follows the director as he decides to leave Nairobi and return to his family in the Sudanese capital, combining documentary footage and hand-drawn pencil animation to tell an intimate and unconventional road movie. 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.
“The Durban FilmMart Institute…remains committed to building the industry,” she said. “Thank you for participating with such passion and professionalism in all the programs presented over the last four days. 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
Al Jazeera Co-production Award
“On the Sea Road” (Palestine)
Director: Fitnat Waked with participation of Nour Obaid
Climate Story Labs Award
“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
National Film and Video Foundation of South Africa (NFVF) — Best Non-fiction
“The Ones With the Tempered Flowers” (Kenya)
Producer: Ivy Kiru
Director: Neema Ngelime
National Film and Video Foundation of South Africa (NFVF) — Best Animation
“Sunday Morning” (Ethiopia)
Producer: Nahom Abiy
Director: Minasie Terefe
Inkaba Award (Stained Glass TV)
“Daddies” (South Africa)
Producer: Catharina Weinek
Director: Sean Mongie
NEWF Natural World Storytelling Grant
“A Touch of Paradise” (Tunisia)
Producer: Sarra Ben Hassen
Director: Houcem Slouli
Red Sea Film Fund Award — Non-Fiction
“Heirs of No Regret” (Kenya)
Producer: Mumo Liku
Director: Saitabao Kaiyare
Red Sea Film Fund Award — Fiction
“The Boy Who Spoke Static” (Nigeria)
Agbajowo Collective: Temitope Ogungbamila, Samuel Okechukwu, Mat Cerf (Lead Producer) and Bisola Akinmuyiwa
Docubox Award
“Where Do I Belong?” (Sudan)
Producer: Talal AfifI
Director: Ibrahim “Snoopy” Ahmad
TRT Award
“On the Sea Road” (Palestine)
Director: Fitnat Waked with participation of Nour Obaid
RRImpact Pitch Prize (DocA)
“My Djomélé Night” (Burkina Faso)
Producer: Cinema Salama
Director: Barkima Nafissatou Laguempedo
Sundance Institute Documentary Fund New Voices Award
“Where Do I Belong?” (Sudan)
Producer: Talal Afifi
Director: Ibrahim “Snoopy” Ahmad
The Whickers Bursary Award
“Green Island Girls” (Egypt)
Producer: Amrosh Badr
Director: Rogena Tarek
Sunshine Cinema UCT Impact Development Award
“Pülö: Bloodstream of the Kirike” (Nigeria)
Producer/Director: Christina Ifubaraboye
“On the Sea Road” (Palestine)
Director: Fitnat Waked with participation of Nour Obaid
DFMI Talents Durban Award
“The Basement” (Democratic Republic of Congo)
Director: Mélanie K. ZAWADI
The Wrapped App Award
“Second Bloom” (Zimbabwe)
Director: Tendaiishe Chitima
Sørfond Award
“The Boy Who Spoke Static” (Nigeria)
Agbajowo Collective: Temitope Ogungbamila, Samuel Okechukwu, Mat Cerf (Lead Producer) and Bisola Akinmuyiwa
“Where Do I Belong?” (Sudan)
Producer: Talal Afifi
Director: Ibrahim “Snoopy” Ahmad
Rotterdam Lab Award
“Four Months and Ten Days” (Sudan)
Producer: Samo Hussein
Co-producer: Anna Stylińska
Director: Alyaa Musa
The DOK Leipzig Award
“The Ones With the Tempered Flowers” (Kenya)
Producer: Ivy Kiru
Director: Neema Ngelime
The FIDADOC Award
“The Birth of Derna” (Libya)
Director: Hussein Eddeb
“Fitampoha, the Return of the King of Menabe” (Madagascar)
Director: Ramaroson Anatole
Movies that Matter Award
“The Ones With the Tempered Flowers” (Kenya)
Producer: Ivy Kiru
Director: Neema Ngelime
Animation Production Days (APD) Award
“Sunday Morning” (Ethiopia)
Producer: Nahom Abiy
Director: Minasie Terefe
DOK.fest München Award
“Where Do I Belong?” (Sudan)
Producer: Talal AfifI
Director: Ibrahim “Snoopy” Ahmad
Sheffield Doc Fest Award
“The Ones With the Tempered Flowers” (Kenya)
Producer: Ivy Kiru
Director: Neema Ngelime
NEWF Post-Production Residency Award
“The Birth of Derna” (Libya)
Director: Hussein Eddeb
NEWF Summit Attendance Award
“Second Bloom” (Zimbabwe)
Director: Tendaiishe Chitima
El Gouna Emerge Award
“The Birth of Derna” (Libya)
Director: Hussein Eddeb
“Cause, Effect & Maybe Consequences” (Nigeria)
Director: Cheyi Okoaye
Talents Press Award presented by CIFF and FIPRESCI
Neya Harouna (Burkina Faso)
TFL x IEFTF Next Award (TorinoFilmLab)
“Four Months and Ten Days” (Sudan)
Producer: Samo Hussein
Director: Alyaa Musa
Visions du Réel Award
“The Ones With the Tempered Flowers” (Kenya)
Producer: Ivy Kiru
Director: Neema Ngelime
Women Make Movies Award
“On the Sea Road” (Palestine)
Director: Fitnat Waked with participation of Nour Obaid
Impronta Films Consultancy Award
“Waiting for Evolution” (South Africa)
Producer/Director: Karin Slater
“Designing Divide” (South Africa)
Producer/ Director: Jessie Ayles